Vermont Secretary of State Launches New Online Election Management System

Montpelier, VT – Vermont Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas announced a major upgrade to her office’s online Election Management System today, inviting Vermonters to visit the new “Vermont Voter Portal” at vote.vermont.gov.

The new, state-of-the-art system combines the formerly distinct voter registration page and the “My Voter Page,” which gave all registered voters information about voting (dates, polling locations, etc.) and allowed them to perform functions like updating their address and tracking a mail-in ballot.

All of these public-facing functions are now combined in the upgraded Vermont Voter Portal at vote.vermont.gov. Eligible Vermonters can register to vote, get details about upcoming elections, and manage their information all in one place.

Additionally, the Vermont Election Management System (VEMS) has now been upgraded to improve functionality, reliability, and user-friendliness for clerks. This “back-end” system is used throughout the election process – by clerks to maintain voter rolls and report election results, and by the Secretary of State’s Elections Division to process and certify election results. 

“When it comes to technology, it’s crucial to stay up to date. One of my main priorities when I took office in 2023 was to renovate our online systems throughout the office,” said Secretary Copeland Hanzas. “Following the successful administration of the record-turnout 2024 General Election, our Elections Division has been taking advantage of the ‘off season’ to work tirelessly on this overhaul, so that we can be ready for the upcoming election cycles. I’m so proud of their work on this new platform, which will offer a streamlined, user-friendly experience to voters on the front end, and an efficient, reliable interface for clerks and our Elections Division team on the back end.”

The Secretary of State’s office worked with clerks from around the state to solicit ideas and feedback for how the system could help them do their work more effectively and efficiently. ReFrame Solutions, a software design company that specializes in public service platforms, submitted the winning bid to upgrade VEMS and develop the Vermont Voter Portal.

“The systems we relied on through the 2024 election cycle were reaching the end of their usefulness, requiring a great deal of work from our team to keep everything running smoothly,” said Elections Director Seán Sheehan. “The VEMS upgrade enables my staff and Vermont’s municipal clerks to efficiently serve Vermonters. It also streamlines the voter experience with the new Vermont Voter Portal. All told, this puts the infrastructure underpinning Vermont’s democracy in a great position going forward.”

“I was thankful that the Secretary of State’s office included us in this process,” said Burlington Assistant City Clerk Sarah Montgomery. “We were able to detail our experiences with the previous system and watch our wishlist for the new one come to life before our eyes.”

“This part of our job definitely just got a little bit easier,” said Amy Pear, Town Clerk for Maidstone, in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom. “I’m excited to share the Vermont Voter Portal with my residents. I’m getting the benefit of an improved system for maintaining my voter checklist and reporting results, but I think it’s important to note that the voters’ experience itself is also getting a big upgrade.”

The new system can be accessed at: https://vote.vermont.gov

Election night results will still be available at: https://electionresults.vermont.gov