The United Church of Hinesburg. Photo by Annalisa Madonia
by CNS Staff Community News Service reporters were out and about across Vermont on Election Day to capture scenes from polling places. Many were paired up with partner news outlets and putting together stories for them, and another cohort was headed out to places in Chittenden County to provide live updates from the polls during the day. Here you can find those dispatches.
Sanders casts his vote in Burlington – 2 p.m. – Jackie Spinnell
U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., walks outside his polling place on Election Day 2024. Photo by Jackie Spinnell
U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders has participated in many elections, but he said this year’s is the most pivotal of his lifetime.
“It’s the most consequential election in the modern history of this country, and the choices are very clear,” he told reporters after he voted this morning in Burlington.
Sanders arrived around 10:30 a.m. at his Ward 7 polling place, the Robert Miller Community and Recreation Center.
Dressed in a navy blue blazer and auburn loafers, he walked inside with his wife Jane and greeted all the poll workers before casting his ballot. He thanked everyone working there and headed outside, the press in tow.
Sanders once again endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president and highlighted the importance of maintaining American democracy.
He talked about the Jan. 6, 2021, storming of the Capitol by supporters of former President Donald Trump and the possibility of a contested election this year. He said it was a terrifying incident, and he can only hope it does not happen again.
Sander, an independent, is up for re-election and favored to win over Republican candidate Gerald Malloy.
Will it be the last time he is on the ballot? reporters asked the senator.
Sanders said he didn’t want to get ahead of himself and that he’s focused on the next six years.
Why did Winooskians come out to vote? – 11 a.m. – Harrison Gaylord
Mitchell Keen, 35, said it’s because “it is the patriotic thing to do,” something mentioned by several voters this morning who talked about exercising their rights. For Jeff Baron, 53, the goal was “to stop Donald Trump. I always vote regardless. It is also obnoxious of the state to fly F-35s while we are voting. Is our vote really heard?”
Shaun Gilpin, 37, said he comes out for every election and that this time is especially key. “These are my people, and it is important to rely on our community members. It is important to see who is in our
community getting involved.”
Ron Sheen, a 70-year-old Republican, said: “As far as the current presidency goes, I am unhappy with just about everything at a federal level. Vermont is getting too expensive, and a lot of that is the fault of the White House. I may move out of Vermont soon because of how expensive it has become for a retiree.”
One 75-year-old named Tammy, who didn’t give her last name, said she wished Vermont didn’t use Dominion brand voting machines and that she hoped there’d be no miscount.
Community News Service is a University of Vermont journalism internship.
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