2010 Vermont gubernatorial election

2010 Vermont gubernatorial election

← 2008 November 2, 2010 2012 →
 
Nominee Peter Shumlin Brian Dubie
Party Democratic Republican
Electoral vote 145 28
Popular vote 119,543 115,212
Percentage 49.48% 47.69%

Shumlin:      40-50%      50-60%      60-70%      70-80%      80-90%
Dubie:      40-50%      50-60%      60-70%      70-80%      80-90%

Governor before election

Jim Douglas
Republican

Elected Governor

Peter Shumlin
Democratic

The 2010 Vermont gubernatorial general election took place on November 2.[1] Vermont and New Hampshire are the only two states where the governor serves a two-year term instead of four.[2] Primary elections took place on August 24.[1]

Incumbent Republican governor Jim Douglas was not a candidate for re-election.[3] Brian Dubie, the incumbent Lieutenant Governor, was the Republican nominee.[1] The Democratic nomination was won by Peter Shumlin, the President pro tempore of the Vermont Senate.[1]

The result was a 119,543 (49.5 percent) to 115,212 (47.7 percent) plurality for Shumlin.[1] Several minor candidates got between 600 and 2,000 votes each.[1] In accordance with the Vermont Constitution, if no candidate receives a majority, the contest is decided by the Vermont General Assembly.[4] In such races, the combined Vermont House and Senate almost always chooses the candidate who won a plurality.[4] Dubie indicated on November 3 that he did not intend to ask for a recount or contest the election in the legislature, and conceded to Shumlin.[5] On January 6, 2011, with 173 of 180 members voting, 87 votes were necessary for a choice.[6] The General Assembly elected Shumlin on the first ballot, 145–28.[6]

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Vermont Gubernatorial Election, 2010". Ballotpedia. Middleton, WI: Lucy Burns Institute. Retrieved January 19, 2021.
  2. ^ Allen, Anne Wallace (February 3, 2019). "Vermont governors are divided on question of 4-year terms". VT Digger. MOntpelier, VT.
  3. ^ "Vermont Governor Douglas will not seek re-election". Vermont Biz.com. South Burlington, VT: Vermont Business Magazine. August 27, 2009.
  4. ^ a b Dobbs, Taylor (November 6, 2014). "Wait, The Legislature Is Choosing The Governor?". Vermont Public Radio. Colchester, VT.
  5. ^ Galloway, Anne (November 3, 2010). "Dubie concedes; Shumlin holds victory presser at noon". VT Digger. Montpelier, VT.
  6. ^ a b Remsen, Nancy (January 7, 2011). "'Regular Guy' Phil Scott sworn in as lt. governor". The Burlington Free Press. Burlington, VT. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.