Elected Officials

Candidate for President

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Kamala Harris is the 49th Vice President of the United States, serving under President Joe Biden. She previously served as a U.S. Senator from California and as the Attorney General of California. Harris is the first woman, the first Black woman, and the first South Asian-American to hold the office of Vice President. If elected President, Harris would set a historic precedent as the first woman, the first Black woman, and the first South Asian-American to hold the presidency in the United States, breaking significant barriers in American political history.

Candidate for Vice-President

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Tim Walz is the 41st Governor of Minnesota, having taken office in 2019. Walz previously served as a U.S. Representative for Minnesota's 1st congressional district for over a decade. Before entering politics, he was a high school teacher and served in the National Guard for 24 years. As governor, Walz has focused on education, healthcare, and environmental issues, and he led Minnesota through the COVID-19 pandemic with a strong emphasis on public health measures. If elected President, Walz would bring a blend of military, educational, and executive governance experience to the role.

Candidate for President

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Kamala Harris is the 49th Vice President of the United States, serving under President Joe Biden. She previously served as a U.S. Senator from California and as the Attorney General of California. Harris is the first woman, the first Black woman, and the first South Asian-American to hold the office of Vice President. If elected President, Harris would set a historic precedent as the first woman, the first Black woman, and the first South Asian-American to hold the presidency in the United States, breaking significant barriers in American political history.

Candidate for Vice-President

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Tim Walz is the 41st Governor of Minnesota, having taken office in 2019. Walz previously served as a U.S. Representative for Minnesota's 1st congressional district for over a decade. Before entering politics, he was a high school teacher and served in the National Guard for 24 years. As governor, Walz has focused on education, healthcare, and environmental issues, and he led Minnesota through the COVID-19 pandemic with a strong emphasis on public health measures. If elected President, Walz would bring a blend of military, educational, and executive governance experience to the role.

Lieutenant Governor

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David Zuckerman is returning for another term as Lieutenant Governor. As Lt. Governor, David presided over the Senate for debate and votes on hundreds of bills and two propositions for constitutional amendment votes. During his time, he consistently encouraged diverse voices and respectful discussion on the floor and in the statehouse. He plans to build on his previous work and find new creative ways to engage Vermonters in the political process.

Attorney General

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Charity Clark is the first woman elected Attorney General in Vermont's history. In 2005, Charity’s legal career began as an associate at Downs Rachlin Martin in Burlington and later at Orrick in New York City. Charity was hired as an Assistant Attorney General in the Public Protection Division by former Attorney General Bill Sorrell in 2014. She served as Chief of Staff under Attorney General T.J. Donovan from 2018 to 2021.

Treasurer

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Mike Pieciak previously served six years as the commissioner of the Vermont Department of Financial Regulation (DFR), where he was first appointed by Governor Peter Shumlin in 2016 and reappointed by Governor Phil Scott in 2017. Mike also served as deputy commissioner of DFR’s Securities Division, where he led the division’s investigation into the Jay Peak EB-5 projects.

Secretary of State

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Sarah Copeland Hanzas served in the State House, where she was the leader on climate action, increasing access to the ballot box and improved government transparency. Her 2018 legislation was called the strongest in the nation. She served as House Majority Leader and as the Chair of the Government Operations Committee. She has served on the Executive Committee of the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Auditor

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Doug Hoffer of Burlington was elected State Auditor in 2012. He was born September 3, 1951, in New Rochelle, New York and raised in Norwalk, Connecticut. He has also lived in the Berkshires, Central Florida, Baltimore, and Los Angeles. Doug was educated at Williams College (B.A.) and SUNY Buffalo School of Law (J.D., Magna Cum Laude).

At-Large

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Senator Brian Campion of Bennington, Bennington County, Democrat, was elected to the Vermont State Senate in 2014. Prior to the Senate, Campion served two terms in the Vermont House of Representatives, first elected in 2010 and reelected in 2012. While a member of the House of Representatives, Campion served on the House Education Committee. He is the Director of Public Policy at the Elizabeth Coleman Center for the Advancement of Public Action (CAPA) at Bennington College. Memberships: Trustee of the Bennington Museum and Green Mountain Express Network.

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Representative Nelson Brownell of Pownal, Bennington County, was born in 1946 and was one of eleven children. My family moved to Vermont in the early 50s. I went to elementary and high schools in Bennington, Vermont. Left for a short time in the ‘60s, went to school and got married, and started a family. Moved back to Vermont in the 70s with: Wife Cindy, three daughters.

Recently retiring after 46 years in the IT field, working as manager of ITI operations, for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI). I have served as a member of Pownal planning board, Pownal select board, Pownal zoning administrator, Justice of the Peace and served on several town committees over the last 30+ years.

During my time serving on boards in Pownal I helped find funds for several major projects for the Town of Pownal; super fund cleanup of Tannery, built town waste water treatment plant and collection system covering three villages, conservation of over 3,000 acres of land for public use and wrote several major grants for the Town of Pownal. I also won a few awards along the way; New England planning association Citizen planner of the year, Vermont planning association Citizen Planner of the Year, BCRC Bongartz community service award and others.

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Representative Timothy R. Corcoran, II, of Bennington, Bennington County, Democrat, was born in Bennington, Vermont and has been a lifelong resident. Occupation: Employed by Hoisington Realty. He was educated at Mt. Anthony Union High School, Bennington, Vermont; Johnson State College, Johnson, Vermont (BA, political science). He is married to Corrie.

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Representative Dane Whitman of Bennington was elected to the Vermont House of Representatives on November 3rd, 2020.

Dane moved to Bennington from Ventura County, California in 2012 to enroll at Bennington College. Dane studied food systems and received a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts with a double concentration in the advancement of public action as well as music.

Following his graduation, Dane was awarded Bennington College’s Kilpatrick Fellowship, a full-time mentorship program in construction project management and sustainability. Dane then worked for MSK Engineering & Design, serving as an engineer tech for the Town of Bennington’s PFOA Waterline Remediation Project. Dane has also worked for various small farms throughout his time in New England.

Dane currently operates his own small business, Grey Oak Landscaping & Garden Design, LLC, serving his neighbors in the Bennington area. Dane also serves on the board of the Southwest VT Regional Technical School District, as well as the Shires Young Professionals Advisory Board.

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Representative David K. Durfee of Shaftsbury, Bennington County, was elected to the Vermont House of Representatives in 2018. He grew up in rural upstate New York, graduated from Williams College, and received an MBA from Cornell University. A consultant to cooperatives, non-profits, and small businesses, he was previously the General Manager of Wild Oats Market. He serves on the boards of BROC Community Action and the Mount Anthony Union High School District and was a member of the former Shaftsbury School District board and the secretary of the Neighboring Food Cooperative Association board. He and his wife Melanie have three sons.

Bennington-4

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Representative Seth B. Bongartz of Manchester is a democrat representing Bennington-4 in the Vermont House. His election in 2020 marks his third stint in the legislature, having served in the House from 1981 – 1985 and the Senate from 1987 – 1989, when he did not seek re-election because of the pending birth of a child. An attorney, he spent eleven years practicing law until taking the job as President of Hildene, The Lincoln Family Home in Manchester, which he and his dedicated staff transformed from a house museum to a 412-acre, world-class cultural heritage site. He retired at the end of 2019 after 18 years. He is currently a principal in the consulting firm of Gubb & Bongartz, which focuses on helping Vermont non-profits reach their full potential. He served for 19 years on the board of Burr and Burton Academy, his final 15 as Chair. He is a founder and current Chair of the Manchester Community Land Trust. He has served for 18 years on the board, and is the current Chair, of the National Development Council, a nationwide non-profit with the mission of bringing economic opportunity to all.

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Representative Kathleen James was first elected in November 2018, and serves as clerk of the Education Committee. In March 2019, she was appointed to the board of delegates and legislative advisory council of the New England Board of Higher Education. In June 2020, she was named to the Select Committee on the Future of Public Higher Education in Vermont, charged with addressing the urgent needs of the Vermont State Colleges and developing a plan for high-quality, affordable and workforce-connected public higher education in the state.

Kathleen is also active in several caucuses, where she works across party lines and with Senate colleagues on shared priorities. She serves on the leadership team of the Vermont Legislative Climate Solutions Caucus and in 2019 won the Vermont Conservation Voter’s Rising Star Award with two other legislators. She’s a founding member of the Tourism Caucus, an active member of the Rural Economic Development Working Group, and a member of the Social Equity Caucus. In November 2019, she worked with volunteers to found the Southern Vermont Communications Union District (SoVT CUD), named one of 12 Vital Projects for the regional economy for its efforts to bring high-speed broadband to Bennington County’s underserved roads and regions.

Born in Chicago and raised in Nebraska, Kathleen earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University. She worked as a Capitol Hill reporter for Roll Call, a reporter-researcher for TIME, and a senior editor for Snow Country before settling in Manchester in 1996. She has since worked as director of admissions at Southern Vermont College, editor-in-chief of Vermont Magazine, and communications director and grantwriter at The BOMA Project. From 2010 to 2020, she also worked for the nonprofit International Skiing History Association (ISHA), serving as editor of its bimonthly journal, Skiing History, and for several years leading the organization as its executive director.

Kathleen has served on the boards of Manchester Elementary Middle School (MEMS), Zion Preschool, Northshire Community Foundation, Friends of MEMS and the Manchester School Fund. She is past chair of the Town of Manchester Democrats and a Class of 2018 graduate of Emerge Vermont.

Her wife, Alexandra Heintz, is the patient safety officer at Southwestern Vermont Health Care. Her older daughter lives in Chicago and her younger daughter is a college senior.

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Representative Jim Carroll was born in Bennington, Vermont. He graduated from Mount Anthony Union High School in 1980 and received his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and English literature from Southern Vermont College. He has been self-employed through his working life. He has served on the Bennington Selectboard since 2012. He likes to read and enjoys his own company.

Bennington-Rutland

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Representative Mike Rice was born and raised in Upstate New York. He received his BA in English with an interdisciplinary minor in Environmental Policy from the University at Albany, SUNY, graduating magna cum laude. After coming to Vermont to work for a farm and cidery, Mike received his master’s degree with distinction in food and agriculture law and policy from Vermont Law School. While there, he served as a research assistant at the Center for Agriculture and Food Systems.

Mike has worked in operations for a small Vermont dairy farm and creamery and has collaborated on regional policy and funding solutions for projects on food security, soil health, pollinator protection, and food system equity with the Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA). He was elected to the House of Representatives in 2022 and serves on the leadership team of the Climate Solutions Caucus. He lives in Dorset with his partner.

Rutland-Bennington

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Representative Robin Chesnut-Tangerman of Middletown Springs, Democrat. His early childhood was in New Hampshire and Vermont; the family then moved to a farm in western New York State. After a year in Scotland, he earned a BA from Hamilton College and did graduate work in Education at UMass Amherst and Castleton State College. He also earned a mediation degree from Woodbury College. Since 1991, he and his wife, Melissa, have lived in Middletown Springs, where they home-schooled their daughters, Jeni and Malindi.

Robin owned and operated Talisman Woodwork for 25 years, doing remodeling with a focus on energy efficiency and historical renovation. Current or previous community involvement includes the Middletown Springs Select Board, Fire Department, Building Committee, Energy Committee, founder of town newsletter, board member and an organizer of SolarFest (renewable energy and sustainable living fair, for 16 years), and environmental page columnist for Rutland Herald/Times Argus. He was a Vermont licensed educator at The Tutorial Center at Smokey House in Danby, working with at-risk teens and an adjunct faculty at Green Mountain College in the Renewable Energy and Ecological Design Program (REED).

For the last few years, Robin has been enjoying life as a licensed Realtor with McChesney Real Estate in Pawlet.

Member of the House of Representatives: 2015-2021, 2023 - present.

State’s Attorney

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Erica Albin Marthage was raised in Manchester, Vermont, from the time she was 9 years old. Erica graduated from Burr & Burton in 1988, then worked to pay her way through college, graduating from the University of Vermont in 1997, cum laude. She then attended the University of Connecticut School of Law, graduating in 2000.

After finishing law school, Erica returned to Manchester and her family. Her parents, Don and Amey Albin, live in Manchester. Don was a local builder before he retired, and Amey worked as a seamstress for Orvis for years. Even now, most of Erica’s extended family lives in the Southern Vermont area. Erica married Brian Marthage in 2005, and they now live in Manchester with their three children, who attend Manchester Elementary Middle School (the same elementary school Erica attended) and Long Trail School.

Sheriff

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James A. Gulley, Jr., MPA, is a native Vermonter who grew up in Bennington, and is a graduate of Mount Anthony Union High School, Castleton State College, and Norwich University. In 2003, Chief Richard Gauthier hired James as a patrolman for the Town of Bennington. For approximately fourteen years, James served the Town of Bennington with admiration in his heart. Being a public servant is a dream come true for James. In 2007, James was appointed to serve as the Constable for the Town of Bennington, where the Selectboard required certain civil ordinances be enforced. In 2010, James was elected to serve two terms as the High Bailiff for Bennington County. James served this position well and functioned as a safeguard for the Sheriff of Bennington County, completing state of affairs that the Sheriff was unable to accomplish.

Throughout his twenty years of public service, James has taken his position as a law enforcement officer seriously. In addition, as a Detective for the Vermont State Police – Drug Task Force and for Manchester Police Department, James has listened to, and learned from many citizens in Bennington County, and understands what people want. In doing so, James has always been willing to establish connections with people to make a difference in their lives.

James is also active in community service events. James serves on the Board of Directors for the Bennington County Coalition for the Homeless. As a law enforcement officer, James feels it is his moral responsibility to help the most vulnerable members of our society. James is also involved in Special Olympics where he has donated money and partaken in the yearly law enforcement torch run. Knowing how important Special Olympics were to James’ late Uncle, Jeffrey Palmer, it is still an honor to promote respect, acceptance, inclusion, and human dignity for all people. Furthermore, James is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons – Mount Anthony Lodge #13, where the emphasis is placed on the individual man by strengthening character, improving moral and spiritual outlook, and broadening mental horizons.

James is also a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary. Being an auxiliary member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars allows James the opportunity to support Veterans, Service Members, and their families.