Douglas R. Hoffer Jr. (born September 3, 1951) is an American policy analyst from Burlington, Vermont, who is currently serving as the Vermont State Auditor. He took office on January 10, 2013.
Early life and education Hoffer was born in New Rochelle, New York, and raised in Norwalk, Connecticut.Vermont State Auditor, Biography, Doug Hoffer, accessed September 10, 2017 He left high school in his junior year, and earned his high school equivalency two years later. He entered Williams College in 1981 at age 30,Alicia Freese, Seven Days, State Auditor Doug Hoffer Wants to Keep His (59th) Job, September 21, 2016 graduated with a B.A. in political science, and went on to receive a J.D. from the University at Buffalo Law School (magna cum laude).Vermont Secretary of State, 2012 Election results
Career After leaving high school, Hoffer worked and traveled for over a decade. While living in the Berkshires in western Massachusetts, Doug worked as the Mâitre D’ at Alice's (Restaurant) at Avaloch in Lenox.Alicia Freese, Seven Days, State Auditor Doug Hoffer Wants to Keep His (59th) Job, September 21, 2016 Upon graduation from law school in 1988, he accepted a position with the City of Burlington in the Community and Economic Development Office (CEDO) having learned of the city's innovative approach to community development under then-mayor Bernie Sanders and CEDO Director Peter Clavelle.Alicia Freese, Seven Days, State Auditor Doug Hoffer Wants to Keep His (59th) Job, September 21, 2016
Hoffer left City Hall in 1993 and worked as a self-employed policy analyst for 19 years until winning election as state auditor in 2012. Some of his clients included the Vermont State Auditor, Peace & Justice Center (for whom he wrote all ten phases of The Job Gap Study), Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund, Vermont State Treasurer, Vermont Employees Association, Yellow Wood Associates, City of Burlington, Burlington Electric Department, and the Public Assets Institute.Vermont State Auditor, Biographies, 2018.
Hoffer was appointed to the Burlington Electric Commission by the mayor and city council in 1994. The commission oversees the municipal electric department and Hoffer served as chair of the commission for five of his six years, from 1995 to 2000.Ken Picard, Seven Days, Power Play: The risks and rewards of privatizing Burlington Electric, November 9, 2011
Elected office Hoffer first ran for state auditor in 2010 as the Democratic candidate, with an endorsement from the Vermont Progressive Party, and lost to Republican incumbent Tom Salmon.Vermont Secretary of State, 2010 General election results , 2010
In 2012, running as the nominee of the Democrats and Progressives, he defeated Republican State Senator Vincent Illuzzi and Liberty Union Party nominee Jerry Levy (Salmon did not run for re-election).Vermont Secretary of State, 2012 General Election Results, 2012
Hoffer ran unopposed in 2014.Vermont Secretary of State, 2014 Auditor General Election Results, accessed September 10, 2017
In 2016, Hoffer defeated Republican Dan Feliciano and Liberty Union Party candidate Marina Brown.Vermont Secretary of State, 2016 Auditor General Election Results, 2016 As in prior campaigns, Hoffer was endorsed by Senator Bernie Sanders.Jasper Craven, VTDIGGER.ORG, Sanders endorses slate of Vermont Democrats, October 13, 2016
In 2018, Hoffer defeated Republican Richard Kenyon and Liberty Union Party candidate Marina Brown.Vermont Secretary of State, , 2018 General Election Results, 2019
In 2020, Hoffer defeated Progressive Party candidate Cris Ericson.Vermont Secretary of State, , 2020 General Election Results, 2020
In 2022, Hoffer defeated Republican Richard Morton.
Personal life Hoffer lives in Burlington, Vermont. He is in a long-term relationship, and has no children.Vermont Public Radio, State Auditor Candidates Differ On Approach To Office, October 17, 2012
Hoffer pitched a no-hitter for the VFW Little League team of Norwalk in 1964. He won the men’s club championship at the Williston Golf Club in 2006.
Electoral history Vermont Auditor Democratic Primary election, 2010PartyCandidateVotes%DemocraticDoug Hoffer35,75058.2DemocraticEdward Flanagan24,63040.1DemocraticWrite-ins1,0651.7 Vermont Auditor election, 2010PartyCandidateVotes%RepublicanThomas Salmon (inc.)120,23752.0Democratic*Doug Hoffer105,08145.5Liberty UnionJerry Levy5,7362.5Write-insWrite-ins1110.0 *Hoffer was cross-endorsed by the Vermont Progressive Party. Vermont Auditor election, 2012PartyCandidateVotes%Democratic*Doug Hoffer140,66851.4RepublicanVincent Illuzzi123,66945.2Liberty UnionJerry Levy9,3683.4Write-insWrite-ins120.0 *Hoffer was cross-endorsed by the Vermont Progressive Party. Vermont Auditor election, 2014PartyCandidateVotes%Democratic*Doug Hoffer (inc.)146,83699.8Write-insWrite-ins3230.2 *Hoffer was cross-endorsed by the Vermont Progressive Party.
Vermont Auditor election, 2016PartyCandidateVotes%Democratic*Doug Hoffer (inc.)159,69555.4RepublicanDan Feliciano113,23139.3Liberty UnionMarina Brown15,0995.2Write-insWrite-ins2280.0 *Hoffer was cross-endorsed by the Vermont Progressive Party.
Vermont Auditor election, 2018PartyCandidateVotes%Democratic*Doug Hoffer (inc.)160,29157.61RepublicanRichard Kenyon88,02131.64Liberty UnionMarina Brown10,9473.93Write-insWrite-ins1160.04 *Hoffer was cross-endorsed by the Vermont Progressive Party. Vermont Auditor Democratic Primary election, 2020PartyCandidateVotes%DemocraticDoug Hoffer55,48651DemocraticLinda Joy Sullivan38,01835DemocraticWrite-ins1390.00 Vermont Auditor election, 2020PartyCandidateVotes%Democratic/RepublicanDoug Hoffer (inc.)266,44571.82ProgressiveCris Ericson48,73113.14 +Vermont Auditor election, 2022PartyCandidateVotes%DemocraticDoug Hoffer (inc.)178,71461.21RepublicanRichard Morton94,61332.41Write-insWrite-ins3000.02
References
External links
Government website Campaign website