Vermont Holds
Presidential Primary
 

 

Tuesday, March 4 is not only Town Meeting day, it is presidential primary day in Vermont, and for the first time, Vermont’s vote in the Democratic primary may make a difference.

Previous nomination contests have been sewn up before Vermonters have had a chance to vote. But this year, the tight race between Hillary Clinton and Barak Obama is still nearly a toss-up as Vermont joins Ohio, Texas, and Rhode Island in making its choice.

Polls in all towns will be open until 7 p.m. for Australian ballot voting. There is no party registration in Vermont so voters will be able to select either a Democratic ballot, with Clinton’s and Obama’s name on it, or a Republican ballot, from which voters may choose John McCain, Mike Huckabee, or Ron Paul—or write in their own choice.

The campaigns of both Sens. Clinton and Obama have said their candidates will not be able to make it to Vermont, needing to concentrate their time in the key states of Ohio and Texas. Nevertheless, both campaigns are active, and both have been running television advertisements.

Brookfield resident Billi Gosh helped open Clinton’s first Vermont campaign office, and this week another was opened in Rutland. Vermont newspapers have been flooded with Clinton emails.

Obama is reported to have 10 paid staffers in Vermont and to have opened four offices, with three others to come.

Both candidates have created support committees—Vermont Women for Obama and a Clinton steering committee of 15 members.

Both candidates mentioned Vermont a couple of times in their Tuesday night debate in Cleveland.