State

State Senator, Chittenden South East District

Vote for: 3
Term: 2 years
Candidates: 6
Election: Nov 3, 2026

What this office does: A state senator votes on Vermont laws and the state budget; Vermont's Senate districts elect one to three senators each.

Candidates Compare by issue

Bruce Roy

Republican

Retired IBM engineer and Air National Guard colonel · Williston

The gist

Supports repealing and replacing Vermont's major climate laws
Supports permanent, swift changes to education funding
Opposes payroll taxes, DMV fee increases and cloud taxes
Supports decisively changing the Act 181 land use law
Pledges to support Gov. Scott on spending restraint

More about Bruce

View sources (2)

Supports repealing and replacing Vermont's major climate laws
Positions
Campaign website · Bruce Roy for VT Senate · roy4vt.org
“They must be repealed and replaced with responsible legislation toward a measured and practical shift to renewable energy”
Supports permanent, swift changes to education funding
Positions
Campaign website · Bruce Roy for VT Senate · roy4vt.org
“Changes must be permanent and swift to the Education Funding system.”
Opposes payroll taxes, DMV fee increases and cloud taxes
Positions
Campaign website · Bruce Roy for VT Senate · roy4vt.org
“We can no longer abide payroll taxes, increased DMV fees, cloud taxes”
Supports decisively changing the Act 181 land use law
Positions
Campaign website · Bruce Roy for VT Senate · roy4vt.org
“This law, with once again producing "unforeseen consequences" by overriding the Governor, must be decisively changed, not just delayed.”
Pledges to support Gov. Scott on spending restraint
About Bruce
Campaign website · Bruce Roy for VT Senate · roy4vt.org
“I will focus on the responsible , sensible use of taxpayers' dollars and supporting Governor Scott in his efforts to do the same.”

Javen Sears

Republican

Associate at a venture capital nonprofit; youth football coach · South Burlington

The gist

Supports freezing or reforming property taxes
Supports lowering income and property taxes
Supports school choice for families
Opposes cost-raising mandates like the Clean Heat Standard
Supports fewer regulations on businesses

More about Javen

View sources (2)

Supports freezing or reforming property taxes
My Key Issues & Policy Priorities (2026)
Campaign website · Javen Sears for Vermont State Senate · javensears.com
“I support freezing or reforming property taxes to ease the burden on families.”
Supports lowering income and property taxes
About
Campaign website · Javen Sears for Vermont State Senate · javensears.com
“fiscally, I believe we need lower both income and, especially, property taxes”
Supports school choice for families
My Key Issues & Policy Priorities (2026)
Campaign website · Javen Sears for Vermont State Senate · javensears.com
“Families should be able to choose the school where their child can succeed.”
Opposes cost-raising mandates like the Clean Heat Standard
My Key Issues & Policy Priorities (2026)
Campaign website · Javen Sears for Vermont State Senate · javensears.com
“Limit policies that increase costs for working Vermonters without measurable benefits”
Supports fewer regulations on businesses
About
Campaign website · Javen Sears for Vermont State Senate · javensears.com
“I also believe in fewer regulations on businesses”

Rohan St Marthe

Republican

Jericho

The gist

No documented position found.

More about Rohan

Thomas Chittenden

DemocraticIncumbent

State senator; senior lecturer, UVM Grossman School of Business · South Burlington

The gist

Supports regionalizing services to cut the tax burden
Supports new funding sources for public transit
Supports state policies to cut carbon emissions
Sponsored a bill on wetlands regulationIn office

In office = from the candidate's own official statements or legislation as an officeholder, not their campaign.

More about Thomas

View sources (3)

Supports regionalizing services to cut the tax burden
Affordable VT Living
Campaign website · Thomas Chittenden for State Senate · thomaschittenden.com
“This can be done with regionalizing our services, growing our economy, growing our tax base and attracting more people to our state”
Supports new funding sources for public transit
Affordable VT Living
Campaign website · Thomas Chittenden for State Senate · thomaschittenden.com
“we need to modernize our funding formula for public transit similar to other states”
Supports state policies to cut carbon emissions
Keeping Vermont Green
Campaign website · Thomas Chittenden for State Senate · thomaschittenden.com
“the State of Vermont must continue to lead with policies that reduce our carbon footprint”
Sponsored a bill on wetlands regulation
S.266: regulation of wetlands (2025-2026 session)
Government record · Vermont General Assembly · legislature.vermont.gov
“An act relating to the regulation of wetlands”

Kesha Ram Hinsdale

DemocraticIncumbent

State senator; Senate Majority Leader · Shelburne

The gist

Supports universal health care and abortion access
Supports rent control paired with more rental units
Led local charter changes ending no-cause evictions
Supports a Green New Deal for middle-class jobs
Sponsored the 2026 voter protections lawIn office

In office = from the candidate's own official statements or legislation as an officeholder, not their campaign.

More about Kesha

View sources (3)

Supports universal health care and abortion access
About Kesha
Campaign website · Kesha for Vermont · keshaforvermont.com
“championing universal health care that puts people before profits”
Supports rent control paired with more rental units
Housing as a Human Right
Campaign website · Kesha for Vermont · keshaforvermont.com
“We need common sense rental control measures that protect our communities, while expanding the number of available rental units”
Led local charter changes ending no-cause evictions
Housing as a Human Right
Campaign website · Kesha for Vermont · keshaforvermont.com
“I advanced local charter changes to eliminate "no cause" evictions”
Supports a Green New Deal for middle-class jobs
About Kesha
Campaign website · Kesha for Vermont · keshaforvermont.com
“fighting for a Green New Deal that protects and expands middle class jobs”
Sponsored the 2026 voter protections law
S.298: voter protections (2025-2026 session)
Government record · Vermont General Assembly · legislature.vermont.gov
“An act relating to voter protections”

Virginia "Ginny" Lyons

DemocraticIncumbent

State senator; biology professor · Williston

The gist

Sponsored a bill creating an Office of Health EquityIn office
Sponsored a prescription drug discount card programIn office
Sponsored a ban on certain artificial dyes in school foodIn office
Co-sponsored a ban on possessing semiautomatic assault weaponsIn office

In office = from the candidate's own official statements or legislation as an officeholder, not their campaign.

More about Virginia

View sources (4)

Sponsored a bill creating an Office of Health Equity
S.2: Office of Health Equity (2025-2026 session)
Government record · Vermont General Assembly · legislature.vermont.gov
“An act relating to establishing the Office of Health Equity within the Department of Health”
Sponsored a prescription drug discount card program
S.199: Vermont Prescription Drug Discount Card Program (2025-2026 session)
Government record · Vermont General Assembly · legislature.vermont.gov
“An act relating to establishing the Vermont Prescription Drug Discount Card Program”
Sponsored a ban on certain artificial dyes in school food
S.26: artificial dyes in school food (2025-2026 session)
Government record · Vermont General Assembly · legislature.vermont.gov
“An act relating to prohibiting certain artificial dyes in foods and beverages served or sold at school”
Co-sponsored a ban on possessing semiautomatic assault weapons
S.167: possession of semiautomatic assault weapons (2025-2026 session)
Government record · Vermont General Assembly · legislature.vermont.gov
“An act relating to prohibiting possession of semiautomatic assault weapons”

Challengers are listed first and incumbents last; otherwise candidates appear in ballot order. The Gist does not rank, rate or endorse candidates. Only positions backed by a cited source are shown; 9 issues covered in this race.