The 2012 Vermont gubernatorial election took place on November 6, 2012, to elect the Governor of Vermont. Incumbent Democratic Governor Peter Shumlin won re-election to a second term, making this the only one of his gubernatorial elections in which he won a majority of the vote. In his 2010 and 2014 races, the Vermont General Assembly was required to choose a winner in accordance with the state constitution, because no candidate won a majority. This is the last time that Democrats carried Grand Isle, Lamoille, and Rutland counties in a gubernatorial election.
Democratic nomination
Candidates
Republican nomination
Candidates
- Randy Brock, state senator and former state auditor
Declined
- Brian Dubie, former lieutenant governor and 2010 gubernatorial nominee
- Thom Lauzon, mayor of Barre
- Patricia McDonald, Vermont Republican Party Chairwoman and former state representative
- Roy Newton, newspaper publisher (did not file)
- Tom Salmon, state auditor
- Phil Scott, lieutenant governor
- Mark Snelling, 2010 candidate for lieutenant governor and son of former governor Richard Snelling
Progressive nomination
Candidates
- Martha Abbott, chairwoman of the Vermont Progressive Party (resigned nomination in order to aid Shumlin by avoiding split in progressive/liberal votes)
General election
Candidates
- Randy Brock (R), state senator and former state auditor
- Dave Eagle (Liberty Union)
- Cris Ericson (U.S. Marijuana), perennial candidate who also ran for the U.S. Senate
- Emily Peyton (Independent)
- Peter Shumlin (D), incumbent
Debates
- Complete video of debate, October 13, 2012 - C-SPAN
Results
By county
Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic
- Grand Isle (largest municipality: Alburgh)
- Lamoille (largest municipality: Morristown)
- Rutland (largest municipality: Rutland)