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The government of Vermont is a republican form of government modeled after the Government of the United States. The Constitution of Vermont is the supreme law of the state, followed by the Vermont Statutes. This is roughly analogous to the Federal United States Constitution, United States Code and Code of Federal Regulations respectively.
The state is governed by a constitution which divides governmental duties into legislative, executive, and judicial branches: the Vermont General Assembly, the governor of Vermont and the Vermont Supreme Court. The governorship and the General Assembly serve two-year terms including the governor and 30 senators.
- Overview
- Constitutional framework
- Education
- Health and welfare
On July 8, 1777, Vermont adopted a constitution that was the first in the United States to prohibit slavery and to eliminate property qualifications for voting or holding office. It was revised in 1786, and in 1793 the present constitution was adopted. Amendments may be considered only once every four years.
The governor of Vermont is elected for a two-year term and may run for reelection. Members of the bicameral General Assembly also serve two-year terms; the House of Representatives has 150 members and the Senate 30. Vermont has only one member in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The judicial system in Vermont is headed by the Supreme Court, which has five members. Below it are 10 Superior Court judges and 17 district judges, a family court, and an environmental court. These judges are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the state Senate to serve six-year terms. All other judges, including two assistant judges in each county, are elected by the people.
Every year on the first Tuesday in March, voters throughout the state meet in their town halls or community buildings to debate the town budget, road maintenance, and other topics and to elect local officials for the coming year. Because most communities are small and the state is compact, Vermonters have fairly direct access to elected officials, as well as ample opportunities to voice their opinions publicly on dominant issues.
On July 8, 1777, Vermont adopted a constitution that was the first in the United States to prohibit slavery and to eliminate property qualifications for voting or holding office. It was revised in 1786, and in 1793 the present constitution was adopted. Amendments may be considered only once every four years.
The governor of Vermont is elected for a two-year term and may run for reelection. Members of the bicameral General Assembly also serve two-year terms; the House of Representatives has 150 members and the Senate 30. Vermont has only one member in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The judicial system in Vermont is headed by the Supreme Court, which has five members. Below it are 10 Superior Court judges and 17 district judges, a family court, and an environmental court. These judges are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the state Senate to serve six-year terms. All other judges, including two assistant judges in each county, are elected by the people.
Every year on the first Tuesday in March, voters throughout the state meet in their town halls or community buildings to debate the town budget, road maintenance, and other topics and to elect local officials for the coming year. Because most communities are small and the state is compact, Vermonters have fairly direct access to elected officials, as well as ample opportunities to voice their opinions publicly on dominant issues.
Despite its limited tax base, Vermont is able to support its schools financially and administratively. Locally elected boards, encouraged by the state, govern all primary and secondary education. The state provides for much of the funding, for teacher training and certification, and for various special programs in such areas as vocational training, arts and crafts, and rehabilitation.
In 1997 the Vermont Supreme Court declared that the state’s reliance on local property taxes for school funding created inequities in educational opportunities among towns. The General Assembly responded that year with an equal educational opportunity act that relies, in part, on a statewide property tax. Educational funding has remained a hotly debated issue.
In May 2011 Vermont enacted legislation that would create the country’s first single-payer health insurance system, though the plan was still several years away from taking effect. The state also supports several innovative health care programs designed to deliver early preventive care for young Vermonters. The Vermont State Hospital is the only state-run psychiatric facility in Vermont and is largely restricted to people with major mental illnesses who are a danger to themselves or to others. The state’s psychiatric care system emphasizes finding community alternatives to the state hospital.
Vermont’s correctional system includes several regional detention centres and facilities for juvenile offenders. In 1969 the state assumed full responsibility for administering welfare programs, some of which formerly had been supervised by an “overseer of the poor” in each town.
The politics of Vermont encompass the acts of the elected legislative bodies of the US state, the actions of its governors, as overseen by the Vermont courts, and the acts of the political parties that vie for elective power within the state. The state's politics include local Democratic and Republican political parties, as well as several ...
Unlike the federal government and some other states, the Vermont Constitution and statutory law split the power of the State’s Executive Branch into multiple independent offices separately elected by Vermont voters and independent entities created by the General Assembly:
Nov 30, 2023 · Senators Bernie Sanders (I) and Peter Welch (D) represent Vermont in the federal government. Vermont has one representative in the House of Representatives, Becca Balint (D). Local governments operate in four different ways.
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4 days ago · Vermont, constituent state of the United States of America. One of the six New England states lying in the northeastern corner of the country, it was admitted to the union on March 4, 1791, as the 14th state. It is sparsely populated, and its capital, Montpelier, is one of the least-populous U.S. state capitals.
