1976 Vermont gubernatorial election

The 1976 Vermont gubernatorial election took place on November 2, 1976. Incumbent Democrat Thomas P. Salmon did not seek another term as Governor of Vermont, instead running for United States Senate. Republican candidate Richard A. Snelling won the election, defeating Democratic candidate Stella B. Hackel and Liberty Union candidate Bernie Sanders.

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Brian D. Burns, Lieutenant Governor of Vermont^[1]
• Stella B. Hackel, Vermont State Treasurer^[1]
• Robert O'Brien, state senator^[1]

Results

Republican primary

Results

Liberty Union primary

Results

General election

Results

References

1. "Profiles of the three Democrats in Vermont governor's race". The Brattleboro Reformer. September 13, 1976. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
2. "Primary Election Results" (PDF). Office of the Vermont Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 31, 2014. Retrieved December 31, 2014.
3. "General Election Results – Governor – 1789-2012" (PDF). Office of the Vermont Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 30, 2014. Retrieved December 31, 2014.
4. "Sanders: 'We begin a political revolution'". Burlington Free Press. May 27, 2015. Retrieved February 15, 2018. Wednesday, October 6, 1976, Bernard Sanders, 35, returns to the campaign trail, this time running in an open-seat governor's race as the Liberty Union Party standard-bearer. In an interview with the Burlington Free Press, he is asked why he's running. "When I was a boy and watched presidents and other candidates on television, it became clear what they were saying didn't make sense to my parents or even me," he answers. "I came to realize it is right and necessary for people to stand up and oppose what is wrong. I have learned that people will respond if you tell them the truth about how you see the world."