Official to give count of primary write-ins

MONTPELIER — The Vermont Secretary of State’s office is planning to certify the results of last week’s primary election.
The results to be certified Tuesday should include the Progressive gubernatorial race in which supporters of Annette Smith of Danby promoted her as a write-in candidate over Martha Abbott, who was listed on the ballot as unopposed during last Tuesday’s voting.
A preliminary count of the Progressive gubernatorial race gave Abbott 304 votes with 258 write-in votes, but that did not include votes from all of Vermont’s voting precincts or say who the write-ins were for.
Smith’s write-in candidacy was pushed by Progressive activists opposed to mountaintop wind power projects and other environmental policies backed by incumbent Democratic Gov. Peter Shumlin.
Smith is the head of the group Vermonters for a Clean Environment.