The Vermont General Assembly adjourned its 2026 regular session on May 29 after passing one election-related bill, which Gov. Phil Scott (R) signed on June 8.

S. 298 is an omnibus elections bill. It includes a prohibition on state or local voting policies that result in a “denial or abridgement of the right of any citizen of the United States to vote based on race or color, membership in a language minority group, or having a disability.” The bill also authorizes the attorney general to file a civil action if they believe the prohibition has been violated. The legislation originally would have enacted a state-level voting rights act in Vermont, but most of the relevant provisions were removed.

The bill also allows candidates to use campaign funds on security systems, protective details, or cybersecurity. Vermont is the seventh state to enact legislation in 2026 allowing campaign funds to be used for security purposes, joining Alabama, Kentucky, Nebraska, Oregon, Tennessee, and Utah.

Other provisions include:

• Prohibiting individuals from intentionally or recklessly intimidating, threatening, coercing, or attempting to intimidate, threaten, or coerce an election official or another voter.
• Requiring an individual seeking to obtain a municipality’s voter list to swear they will not use it for commercial purposes or disclose its contents to a federal agency or foreign government.
• Requiring the State Ethics Commission to provide information materials on “how to accurately complete and submit the candidate disclosure form, and the penalties for failing to properly file the disclosure form.”
• Prohibiting the State Ethics Commission from taking enforcement action against candidates who delinquently file disclosures through May 30, 2027.

The Vermont Senate passed the final version of S. 298 on May 14, and the Vermont House of Representatives passed it on May 20. Scott signed the bill on June 8. 

Vermont is one of two states, along with Nevada, that have a Republican governor and a Democratic-controlled legislature. It is one of 11 states with a divided government.

Vermont enacted three election-related bills in 2025, none in 2024, and eight in 2023.