Lawmakers will cast ballots Thursday morning and elect the state’s next governor, but don’t expect any public airing of how each of Vermont’s 180 legislators voted. It’s pretty widely understood by now that since no candidate received a majority of the popular vote in November, lawmakers must decide the race, according to Vermont’s constitution. They’ll do that Thursday morning when the 30 members of the Senate make the short walk to the House chamber for a joint assembly. They have three choices: incumbent Democrat Peter Shumlin, Republican Scott Milne and Libertarian Dan Feliciano. Shumlin won a plurality of the vote, topping Milne by 2,434 votes, or roughly 46 percent for Shumlin and 45 percent for Milne. Feliciano earned 4 percent of the vote.
Thursday’s ballot, with the names of all three candidates, was created by the office of Secretary of State Jim Condos. But the election itself will be overseen by Secretary of the Senate John Bloomer.
Lawmakers are to be sworn in today, and a canvassing committee with members from each chamber will be selected. They will meet with Condos and be presented with the November election results, according to Bloomer.
Full Article: Secret ballot will determine governor’s election : Rutland Herald Online.