Shoreham, Vermont Public Records

Public safety in Shoreham is overseen by the Shoreham Police Department, headquartered at 17 School Street, Shoreham, VT 05770. This local law enforcement agency is responsible for responding to emergencies, enforcing laws, and maintaining public order within the town. Residents can contact the Shoreham Police Department for non-emergency inquiries, to report suspicious activity, or to access relevant records, such as incident reports and arrest logs. The Vermont State Police, with a regional barracks located at 1330 US Route 7 South, Pittsford, VT 05763, also provides support and resources for the Shoreham community.

Shoreham voters are served by the Shoreham Town Clerk's Office, located at 15 School Street, Shoreham, VT 05770 (phone: 802-897-5841), which handles voter registration, absentee ballot requests, and local election administration. For county-level election administration, the Addison County Clerk's Office at 5 Court Street, Middlebury, VT 05753 (phone: 802-388-3665) coordinates elections throughout Addison County and maintains county-wide voter records. Vermont's statewide election system is overseen by the Vermont Secretary of State, Elections Division at 128 State Street, Montpelier, VT 05633 (phone: 802-828-2363, website: https://sos.vermont.gov/elections/).

Shoreham residents can register to vote online through the Vermont Online Voter Registration system at https://olvr.vermont.gov, which requires a valid Vermont driver's license or state ID card. Voters may also register in person at the Town Clerk's Office or by mail using a downloadable registration form. Vermont offers same-day voter registration, allowing residents to register and vote on Election Day at their polling place with proof of residency. The only deadline is Election Day itself. Acceptable proof of residency includes a Vermont driver's license, utility bill, bank statement, or a registered voter from the same municipality who can vouch for the applicant.

Shoreham conducts local Town Meeting elections annually on the first Tuesday in March, following Vermont's traditional town meeting governance system. At Town Meeting, Shoreham voters elect town officers including selectboard members, town clerk, treasurer, listers (assessors), school directors, and other positions for one, two, or three-year terms depending on the office. The next Town Meeting will be held March 4, 2025. Shoreham does not have a mayor or city council; the town is governed by an elected selectboard (typically 3-5 members). Voters also decide town budgets, appropriations, and local policy questions by voice vote or Australian ballot at Town Meeting.

Shoreham voters cast ballots at the Shoreham Community Meeting House, 15 School Street, Shoreham, VT 05770, which serves as the town's single polling place for all state and federal elections. Vermont voters can verify their polling location and view sample ballots at https://mvp.vermont.gov (My Voter Page), which provides personalized voter information by entering name and date of birth.

Vermont election records are highly transparent and publicly accessible. Voter checklists (registration lists without party affiliation, as Vermont has no party registration) are public records available from town clerks. Campaign finance reports for state and local candidates are filed with and searchable through the Vermont Secretary of State's Campaign Finance System at https://campaignfinance.vermont.gov. Candidate filings, nomination petitions, and ballot access documents are public records maintained by town clerks for local offices and the Secretary of State for statewide offices. Election results are public immediately following certification; Shoreham's town-level results are posted by the Town Clerk, and the Secretary of State publishes comprehensive statewide and county-level results at https://electionresults.vermont.gov.

In the November 2024 presidential election, Addison County reported approximately 67% voter turnout with roughly 26,000 ballots cast from approximately 39,000 registered voters. Addison County voters favored Democratic candidates, consistent with Vermont's overall progressive lean, though some rural towns including Shoreham showed more competitive results in local races.

On November 3, 2026, Shoreham and Addison County voters will participate in Vermont's statewide general election. Federal races include one U.S. House seat (Vermont's at-large congressional district, currently held by Rep. Becca Balint, whose term expires January 2027). Vermont's U.S. Senate seats are not up in 2026 (Senator Bernie Sanders' term expires in 2025 and Senator Peter Welch's in 2029). State-level races in 2026 include all 150 members of the Vermont House of Representatives (two-year terms) and 15 of 30 Vermont State Senate seats (staggered four-year terms). Shoreham is part of the Addison State Senate District and votes for representatives in the Addison-Rutland House District; specific district lines may have changed following redistricting. County-level positions potentially on the ballot include State's Attorney (if the term expires), High Bailiff, and county committee positions. Additionally, Shoreham voters will decide judges for retention in the Superior Court and other judicial positions if terms expire in 2026.

Vermont offers universal mail-in voting; any registered voter may request an absentee ballot without providing a reason. Absentee ballot applications are available from the Shoreham Town Clerk by phone (802-897-5841), in person, by mail, or online through the My Voter Page at https://mvp.vermont.gov. Vermont automatically mails absentee ballot applications to all active registered voters before general elections. Completed absentee ballots must be returned to the Town Clerk by mail (postmarked by Election Day and received within 7 days), in person, or via the secure ballot drop box at the Town Clerk's office by 7:00 PM on Election Day. Vermont law (17 V.S.A. § 2539) allows voters to request absentee ballots up to 45 days before an election and requires town clerks to mail ballots to voters as soon as they are available, typically 45 days before the election.