Vermont: Peter Welch

This is not surprising, as in people don't last forever in these positions, but Ian Carleton leaves the Democratic Party helm at a time when it does not have an executive director either.

In an e-mail slugged "time to move on," he announces he's moving on, listing accomplishments of the party. Missing, as one might expect, is any mention of the 2008 gubernatorial race.

After three rich and exciting years of serving as Chair of the Vermont
Democratic Party, it is time for me to move on. As of this Saturday, I
wish to resign from my position as State Chair. Our able Vice Chair Judy
Bevans, with whom I have already discussed this decision, has graciously agreed
to serve as acting Chair until such time as the Party wishes to hold a special
election for Chair (see Article XX of the VDP Bylaws), or until this November
when the Party is statutorily required to undergo complete
reorganization.

Vermonters met expectations of high voter turnout last Tuesday, flocking to the polls in numbers not seen since former President Bill Clinton was elected 16 years ago.
 
On Tuesday, the Elections and Campaign Finance division of Vermont's State Department published its report on this year's voter turnout as well as complete election results.
 
Over 66 percent of all eligible voters actually cast their votes, or about 326,822 people. An estimated 30 percent of the voters used absentee ballots.
 

Exit polls by WCAX show Vermont's sole U.S. Congressman, Peter Welch (D-Hartland), has handily won his re-election bid.

Welch, a first time representative, received tremendous support among Green Mountain state residents and secured his seat with over 84 percent of the vote, with about 92 percent of precincts reporting.

As a result of the primaries, the congressional representative received the nomination of both the Democratic and Republican Parties, although he is a Democrat.

[img_assist|nid=1726|title=U.S. Rep. Peter Welch|desc=Campaign Photo|link=none|align=right|width=175|height=135]For the second time this week, Vermont's sole U.S. Rep. Peter Welch (D-Hartland) considered a version of the financial bailout package. This time he voted for the legislation which ultimately passed in the House of Representatives by 263-171 votes.

According to the Times Argus online, Welch told reporters in a conference call that the bill is the "best choice that is available to us at this moment."