VT H0474

Candidates who lose a major party primary cannot appear on the general election ballot as an independent candidate or be nominated by a different party for the same office ("one-bite candidacy" rule)

Write-in candidates for state, federal, or General Assembly offices must file a registration form by 5:00 p.m. on the Thursday before the election to have their votes officially counted and listed, with minimum vote thresholds required to qualify as a primary winner

Campaign finance registration and reporting thresholds lowered from $1,000 to $500 for political committees and independent expenditure-only political committees; candidates must register with Secretary of State before filing consent to appear on ballot

Town clerks must begin processing absentee ballots 45 days before election day (increased from 30 days), and military/overseas voter ballots must be sent 46 days before federal elections

Local boards of civil authority in municipalities with divided legislative districts must audit voter checklists by September 15, 2025 to ensure accurate correspondence with district boundaries, with findings reported to the legislature by November 15, 2025