Chittenden County Sample Ballot & Voter Guide 2026

Two Democrats face each other on the August 11 ballot, and no Republican filed for this seat according to VTDigger's county guide, so Tuesday's Democratic vote is the decisive contest for Vermont's largest prosecutor's office.

• Sarah F. George · DemocraticIncumbent▾

  

  Chittenden County State's Attorney and head of Vermont's largest prosecutor's office, per the Vermont Department of State's Attorneys and Sheriffs, in the job since 2017 according to Vermont Public. She told Vermont Public the criminal justice system has "a lot of room to be better and to have a system that is actually just and fair," and her campaign site sums up her approach as keeping justice fair, smart and free

  Priorities: Use prosecutorial discretion informed by research and data, per Vermont Public · Reject mass incarceration, per her campaign site · Push back on what she calls fear-mongering and false, dangerous narratives, per her campaign site

  Campaign site →
• Bram Kranichfeld · Democratic▾

  

  Franklin County State's Attorney, per the Vermont Department of State's Attorneys and Sheriffs, appointed to that post by Gov. Phil Scott in 2023 and formerly a Chittenden County deputy prosecutor who also served as an Episcopal priest and in the Attorney General's criminal division, according to Vermont Public. He told Vermont Public that prosecution should work "like an escalator and not a revolving door," and his

  Priorities: Hold repeat offenders accountable when they decline offered treatment, per Vermont Public · Resume requesting bail in failure-to-appear cases, per Vermont Public · Review the current traffic stop policy and consider rescinding it, per Vermont Public

  Campaign site →

The sitting sheriff faces one Democratic challenger on August 11, and the Colchester Sun reports the race will largely be decided that day because no Republicans are on the November ballot.

• Daniel Gamelin · DemocraticIncumbent▾

  

  Chittenden County Sheriff, confirmed as the sitting sheriff by the Vermont Criminal Justice Council, and a sheriff's deputy for roughly 40 years starting in 1982 before winning the office, according to VTDigger and Seven Days. He points to hiring eight new deputies and buying 17 cruisers, and told Seven Days he runs the department with "no liens, no loans and no leases."

  Priorities: Expand department staffing and fleet capacity, per VTDigger · Fund operations through security contracts with businesses and organizations, per Seven Days · Keep traditional sheriff duties including eviction service, per VTDigger
• Kevin Bloom · Democratic▾

  Audio producer who co-runs a Burlington music studio, works for an audio software company and fronts a psych-rock band, with no law enforcement background, according to VTDigger and Seven Days. He is 32, holds a creative writing degree from the University of Vermont and moved to Vermont 15 years ago, per VTDigger. His campaign site organizes his pitch around community safety, accountability and competency.

  Priorities: Run an eviction-prevention jobs program connecting tenants behind on rent with employers, per Seven Days · End the office's reliance on private security contracts, per VTDigger · Restart prisoner release transportation services, per VTDigger

  Campaign site →

Five Democrats compete August 11 for a single seat, an unusually crowded field for an office Seven Days describes as normally low profile, and no Republican filed.

• Paul McManus · Democratic▾

  

  Retired law enforcement officer with 32 years at the Chittenden County Sheriff's Office who went on to serve as a Federal Protective Service regional commander and as security director for Vermont's Department of Buildings and General Services, per his campaign site and Seven Days. The Williston resident told Seven Days the high bailiff post is "a job you don't want, but I think it's a job that somebody has to be abl

  Priorities: Be ready to assume sheriff duties immediately if the office falls vacant, per his campaign site · Maintain continuity of leadership and uninterrupted service, per his campaign site · Operate with knowledge, accountability and transparency, per his campaign site

  Campaign site →
• Amy Payne · Democratic▾

  Burlington educator and writer who taught English for nearly 20 years, co-ran a restorative justice program and is serving a second term as inspector of elections for Ward 4, per her campaign site. Seven Days describes her as a former publishing executive who wants the high bailiff to act as a civilian bridge between the sheriff's office and the community.

  Priorities: Close the trust gap between law enforcement and the public through community outreach, per her campaign site · Act as an objective ambassador between the sheriff's department and residents, per her campaign site · Expand the office beyond a ceremonial role into transparency and restorative justice work, per her campaign site

  Campaign site →
• Michael "Mikey" Roberts · Democratic▾

  Marine Corps veteran from Charlotte with a criminal justice degree who works in loss prevention and operations management and founded a nonprofit supporting trauma survivors, per Seven Days and the Other Paper. He told the Other Paper that "the office of high bailiff exists for one reason: accountability," and told Seven Days he would bring oversight independent of any relationship with the sheriff's department.

  Priorities: Provide impartial civilian oversight independent of the sheriff's department, per Seven Days · Raise voter awareness of county offices further down the ballot, per Seven Days
• Helaine "Lainey" Rappaport · Democratic▾

  Retired Burlington teacher with about 50 years in education who also works as a notary public and has served roughly 20 years as a justice of the peace, with volunteer service on a cemetery commission and a restorative justice board, per Seven Days and the Other Paper. She told Seven Days she views the high bailiff post as largely ceremonial and sees it as an extension of her long record of public service.

  Priorities: Add the high bailiff post to her existing community service work, per the Other Paper
• Augustus Barkyoumb · Democratic▾

  Recent Burlington High School graduate headed to Hobart and William Smith Colleges, who is campaigning through Instagram outreach and hand-painted signs, per Seven Days. He told the Other Paper he wants to "strengthen the bond between law enforcement and the people of Burlington," and told Seven Days he entered the race partly to get younger voters paying attention to county offices.

  Priorities: Strengthen the bond between law enforcement and Burlington residents, per the Other Paper · Raise awareness of local elections among younger voters, per Seven Days

• Katherine Bond▾

  We haven’t hand-verified this candidate’s profile yet. Enter your ZIP above to see this race on your exact ballot, and cross-check candidates with the official election office linked at the bottom of this page.
• Jeremy Brooks▾

  We haven’t hand-verified this candidate’s profile yet. Enter your ZIP above to see this race on your exact ballot, and cross-check candidates with the official election office linked at the bottom of this page.
• Hillary Kleck▾

  We haven’t hand-verified this candidate’s profile yet. Enter your ZIP above to see this race on your exact ballot, and cross-check candidates with the official election office linked at the bottom of this page.