The 2000 Vermont gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 2000. Incumbent Democratic governor Howard Dean won re-election. The campaign was dominated by the fallout from the passage of a civil union bill and the subsequent backlash encapsulated by the slogan Take Back Vermont. Ruth Dwyer, the Republican nominee in 1998, ran again in 2000 and was closely tied to the Take Back Vermont movement. Howard Dean, the Democratic governor, favored civil unions and was a primary target of Take Back Vermont.
Nominations Democratic
Republican
Progressive The Vermont Progressive Party unanimously selected to give its nomination to Anthony Pollina on February 13, 2000. Elizabeth Skarie, the wife of Jerry Greenfield, also sought the nomination.
General election Progressive Anthony Pollina's candidacy nearly succeeded in holding Dean to less than 50 percent, which would have required the Vermont General Assembly to choose a winner. In such races, the joint meeting of the Vermont House and Senate almost always chooses the candidate who received the highest number of votes, but Republicans took control of the Vermont House in 2001, which might have resulted in a contested election.
Debates Complete video of debate, September 24, 2000
Results
Results by county CountyHoward DeanDemocraticRuth DwyerRepublicanAnthony PollinaProgressiveVarious candidatesMarginTotal votes cast # % # % # % # % # % Addison 9,388 54.0% 6,097 35.1% 1,578 9.1% 331 1.9% 3,291 18.9% 17,394 Bennington 8,312 47.3% 7,658 43.6% 1,085 6.2% 504 2.9% 654 3.7% 17,559 Caledonia 5,399 39.6% 6,389 46.9% 1,644 12.1% 191 1.4% -990 -7.3% 13,623 Chittenden 41,599 58.0% 22,425 31.3% 6,901 9.6% 736 1.0% 19,174 26.7% 71,661 Essex 891 30.9% 1,671 58.0% 214 7.4% 103 3.6% -780 -27.1% 2,879 Franklin 8,318 43.3% 8,815 45.9% 1,818 9.5% 243 1.3% -497 -2.6% 19,194 Grand Isle 1,659 45.5% 1,596 43.8% 327 9.0% 66 1.8% 63 2.3% 3,648 Lamoille 5,577 49.4% 4,164 36.9% 1,381 12.2% 162 1.4% 1,413 12.5% 11,284 Orange 6,905 47.0% 6,514 44.3% 1,063 7.2% 209 1.4% 391 2.7% 14,691 Orleans 4,403 36.3% 6,004 49.5% 1,566 12.9% 163 1.4% -1,601 -13.2% 12,136 Rutland 13,039 44.5% 12,551 42.8% 2,082 7.1% 1,637 5.6% 488 1.7% 29,309 Washington 14,935 50.3% 10,437 35.1% 3,919 13.2% 404 1.4% 4,498 15.2% 29,695 Windham 11,085 51.8% 7,245 33.9% 2,513 11.8% 541 2.5% 3,840 17.9% 21,384 Windsor 16,549 57.0% 9,793 33.8% 2,025 7.0% 649 2.2% 6,756 23.2% 29,016Totals148,05950.5%111,35937.9%28,1169.6%5,9392.0%36,70012.6%293,473 Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic Bennington (largest municipality: Bennington) Grand Isle (largest municipality: Alburgh)
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican Franklin (largest municipality: St. Albans)
See also 2000 United States Senate election in Vermont 2000 United States House of Representatives election in Vermont 2000 United States presidential election in Vermont
References