2018 Vermont gubernatorial election
The 2018 Vermont gubernatorial election took place on November 6, 2018, to elect the governor of Vermont, concurrently with the [2018 United States Senate 2018 United States Senate election in Vermont|election in Vermont|election] of Vermont's Class I U.S. Senate seat, as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Incumbent Republican governor Phil Scott, who was first elected in 2016, was re-elected to a second term in office. Hallquist's 40.3% was also the worst performance for a Democratic Party candidate since 2008. This was one of eight Republican-held governorships up for election in a state that Hillary Clinton won in the 2016 presidential election.
Despite initial expectations of a potentially close race due to national blue wave, Scott easily won reelection in what became a difficult year for Republicans, winning by 15 percentage points. As of 2025, this election marked the last time a Democratic candidate won a county in a gubernatorial election in Vermont.
Background
Along with New Hampshire, Vermont is one of only two states where governors are elected to two-year terms. Republican Phil Scott was elected in the 2016 election.Republican primary
Candidates
Declared
- Phil Scott, incumbent governor
Eliminated in primary
- Keith Stern, businessman, Republican candidate for U.S. representative in 2010, independent candidate for U.S. representative in 2006, independent candidate for U.S. senator in 2004
Debates and forums
**
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominated
Eliminated in primary
- James Ehlers, executive director of Lake Champlain International and environmentalist
- John S. Rodgers, current State Senator from Essex County, former State Representative, and construction business owner
- Brenda Siegel, opioid epidemic and Brattleboro hurricane relief activist and worker, former community organizer for Bernie Sanders, southern Vermont nonprofit executive and founding director
- Ethan Sonneborn, high school freshman
Debates and forums
**
*
Results
With this result, Christine Hallquist became the first openly transgender candidate for governor nominated by a major political party in the United States.Progressive primary
Candidates
Eliminated in primary
Write-in
- Brenda Siegel
Debates and forums
*Libertarian nomination
Candidates
Withdrawn
- Seth Cournoyer
Liberty Union nomination
Candidates
Declared
- Emily Peyton, candidate for governor in 2014
Independents
Candidates
Declared
- Trevor Barlow, business and startup executive and founder, coach, as well as community and nonprofit board volunteer
- Cris Ericson, activist and perennial candidate also ran for congress.
- Charles Laramie, activist, roofing architect, school teacher, United States Navy veteran, and Vermont Air National Guard
- Stephen Marx, environmentalist
Write-in
- Tarl Warwick, far-right author, internet personality, and YouTuber
Withdrawn
- Joseph Barney, auto and agricultural mechanic, member of the Vermont Army National Guard, and school teacher
General election
Debates
- , October 17, 2018