View source for 2004 Vermont gubernatorial election

{{Short description|none}}
{{for|related races|2004 United States gubernatorial elections}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Infobox election
| election_name      = 2004 Vermont gubernatorial election
| country            = Vermont
| type               = presidential
| ongoing            = no
| previous_election  = 2002 Vermont gubernatorial election
| previous_year      = 2002
| next_election      = 2006 Vermont gubernatorial election
| next_year          = 2006
| election_date      = November 2, 2004
| image1             = Image:Jim Douglas-2009 (cropped).jpg
| image_size = x150px
| nominee1           = '''[[Jim Douglas]]'''
| party1             = Vermont Republican Party
| popular_vote1      = '''181,540''' 	
| percentage1        = '''58.7%'''
| image2             = File:Peter Clavelle.jpg
| nominee2           = [[Peter Clavelle]]
| party2             = Vermont Democratic Party
| alliance2          = Vermont Progressive Party
| popular_vote2      = 117,327	
| percentage2        = 37.9%
| map                = {{switcher
|[[file:2004 Vermont gubernatorial election results map by county.svg|x220px]]
|County results 
|[[file:2004 Vermont gubernatorial election results map by municipality.svg|x220px]]
|Municipality results }}
| map_caption = '''Douglas:''' {{legend0|#FFB2B2|40-50%}} {{legend0|#E27F7F|50-60%}} {{legend0|#D75D5D|60-70%}} {{legend0|#D72F30|70-80%}} {{nowrap|{{legend0|#c21b18|80-90%}}}}<br/>'''Clavelle:''' {{legend0|#A5B0FF|40-50%}} {{legend0|#7996E2|50-60%}} {{legend0|#6674de|60-70%}} {{legend0|#584cde|70-80%}}<br/>'''''Tie:''''' {{legend0|#ae8bb1|50-60%}}
| title              = Governor
| before_election    = [[Jim Douglas]]
| before_party       = Vermont Republican Party
| after_election     = [[Jim Douglas]]
| after_party        = Vermont Republican Party
}}
{{ElectionsVT}}
The '''2004 Vermont gubernatorial election''' took place November 2, 2004 for the post of [[Governor of Vermont]]. Incumbent [[Vermont Republican Party|Republican]] governor [[Jim Douglas]] was re-elected. Douglas defeated [[Peter Clavelle]], the [[Vermont Progressive Party|Progressive]] [[List of mayors of Burlington, Vermont|Mayor]] of [[Burlington, Vermont|Burlington]] who ran as a [[Vermont Democratic Party|Democrat]].

==Democratic primary==

===Candidates===
* [[Peter Clavelle]], Mayor of [[Burlington, Vermont|Burlington]], switched party affiliation from Progressive to Democratic to run in this election, and was cross-nominated by the Progressive Party.

===Results===
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Democratic primary results<ref name="vermont-elections.org">{{Cite web |url=http://vermont-elections.org/elections1/2004FinalPrimaryCanvass.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2011-06-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101227193807/http://vermont-elections.org/elections1/2004FinalPrimaryCanvass.pdf |archive-date=2010-12-27 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Peter Clavelle
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 23,218
| percentage = 94.65
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Write-ins
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 1,313
| percentage = 5.35
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 24,531
| percentage =100.00
}}
{{Election box end}}

==Republican primary==

===Candidates===
* [[Jim Douglas]], incumbent [[governor of Vermont]]

===Results===
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Republican primary results<ref name="vermont-elections.org"/>
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Jim Douglas (inc.)
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 15,806
| percentage = 98.74
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Write-ins
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 202
| percentage = 1.26
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 16,008
| percentage = 100.00
}}
{{Election box end}}

==General election==

===Campaign===
Clavelle attempted to link Douglas and President [[George W. Bush]] with [[bumper sticker]]s saying "Jim = George".<ref name=motivators>{{cite news| url = https://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/vote2004/2004-11-02-vt-voting_x.htm | title = Anger at Bush, Iraq war big motivators of Vermont voters | access-date = 2008-03-13 | date = 2004-11-02| work=[[USA Today]]}}</ref> Douglas countered this by a willingness to criticize the [[Republican Party (United States)|national Republican Party]], such as over the Bush administration's [[Environmental policy|environmental policies]].<ref name=vermont>{{cite news| url = https://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/04/politics/campaign/04sbvermont.html | title = Vermont | access-date = 2008-03-13 | date = 2004-11-04| work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref>

The two main candidates faced each other in 18 debates during the campaign.<ref name=debates>{{cite news| url = https://www.nytimes.com/cq/2004/10/14/news-1386199.html?pagewanted=print&position= | title = VERMONT: Issues to Get a Full Airing With 18 Debates on Tap | access-date = 2008-03-13 | date = 2004-10-14| work=[[The New York Times]] | first=Dennis | last=Mayer}}</ref>

=== Predictions ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Source
! Ranking
! As of
|-
| align=left | [[Sabato's Crystal Ball]]<ref>{{cite web | title=The Final Predictions | url=https://centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/articles/ljs2004110101/ | website=Sabato's Crystal Ball | access-date=May 2, 2021}}</ref>
| {{USRaceRating|Likely|R}}
| November 1, 2004
|}

===Results===
{{Election box begin | title= 2004 Vermont gubernatorial election<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://vermont-elections.org/elections1/2004GeneralCanvass.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2011-06-03 |archive-date=2012-03-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120310052058/http://vermont-elections.org/elections1/2004GeneralCanvass.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
 |party      = Vermont Republican Party
 |candidate  = [[Jim Douglas]] ([[incumbent|inc.]])
 |votes      = 181,540
 |percentage = 58.70%
 |change     = +13.76%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
 |party      = Vermont Democratic Party
 |candidate  = [[Peter Clavelle]]{{efn|name=D/P|Originally was a Progressive; ran in the Democratic primary, and was cross nominated by the [[Vermont Progressive Party|Progressive Party]].}}
 |votes      = 117,327
 |percentage = 37.93%
 |change     = -4.45%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
 |party      = United States Marijuana Party
 |candidate  = [[Cris Ericson]]
 |votes      = 4,221
 |percentage = 1.36%
 |change     = +0.61%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
 |party      = Independent politician
 |candidate  = Patricia Hejny
 |votes      = 2,431
 |percentage = 0.79%
 |change     =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
 |party      = Vermont Libertarian Party
 |candidate  = Hardy Machia
 |votes      = 2,263
 |percentage = 0.73%
 |change     = +0.32%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
 |party      = Liberty Union Party
 |candidate  = [[Peter Diamondstone]]
 |votes      = 1,298
 |percentage = 0.42%
 |change     = +0.15%
}}
{{Election box candidate|
 |party      = Write-ins
 |candidate  = ''Write-ins''
 |votes      = 205
 |percentage = 0.07%
 |change     =
}}
{{Election box majority|
 |votes      = 64,213
 |percentage = 20.76%
 |change     = +18.21%
}}
{{Election box turnout|
 |votes      = 309,285
 |percentage =
 |change     =
}}
{{Election box hold with party link|
 |winner = Vermont Republican Party
 |swing = 
}}
{{Election box end}}

==== Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican ====
* [[Chittenden County, Vermont|Chittenden]] (largest municipality: [[Burlington, Vermont|Burlington]])
* [[Washington County, Vermont|Washington]] (largest municipality: [[Barre (city), Vermont|Barre]])
* [[Windsor County, Vermont|Windsor]] (largest municipality: [[Hartford, Vermont|Hartford]])

==See also==
* [[2004 United States presidential election in Vermont]]
* [[2004 United States Senate election in Vermont]]
* [[2004 United States House of Representatives election in Vermont]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20041030220725/http://www.jimdouglas.com/ Jim Douglas campaign site]

{{2004 United States elections}}

[[Category:2004 Vermont elections|Governor]]
[[Category:2004 United States gubernatorial elections|Vermont]]
[[Category:Vermont gubernatorial elections|2004]]