Vermont Senate
Vermont State Senate | |
|---|---|
| Vermont General Assembly | |
 | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
Term limits | None |
| History | |
New session started | January 5, 2011 |
| Leadership | |
President of the Senate | |
President Pro Tempore | |
Majority Leader | |
Minority Leader | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 30 |
Political groups | Democratic Party (20) Republican Party (8) Progressive Party (2) |
Length of term | 2 years |
| Authority | Section 7, Legislative Department, Vermont Constitution |
| Salary | $636/week + per diem |
| Elections | |
Last election | November 2, 2010 (30 seats) |
Next election | November 6, 2012 (30 seats) |
| Redistricting | Legislative Control |
| Meeting place | |
| File:VSHSenate14.jpg | |
| State Senate Chamber, Vermont State Capitol Montpelier, Vermont | |
| Website | |
| Vermont State Senate | |
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. Senators are elected to two-year terms, and 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 meets at the Vermont State House in Montpelier.
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 more common four-year term as in the majority of states.
Composition of the Senate
2011-2012 Legislative Session
| Affiliation | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus)
|
Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template:American politics/party colors/Democratic| | Template:American politics/party colors/Socialist| | Template:American politics/party colors/Republican| | |||
| Democratic | Progressive | Republican | Vacant | ||
| End of previous legislature | 22 | 1 | 7 | 30 | 0 |
| Begin | 20 | 2 | 8 | 30 | 0 |
| Latest voting share | 73.3% | 26.7% | |||
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.
Current leadership
| Position | Name | Party | Residence | District |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| President Pro Tem of the Senate | John F. Campbell | Dem | Quechee | Windsor |
| Majority Leader | William Carris | Dem | West Rutland | Rutland |
| Assistant Majority Leader | Hinda Miller | Dem | Burlington | Chittenden |
| Minority Leader | William T. Doyle | Rep | Montpelier | Washington |
| Assistant Minority Leader | Kevin Mullin | Rep | Rutland Town | Rutland |
Members of the Senate, 2009-2010
Operations
The full Senate meets Tuesday and Friday mornings only for the first seven weeks of the annual session.[1]
See also
- Vermont State House
- Vermont General Assembly
- Vermont House of Representatives
- Members of the Vermont Senate, 2005-2006 session
- Members of the Vermont Senate, 2007-2008 session
- Vermont Senate Districts, 2002-2012
References
External links