Voters retain Sarah George as Chittenden prosecutor in lopsided win
The Democrat secured 65% of the vote against a Republican who pledged to resign if elected, ending a campaign defined by his refusal to seek the position.
By Justin Barnes ·
Sarah George won reelection as Chittenden County State’s Attorney on Tuesday, capturing 65% of the vote against Republican challenger Jace Laquerre, according to unofficial results from the Vermont Secretary of State’s office. Laquerre received the remaining 35% of the ballots in the general election.
The contest featured an unconventional dynamic because Laquerre, a software engineer from Milton with no legal background, told voters he did not want the job. He stated that if elected, he would resign the position to allow the governor to appoint a replacement. George, a Democrat, had recently survived a competitive primary where her opponent argued that the county had become less safe under her leadership.
Laquerre repeated similar criticisms of George during his acceptance speech for the party nomination. He indicated at the time that he did not plan to raise funds or run advertisements for his campaign. George addressed the outcome in a social media post on Wednesday, describing the race as a decision about what justice should look like.
“This campaign was about what justice should look like: fair, smart, and free from fear,” George wrote. “That means standing up for victims, holding people accountable and pursuing solutions that make our community safer.” She will begin her new four-year term in February.
Chittenden County was one of only three counties in Vermont with a contested state’s attorney race this year. In Grand Isle County, incumbent Doug DiSabito defeated independent challenger Joshua Martin by nearly 50 percentage points. DiSabito had secured both the Democratic and Republican nominations for the seat.
In Franklin County, voters selected Zach Weight as the new top prosecutor. Weight carried both the Republican and Democratic nominations and defeated independent John Lavoie. Lavoie previously served as state’s attorney but was nearly impeached. Franklin County voters also chose Republican Chad Miles to replace Sheriff John Grismore. Miles defeated Democrat Andre LaBier by two percentage points.
Democratic candidates won both contested sheriff races in the remaining counties. In Windsor County, Democrat Claude Weyant defeated Republican Richard King by more than 40 percentage points. In Orange County, Democrat Sean McRae won 63% of the vote, while Republican Jacob Held received 37%.
