Vermont Conservation Voters (VCV) has released its first set of endorsements in the 2026 election season for candidates for the Vermont Legislature. This initial round of endorsements is given to incumbent candidates with a 100% environmental voting record on VCV’s 2025–2026 Environmental Scorecard. At a time when federal leadership is moving backward, these legislators have demonstrated that Vermont can continue to lead. They consistently voted to protect clean water, advance climate solutions, safeguard public health, and strengthen Vermont’s democracy, even as national attacks on environmental and democratic progress intensify.
Through its endorsements, VCV aims to educate voters across the state on candidates whose values and actions align with our vision for Vermont to advance and defend policies that protect the environment and promote health, while also advancing civil rights, social, racial, and economic justice, and strengthening our democracy.
“These endorsements honor legislators who demonstrated an unwavering commitment to protecting Vermont’s people, environment, and future,” said Justin Marsh, political director, Vermont Conservation Voters. “These legislators voted in support of VCV’s priorities at every opportunity and have shown they are prepared to continue that leadership in the years ahead.”
To inform our endorsement process, VCV closely tracks legislators’ actions at the State House, including key votes on environmental bills and sponsorship of legislation that will advance the Environmental Common Agenda that VCV releases each legislative session. VCV’s digital Environmental Scorecard is available online so voters can see how lawmakers voted on priority bills to act on climate change, ensure clean water, protect Vermonters’ health, and provide safe and accessible elections. A 100% score reflects a perfect voting record on key environmental and democracy legislation selected by VCV as the most consequential votes of the session.
“With federal attacks to our democracy, our environment, our economy, and even our friends and neighbors, this election is more crucial than ever for ensuring that our State Legislature is protecting Vermonters and protecting Vermont,” said Dan Fingas, executive director, Vermont Conservation Voters. “We’re proud to support these candidates as they head into the election, and we look forward to partnering with them to advance policies next year in the legislature.”
VCV’s initial list of endorsed candidates for the Vermont Senate and House of Representatives is as follows:
SENATE
Ruth Hardy (Addison)
Seth Bongartz (Bennington)
Rob Plunkett (Bennington)
Martine Larocque Gulick (Chittenden-Central)
Tanya Vyhovsky (Chittenden-Central)
Ginny Lyons (Chittenden-Southeast)
Kesha Ram Hinsdale (Chittenden-Southeast)
Ann Cummings (Washington)
Andrew Perchlik (Washington)
Anne Watson (Washington)
Wendy Harrison (Windham)
Joe Major (Windsor)
Becca White (Windsor)
HOUSE
Robin Scheu (ADD-1)
Karen Lueders (ADD-4)
Jubilee McGill (ADD-5)
Jonathan Cooper (BEN-1)
David Durfee (BEN-3)
Rob Hunter (BEN-4)
Jim Carroll (BEN-5)
Jana Brown (CHI-1)
Erin Brady (CHI-2)
Angela Arsenault (CHI-2)
Trevor Squirrell (CHI-3)
Edye Graning (CHI-3)
Chea Waters Evans (CHI-5)
Kate Lalley (CHI-6)
Shawn Sweeney (CHI-7)
Bridget Burkhardt (CHI-8)
Martin LaLonde (CHI-12)
Bram Kleppner (CHI-13)
Troy Headrick (CHI-15)
Carol Ode (CHI-18)
Sarita Austin (CHI-19)
Wendy Critchlow (CHI-19)
Gayle Pezzo (CHI-20)
Doug Bishop (CHI-20)
Daisy Berbeco (CHI-21)
Karen Dolan (CHI-22)
Lori Houghton (CHI-22)
Rey Garofano (CHI-23)
Alyssa Black (CHI-24)
Larry Satcowitz (ORA-WAS-ADD)
Candice White (WAS-2)
Ela Chapin (WAS-5)
Emily Long (WDH-5)
Emily Carris Duncan (WDH-6)
Emilie Kornheiser (WDH-7)
Ian Goodnow (WDH-9)
Alice Emmons (WDR-3)
Charlie Kimbell (WDH-5)
Jim Masland (WDR-ORA-2)
Vermont Conservation Voters will release additional statewide and legislative endorsements in the coming weeks.