VPIRG

06/18/2026

Is it really canvassing season without a press conference?

VPIRG's 2026 Summer Canvass is shaping up to be one of our largest of the decade, and we kicked things in to high gear with some inspiring remarks from canvass leadership, Executive Director Paul Burns, and Vermont Attorney General Charity Clark (Vermont Attorney General's Office).

Our massive statewide campaign was launched in response to the federal administration’s ongoing attacks, and will mobilize thousands of Vermonters, and provide organizing & training opportunities across the state. Keep your eyes and ears peeled for a canvasser knocking at your door soon!

06/12/2026

Trump is coming for mail in ballots, this time with a new executive order could block the U.S. Postal Service from delivering ballots to or from voters in Vermont and any other state that refuses to turn over sensitive voter information. VPIRG has a long history of fighting to establish Vermont's vote by mail system, and for voting rights in general, most recently by intervening in court when the Trump administration sued Vermont for access to voter information like the last 4 digits of your social. Join us in thanking our Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas and Attorney General Charity Clark (Vermont Attorney General's Office), and stay tuned for more info.

Register to vote: vote.vermont.gov

05/28/2026

BREAKING: Gov. Scott sided with Big Tech today when he vetoed what would be the nation's toughest law regulating data centers. The bill (H.727) had passed 26-3 in the Senate.⁠
⁠
If data centers concern you, user our action page to urge legislators to go on the record with an override vote: https://secure.ngpvan.com/iYN32AqzNU65Ld-LIgzlxA2

05/27/2026

We had a packed house for last night's forum featuring the Democratic primary candidates for governor! We want to thank our audience for submitting some great questions, Amanda Janoo and Aly Richards for their great answers, and our partners and allies for making last night possible. Missed the forum? You can watch the livestream recording courtesy of Town Meeting TV: https://www.youtube.com/live/-mzczkLZbCs

And don't forget to mark your calendars for the next forum with the candidates on June 15th in Rutland - details and registration at vermontconservationvoters.com/event/candidate-forum-democratic-primary-for-governor-3/

05/27/2026

One of the most exciting races this year will be the Lieutenant Governor’s race, with three candidates already filed to run in the Democratic primary.

Come hear from candidates Esther Charlestin, Molly Gray, and Ryan McLaren on Tuesday, June 2nd from 6:00pm to 7:30pm at Next Stage Arts in Putney to hear their visions for the Lt Governor role and where they stand on the issues. There will be questions from the sponsoring organizations and time for questions from the audience.

Register at

The 2026 election campaigns have begun, and it’s time to meet the Democratic candidates for Lt. Gov.

05/26/2026

Governor Phil Scott signed landmark legislation into law today, making Vermont the first state in the nation to ban the toxic herbicide paraquat, which is linked to Parkinson’s disease. Health and environmental advocates celebrated the victory.⁠
⁠
“There are some agricultural pesticides that are just too poisonous to be used safely. Paraquat is now at the top of that list and therefore banning it in Vermont is absolutely the right thing to do,” said Paul Burns, executive director of the Vermont Public Interest Research Group. ⁠
⁠
Read the full press release here: https://www.vpirg.org/news/governor-signs-paraquat-ban-h-739-into-law/

05/22/2026

Let’s call President Trump’s so-called “Anti-Weaponization Fund” what it is: a blatantly corrupt political slush fund. That's why VPIRG is joining citizens and organizations across the country in demanding an end to this corrupt scheme and sending a letter to acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. Add your name at www.VPIRG.org/FUTodd

And you can read more at www.VPIRG.org/news/straight-up-corrupt

05/20/2026

Believe it or not, the legislative session is almost behind us! Join the VPIRG team on Wednesday, May 27 at 6PM on Zoom for our next monthly action call. We’ll offer a quick debrief on this month’s legislative and organizing action and share what we’ve got coming up for June.

We’ll also be joined by Ben Edgerly Walsh, VPIRG’s climate and energy program director, for an overview of Vermont’s data center accountability bill. He'll cover the latest on legislation, the national AI data center landscape, and how we can best protect Vermonters for decades to come. Q&A to follow.

RSVP for the action call: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_fnraiT1sT2-ochNhWbzpsA

05/18/2026

The 2026 election campaigns have begun, and it’s time to meet the candidates!

Join us on Tuesday, May 26th, from 6:00pm to 7:30pm at the Meeting House in Colchester for a moderated forum with the candidates in the 2026 Democratic primary for governor, Amanda Janoo and Aly Richards. There will be questions from the sponsoring organizations and time for questions from the audience.

Save your seat at vermontconservationvoters.com/event/candidate-forum-democratic-primary-for-governor/

05/16/2026

Learn more and take action at www.vpirg.org/paraquat 💃✈️