Note: This is the first of three polls conducted in 2020 by VPR and Vermont PBS.

If the presidential primary election were held today, which candidate would you support? What about the governor’s race? Would you favor or oppose state taxes to reduce carbon emissions? Is it a problem Vermont has never elected a woman to Congress? The VPR - Vermont PBS 2020 Poll asked hundreds of Vermonters these questions and more. Find out where your neighbors stand on the candidates and the issues.

Q1. For each name, please state if you have a favorable opinion, unfavorable opinion, or have not heard of the person.



603 Total Respondents



The full survey has a sampling error of 4%; this varies with the total respondents. See the Appendix below for the details on the sample and methods.

Q2. Are you most likely to vote in the Republican or Democratic presidential primary on Town Meeting Day?

54% Democratic primary

28% Republican primary

10% Neither

8% Not sure

1% Refused

603 Total Respondents

Q3a. If the primary were held today, which Democratic candidate would you support?

51% Bernie Sanders

13% Pete Buttigieg

9% Elizabeth Warren

7% Michael Bloomberg

5% Joe Biden

4% Amy Klobuchar

2% Andrew Yang

1% Tulsi Gabbard

7% Not sure

0% Other

0% Refused

327 Total Respondents

Q3b. If the primary were held today, which Republican candidate would you support?

85% Donald Trump

6% Bill Weld

1% Rocky De La Fuente

7% Not Sure

2% Other

0% Refused

166 Total Respondents



Q3c. How certain are you that you will vote for your candidate in the presidential primary?

54% Absolutely certain

34% Fairly certain

11% Not too certain

2% Not at all certain

459 Total Respondents



Q4. Did you support or oppose the impeachment of President Trump by the House of Representatives?

59% Support

36% Oppose

5% Not sure

603 Total Respondents

Q5. If the Vermont governor’s election were held today and the candidates were Phil Scott and David Zuckerman, who would you vote for?

52% Phil Scott

29% David Zuckerman

15% Don’t know

4% Somebody else

603 Total Respondents

Q6. If the Vermont governor’s election were held today and the candidates were Phil Scott and Rebecca Holcombe, who would you vote for?

55% Phil Scott

20% Rebecca Holcombe

22% Don’t know

4% Somebody else

603 Total Respondents

Q7. What is the most important problem facing Vermont today?

30% The economy/Jobs/Cost of living

10% Property taxes

10% Climate change/Environmental issues/Renewable energy

10% Drugs/Opioid addiction

9% Health care

4% Education costs/School consolidation

4% Wages/Leave/Workplace issues

3% Troubled politics/Leadership

2% Guns/Gun control

2% National politics

13% Other

4% Refused

603 Total Respondents

Q8. Some changes are being proposed for Act 250, the law that regulates development in Vermont. One of those changes makes it easier to develop projects in downtown areas. Would you say that this is the right direction or the wrong direction for Act 250?



66% Right direction

17% Wrong direction

15% Not sure

2% Neither

603 Total Respondents

Q9. Do you think Vermont state officials are doing too much to address climate change, not enough to address climate change, or about the right amount to address climate change?

39% About right

39% Too little

18% Too much

3% Not sure

1% No opinion

603 Total Respondents

Q10. Would you favor or oppose an increase in taxes to support efforts to reduce carbon emissions?



51% Oppose

44% Favor

5% Don’t know

603 Total Respondents

Q11. If taxes were raised to support efforts to reduce carbon emissions and you had a choice between higher taxes for the wealthy or more taxes for everyone at the gas pump, which would you choose?

60% Income tax on wealthy

26% Gas tax

10% Neither

4% Don’t know

603 Total Respondents



Q12. Over the next two years, should the Vermont Legislature raise the minimum wage from $10.96 to $12.55, leave it where it is, or raise it higher than $12.55?



41% Raise it to $12.55

33% Raise it beyond $12.55

23% Leave it

2% Not sure

603 Total Respondents



Q13. Under existing laws, Vermont currently allows unpaid family medical leave. Would you favor or oppose a paid family leave plan, even if it would mean higher taxes?

56% Favor

35% Oppose

9% Not sure

603 Total Respondents

Q14. Vermont is the only state that has never elected a woman to the U.S. House or U.S. Senate. In your opinion, is this a major problem, a minor problem or not a problem at all?

46% Not a problem

35% Minor problem

17% Major problem

2% Refused

603 Total Respondents



Q15. To what extent do you think racism is a problem in Vermont today? Would you say it is a big problem, somewhat of a problem, a small problem or no problem at all?

34% Somewhat problem

22% Small problem

22% Big problem

19% No problem

2% Not sure

1% Refused

603 Total Respondents

