If you just looked at the top of the ticket, you’d think Vermont was the same old deep-blue reliable fortress it’s always been. Kamala Harris cleared a massive lead here. She took home roughly 63.8% of the popular vote, which is a pretty standard "Vermont" number for a Democrat these days. But honestly, if you stop there, you're missing the real story. Underneath that surface-level blue, something shifted.
The vt election results 2024 didn't just confirm the status quo; they blew a hole right through the middle of the Democratic supermajority in Montpelier.
For the last couple of years, the State House and Senate have been able to pass pretty much whatever they wanted, even if Governor Phil Scott didn’t like it. They had the numbers to override his vetoes without a second thought. Well, that’s over.
The Phil Scott Factor: A Republican Landslide in a Blue State
It’s kinda wild to think about. Phil Scott, a Republican, didn't just win reelection; he absolutely crushed it. He pulled in 73.4% of the vote. Let that sink in for a second. In a state that gave Harris a 32-point victory over Trump, they also gave a Republican governor his fifth term by a margin that hasn't been seen in Vermont since 1946.
He beat Esther Charlestin, the Democratic/Progressive nominee, by over 50 percentage points. Why? Basically, Scott has mastered the art of being the "sensible check" on a legislature that many Vermonters feel has become too expensive.
During the campaign, he focused almost entirely on affordability. He kept talking about the "path set by legislative leaders" and how it was making life impossible for working families and retirees. And guess what? People listened.
✨ Don't miss: Who Has Trump Pardoned So Far: What Really Happened with the 47th President's List
Breaking the Supermajority
This is where the real drama of the vt election results 2024 lives. The Democrats lost their "veto-proof" status.
- The House: Republicans picked up a net of 18 seats.
- The Senate: Republicans gained 6 seats.
Because of these gains, the GOP now holds 13 seats in the 30-member Senate. That’s a huge deal because you need 20 votes to override a governor’s veto. With only 17 Democrats/Progressives left, the math just doesn't work for them anymore. They are three votes short.
In the House, the story is the same. The Democrats/Progressives are down to 91 seats. To override a veto there, they need 100. Basically, Phil Scott just got his "veto pen" back, and it actually has ink in it this time.
The Lieutenant Governor Shakeup
The race for Lieutenant Governor was a nail-biter that actually ended up in the hands of the legislature. David Zuckerman, the Progressive/Democratic incumbent, lost the popular vote to Republican John Rodgers.
It was close—Rodgers had 48.8% and Zuckerman had 47.1%. Because nobody hit that magic 50% mark, the Vermont Constitution says the General Assembly gets to decide. Even though the legislature is still mostly Democrats, they followed the "will of the people" and officially elected Rodgers in January 2025 by a vote of 158 to 18.
🔗 Read more: Why the 2013 Moore Oklahoma Tornado Changed Everything We Knew About Survival
This is the first time since 2008 that Vermont has a Governor and a Lieutenant Governor from the same party. Rodgers, a former Democrat himself who lives in the Northeast Kingdom, has described himself as a "bridge" to pull both parties back toward the middle.
Federal Races: Bernie Still Wins, but the Margins Slipped
Bernie Sanders cruised to his fourth term in the U.S. Senate. No surprise there. He beat Republican Gerald Malloy with 63.2% of the vote. But if you're a political nerd, you'll notice that this was actually Bernie’s lowest percentage in any of his four Senate races since 2006.
Becca Balint also kept her seat in the U.S. House, winning with 62.3%. Like Bernie, she won comfortably, but the margins were slightly tighter than previous cycles. It seems the "red shift" that happened across the country didn't skip Vermont—it just wasn't strong enough to flip the big federal seats.
What This Means for Your Wallet
So, why does any of this matter to the average person in Burlington or Rutland?
It means the days of the legislature passing big, expensive bills and then overriding Phil Scott’s veto are likely over. If the Democrats want to pass a law now, they have to actually negotiate with the Governor or find a few Republicans to cross the aisle.
💡 You might also like: Ethics in the News: What Most People Get Wrong
We’re talking about things like:
- Property tax increases.
- Clean heat standards and energy mandates.
- New social programs.
The "balance" Scott asked for in his victory speech is exactly what he got. It’s going to be a lot harder to pass new taxes in 2025 and 2026.
Take Action: What to Do Next
If you live in Vermont, the political landscape just became a lot more interesting. Here is how you can stay involved:
- Watch the Vetoes: Now that the supermajority is gone, keep an eye on which bills Governor Scott vetoes. These will be the primary "battleground" issues where compromise is required.
- Contact Your Reps: Since the margins are so thin, individual legislators have way more power. If you have an opinion on a bill, your local representative is more likely to listen because every single vote counts now.
- Follow the Budget: The big fight in the next session will be the state budget. With a focus on "affordability," expect a lot of tension between the Governor’s office and the House Appropriations committee.
The 2024 results proved that even in the bluest state in the union, there is a limit to how far voters are willing to go before they hit the brakes. Vermont chose a split government, and now we get to see if that leads to gridlock or the "middle-of-the-road" progress Phil Scott has been promising.