 Welcome! We're going to teach you everything you need to know about how to vote in Vermont elections. In order to vote in Vermont, you need to be registered to vote. Registering to vote is very simple. There are many ways to register to vote. You can register to vote ahead of time at the clerk's office of the town that you live in. You can register by filling out a form and bringing it to your town clerk's office. You can register by mail. If you register by mail and it is your first time registering to vote in Vermont, you must mail in a copy of one of the following forms of identification. This can be a valid photo ID, like a driver's license or passport. It can be a current utility bill, a current bank statement, or a government document. It needs to have the address where you live now. You can register online. Or on Election Day, you can register to vote at your polling place. You will need to go to a different table and it can take a little extra time. If you move to a new town, you need to register to vote in that new town. If you move within your town, you should update your voter record with the clerk. It's important to know that only citizens can vote. If you are not a U.S. citizen and you vote in a federal election, it can be a deportable offense. When you register to vote for the first time, you will be asked to take an oath. The oath is a promise that you will only vote for what you believe in. You are promising to never vote for someone because you're paid to do it, or because someone forces you or intimidates you. You must vote your conscience. When can you vote? You can vote on Election Day. You can also vote early at the clerk's office, up to 46 days or six weeks before Election Day. Or you can request that a ballot be mailed to you at your home. You need to make sure the ballot is received at the city clerk's office by Election Day, so plan ahead. Make sure you know where your polling place is. You can ask at your city clerk's office. When you arrive, get in line for your district. Most of the time, the lines are short. But sometimes, like for a presidential election, the lines can be long. When you get to the table, say your name clearly. Tell the staff your last name, or family name, first. The election staff will make sure your name is on the list of registered voters. They will give you a paper ballot. Bring the paper ballot to one of the privacy booths. There will be a pen in the booth for you to mark your ballot with. Fill in the circle by the name that you want to vote for. Most of the time, you will only be able to vote for one person. But for some elections, like the Vermont Senate, you will be able to vote for more than one. The ballot will tell you. If you do not want to vote for one of the listed candidates, there's a space for you to write in any name you choose. But you aren't required to write in any names. Sometimes in local elections, there are also questions to vote for, like whether or not to raise taxes for schools. These questions will also be on the ballot, sometimes on the backside or on a separate piece of paper. Once you have completed voting the ballot, you will take your ballot and feed it into the vote tabulator machine. A poll worker will assist you if needed. No one will know how you voted. It is private. When is election day in Vermont? Local elections for mayor, school board and city councillors or local select board happen on the first Tuesday in March. Every four years, this same day is also the presidential primary. The presidential primary determines which candidates will be running for president of the United States in the general election. When you are requesting an early absentee ballot, or if you vote on election day, you will be asked which ballot you want to vote, Democratic or Republican. There will often be numerous candidates for various offices. You won't just be voting for president. The state primary election is on the second Tuesday in August. In this election, you will be given all major party ballots, Democratic, Progressive and Republican, to take into the voting booth. You then get to decide which party ballot you would like to vote. You can only vote one party ballot. Federal and state elections happen in Vermont on the first Tuesday in November. These elections happen every other year. In the state election, you will be able to vote for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Auditor, Treasurer and Attorney General. You will also be able to vote for the local representative to the Vermont legislature and for the senators in your county. In the federal election, you will be able to vote for the federal representative to Congress, your U.S. Senator and, every four years, for the President of the United States. Hi, I'm Vermont Secretary of State Jim Kondos, Vermont's Chief Elections Officer. The right of every U.S. citizen to vote is a sacred right enshrined in our Constitution. By voting, you help choose who represents you in your local state and federal government, and you help make important decisions in your community. Every time you use your precious right to vote, our democracy grows stronger. As a proud second-generation American whose grandparents came through Ellis Island, it is a great honor for me to welcome all new citizens into the voting process. Please register to vote and then cast your ballot on or before Election Day. Remember, your vote is your voice. For more information, please go to the Vermont Secretary of State's website. Thank you.