Vermont Senate

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Chamber of the Vermont Senate, before its historic restoration, inside the Vermont State House at Montpelier.
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Chamber of the Vermont Senate, before its historic restoration, inside the Vermont State House at Montpelier.

The Vermont Senate is the upper house of the Vermont General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Vermont. The Senate consists of 30 members. Senate districting divides the 30 members into three single-member districts, six two-member districts, three three-member districts, and one six-member district. Each Senator represents at least 20,300 citizens. There is no limit to the number of terms that a Senator may serve.

As in other upper houses of state and territorial legislatures and the federal U.S. Senate, the Senate is reserved with special functions such as confirming or rejecting gubernatorial appointments to executive departments, the state cabinet, commissions, boards, and electing members to the Vermont Supreme Court.

The Vermont Senate meet at the Vermont State House in Montpelier.

Contents

[edit] Leadership of the Senate

The Lieutenant Governor of Vermont serves as the President of the Senate, but only casts a legislative vote if required to break a tie. In his or her absence, the President Pro Tempore presides over the Senate. The President Pro Tempore is elected by the majority party caucus followed by confirmation of the entire Senate through a Senate Resolution. The President Pro Tempore is the chief leadership position in the Senate. The other Senate majority and minority leaders are elected by their respective party caucuses.

The President of the Senate is Vermont Lieutenant Governor Brian Dubie. The President Pro Tempore is Democrat Peter Welch of the Windsor Senate District. The Majority Leader is Democrat John F. Campbell, also of the Windsor Senate District . The Minority Leader is Republican William T. Doyle of the Washington Senate District.

[edit] Current Leadership

Position Name Party Residence District
President/Lieutenant Governor Brian Dubie Republican Essex
President Pro Tem Peter Shumlin Democratic Hartland Windham
Majority Leader Claire D. Ayer Democratic Weybridge ADDISON
Minority Leader William T. Doyle Republican Montpelier WASHINGTON


[edit] Districting and Terms

Senators are elected from a total of 13 single and multi-member Senate districts. The districts more or less correspond to the boundaries of the state's 14 counties with adjustments to ensure equality of representation. Two small counties (Essex and Orleans) are combined into one district. Each district elects between 1 and 6 senators depending on population.

In addition, Vermont is one of the 14 states where the upper house of its state legislature serves at a two-year cycle, rather than the normal four-year term as in the majority of states.

[edit] Make-up of the Senate

2005-2006

Affiliation Members
  Democratic Party 23
  Republican Party 7
 Total
 30
 Government Majority
 12

2007-2008

Affiliation Members
  Democratic Party 23
  Republican Party 7
 Total
 30
 Government Majority
 16

[edit] See also

[edit] External links


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