-This year's general election marks the third time that Vermont has mailed ballots to every registered voter, initially in 2020 as a response to the pandemic. The practice has been mostly accepted by - and even embraced by - voters.
However, many still believe in voting in person.
Whitingham voter Brian Sullivan said he chose to vote in person on Election Day because he prefers the experience of coming to the Municipal Center.
"Voting in person makes me feel like I've met my obligation," said Sullivan, calling voting a civic responsibility.
"I wanted to emphasize my vote," said Glenn Toole about his choice to vote in person rather than by mail.
In Marlboro, voters filed through the Town House in the late afternoon, with many carrying the ballot that was mailed to their home.
Rick Marks said he mailed in his ballot in the last statewide election, but this time, he wanted to bring it in person. He said it's nice to have the option to vote early, but he feels more comfortable voting in person.
Suzanne Whitehouse said she chose to vote in person because she likes seeing her neighbors and making connections. She said communities are experiencing fracturing and that we need more connections and more people inside the circle.
In Wilmington, Town Clerk Therese Lounsbury said that having ballots mailed to every registered voter has created more work for her office. For example, if someone moves, their ballot will bounce back to her office as undeliverable. For someone new to the area, clerks need to verify that the person did not also vote in their former town.
Earlier that day, a resident came to the polls unsure if they had cast an early ballot. Lounsbury could confirm that they had already voted.
Still, she praised the process of tracking ballots and ensuring that people vote only once. In addition to the verification, voters must take an oath or affirmation that they have not voted more than once and fill out an affidavit.
"The system works," Lounsbury said.
The mood of the voters
Sabrina Orazietti, sporting an "I Voted" sticker, sat on the floor of Dover Town Hall and played with Rae, a large rust-colored dog belonging to Town Clerk Andy McLean.
Orazietti, a social worker in training who has been working in a temporary job outside Vermont, had received her ballot too late to return by mail. Her only option was to drive two hours to vote.
She said it was worth the gas money and time. It's one day out of her life that could determine the next four years.
"I needed to," she said.
In her opinion, the policies of the Republican Party and its presidential nominee, Donald Trump, would put many people's fundamental human rights at risk. Trump would make people's lives worse, she said, which will also make her work as a social worker more difficult.
One voter in Rockingham, who wished to remain anonymous, noted that she keeps her political views private and out of her work life.
"I don't talk about it much with people," she said, "But this election has really concerned me. I hope now I can start sleeping better!"
In Putney, a woman who identified herself only as Catherine said she believes that "the polling has not been conducted according to proper statistical methods, and that the news outlets have a vested interest in showing an extremely razor close election in order to get voters to tune into their networks, to watch the news results."
"However, the good side of it is that it's making people realize there's a lot at stake and that it matters to come out and vote."
Catherine noted that "a lot of people who a month or two ago did not plan on voting, are coming out to vote because the election appears to be so close."
"I have my opinions about who I think will win if you do the statistical analyzes correctly, but the only thing that counts is the actual election," she said.
Kendra Perna of Guilford, who described herself as a "stay-at-home mom," said she voted for Donald Trump because "I think that we need to bring America back to its former glory. He stands for what our country should stand for, and he believes in the people of the country."
Javed and Jasmine Chaudhry of Brattleboro were asked if they were afraid this election season.
"It's been terrible," Javed said. "It's been horrible. But we believe that the citizens in this country are smart and wise and know exactly what they need to do, and we're voting for light and happiness and joy and going forward with Kamala Harris."
"We are both very optimistic about the future," Jasmine said, "because we live in a society that is sane and very accepting of ideas."
Reported by Olga Peters, Joyce Marcel, and Robert F. Smith.
This News item was submitted to The Commons.