Elections: Candidates, Parties & PACs

2008 Vermont Presidential Primary and General Election


Major Party Candidates - (Petition & Consent Forms) due Jan. 21, 2008, for Presidential Primary on March 4, 2008 (by 5:00 p.m.).

Minor Party Candidates - (Nomination & Consent Forms) can be filed between Sept. 5 and Sept. 12, 2008 (by 5:00 p.m.) for the General Election on November 4, 2008.

Independent Candidates - (Petition & Consent Forms) can be filed between Sept. 5 and Sept. 12, 2008 (by 5:00 p.m.) for the General Election on November 4, 2008.

Please review the information below to ensure that your forms are correctly filled out prior to filing. All petitions must be filed in the Office of the Vermont Secretary of State.

Click here for a timeline of dates for presidential candidates.

All presidential candidates: Major party candidates and independent candidates must file a petition signed by 1,000 registered Vermont voters and a Consent of Candidate form signed by the candidate. (See below for other requirements specific to major party, minor party or independent candidates.)

The nomination language (17 V.S.A. §2353), along with the name of the presidential and vice presidential candidates each identified by office, state of residency and mailing address, must be printed on EACH page of the petition that contains signatures. We WILL NOT accept any petition pages with just signatures.

Vermont law does not prohibit the use of paid circulators for collection of signatures on petitions. However, we strongly caution that you have a trusted campaign staff person review the petition before it is submitted. Our office will carefully check each signature and reject obvious forgeries.

Major party candidates: Major party candidates for the March 4, 2008 Presidential Primary must also pay a filing fee of $2,000. If a major party candidate submits an affidavit with his or her petition stating that the candidate and the candidate's campaign committee do not have sufficient funds to pay the filing fee, the secretary of state shall waive all but $300 of the filing fee for that candidate. 17 V.S.A. §2702

Major party candidates should contact their state party chair regarding delegates and alternatives to national party conventions.

By 5:00 p.m. on September 18, 2008, the each state chair of a major party must notify our office in writing of the names of the presidential and vice presidential nominees selected at the party's national convention. Within five days of the national party convention, major parties must file a sworn statement naming electors selected at the convention, along with a Consent form for each elector.

Minor party candidates: Minor parties may nominate presidential and vice presidential candidates - as well as three electors - under the procedures set out in Title 17, Chapter 49, Subchapter II of the Vermont Statutes Annotated. The state chair of a minor party calls the meeting and gives at least five days' notice in writing to committee members. Nomination by minor party committee requires a majority of those present and voting.

Statements of nomination for minor party candidates must be accompanied by a Consent of Candidate form listing the presidential and vice presidential candidates, as well as a separate Consent form for each of the three electors nominated. A copy of the Notice of the State Committee Meeting must be filed with the Statement of Nomination and the Consent forms.

Independent candidates: Each signature of the 1,000 signatures must be verified by the Town Clerk of the town in which the signor is on the voter checklist. While petitions cannot be filed until September 5, you can start collecting signatures and getting them verified before September 5.

An independent petition must also list the names of the three electors chosen by the independent candidate.

An independent candidate may choose a designation of up to three words to appear after his or her name on the General Election ballot, provided the designation is substantially different from another political party or the political name of another candidate who files before you.

A Consent of Candidate form for each of the three electors for an independent candidate must also be filed at the same time as the independent candidate's petition and Consent of Candidate form.

MAILING ADDRESS: Office of the Vermont Secretary of State Attn: Elections Division 26 Terrace Street Montpelier, VT 05609-1101

Email David if you have any questions.