The 2020 Vermont gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 2020, to elect the Governor of Vermont. As Vermont does not impose term limits upon its governors, incumbent Republican Governor Phil Scott was eligible to run for reelection to a third two-year term in office. On November 18, 2019, he confirmed that he was running for reelection, but did not yet publicly announce his campaign.[1] On May 28, 2020, he officially announced his candidacy but stated that he would not campaign, maintain a campaign staff, or fundraise because of the state of emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Vermont.[2] The primary was held on August 11. Scott won re-election to a third term in a landslide, defeating Progressive and Democratic nominee, Lieutenant Governor David Zuckerman.
| ||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||
Scott: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% Zuckerman: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% Tie: 50% No votes | ||||||||||||||||||||
|
Scott's 41-point victory margin was the largest in a Vermont gubernatorial election since 1996 and the largest for a Republican candidate since 1950, even while Democrat Joe Biden carried the state by a more than the 35-point margin in the concurrent presidential election which was his strongest performance in the nation. Scott would improve upon his performance again in 2022.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Phil Scott (incumbent) | 42,275 | 72.67% | |
Republican | John Klar | 12,762 | 21.94% | |
Republican | Emily Peyton | 970 | 1.67% | |
Republican | Douglas Cavett | 966 | 1.66% | |
Republican | Bernard Peters | 772 | 1.33% | |
Republican | Write-ins | 426 | 0.73% | |
Total votes | 58,171 | 100.0% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | David Zuckerman | 48,150 | 47.56% | |
Democratic | Rebecca Holcombe | 37,599 | 37.14% | |
Democratic | Patrick Winburn | 7,662 | 7.57% | |
Democratic | Ralph Corbo | 1,288 | 1.27% | |
Democratic | Write-ins | 6,533 | 6.45% | |
Total votes | 101,232 | 100.0% |
Leaders within the Progressive Party endorsed David Zuckerman for the gubernatorial election, advocating for Zuckerman to be elected with write-in voters.[19] The party has stated that if Cris Ericson won the primary, "they would likely issue a 'non-endorsement.'"[19] On election night the progressive nomination was listed as too close to call.[20] Zuckerman was confirmed to have won the nomination a few days later when the final write-in vote count was confirmed.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Progressive | David Zuckerman (write-in) | 273 | 32.62% | |
Progressive | Cris Ericson | 254 | 30.35% | |
Progressive | Boots Wardinski | 239 | 28.55% | |
Progressive | Phil Scott (write-in) | 41 | 4.90% | |
Progressive | Write-ins (other) | 30 | 3.58% | |
Total votes | 837 | 100.0% |
Source | Ranking | As of |
---|---|---|
Inside Elections[23] | Safe R | October 28, 2020 |
270toWin[24] | Safe R | November 2, 2020 |
Sabato's Crystal Ball[25] | Safe R | November 2, 2020 |
The Cook Political Report[26] | Safe R | October 23, 2020 |
Politico[27] | Likely R | November 2, 2020 |
RCP[28] | Likely R | November 2, 2020 |
Daily Kos[29] | Safe R | October 28, 2020 |
Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[b] |
Margin of error |
Phil Scott (R) |
David Zuckerman (P/D) |
Other / Undecided |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Braun Research | September 3–15, 2020 | 582 (LV) | ± 4% | 55% | 24% | 17%[c] |
We Ask America | June 2–3, 2020 | 500 (LV) | ± 4.4% | 60% | 25% | 15% |
Braun Research | February 4–10, 2020 | 603 (RV) | ± 4.0% | 52% | 29% | 19% |
Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[b] |
Margin of error |
Phil Scott (R) |
Rebecca Holcombe (D) |
Other / Undecided |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
We Ask America | June 2–3, 2020 | 500 (LV) | ± 4.4% | 62% | 20% | 18% |
Braun Research/VPR | February 4–10, 2020 | 603 (RV) | ± 4.0% | 55% | 20% | 26% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Phil Scott (incumbent) | 248,412 | 68.49% | +13.30 | |
Progressive | David Zuckerman | 99,214 | 27.35% | N/A | |
Independent | Kevin Hoyt | 4,576 | 1.26% | N/A | |
Independent | Emily Peyton | 3,505 | 0.97% | N/A | |
Independent | Erynn Hazlett Whitney | 1,777 | 0.49% | N/A | |
Independent | Wayne Billado III | 1,431 | 0.39% | N/A | |
Independent | Michael A. Devost | 1,160 | 0.32% | N/A | |
Independent | Charly Dickerson | 1,037 | 0.29% | N/A | |
Write-in | 1,599 | 0.44% | N/A | ||
Total votes | 362,711 | 100.0% | +32.33 | ||
Rejected ballots | 8,257 | 2.23% | |||
Turnout | 370,968 | 73.27% | |||
Registered electors | 506,312 | ||||
Republican hold |
By county
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|