Vermont voters headed to the polls on Tuesday to cast their ballots in primaries for governor, Senate, House of Representatives and the state legislature. Polls closed at 7 p.m. ET.
As of Monday, just under 46,000 mail ballots had been returned in the state.
Voters fill the polling booths in Montpelier, Vt., Nov. 6, 2012.Toby Talbot/AP, FILE
State Significance
Vermont's senior senator, Patrick Leahy, is retiring after nearly 50 years in office. Democratic Rep. Peter Welch, the state's only congressman, was running for Leahy's seat and has been viewed by many as the heir apparent. After the polls closed, ABC News projected Tuesday he would win the nomination to run in November and succeed Leahy.
Separately, for the first time in history, Vermont voters are almost certain to send a woman to Congress — making it the last in the nation to break the streak.
The top two candidates in the Democratic primary race to replace Welch were Lt. Gov. Molly Gray and state Sen. Becca Balint. Gray was seen as the establishment candidate, backed by former Vermont governor and former Democratic National Committee chair Howard Dean, while Balint is an openly gay progressive who is backed by Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren.
ABC News projected that Balint will win the Democratic nomination ahead of November's election against her Republican challenger. Vermont’s House seat has not been filled by a Republican in 30 years.
Sourse: abcnews.go.com
