Richard McCormack

Richard McCormack (Democratic Party) is a member of the Vermont State Senate, representing Windsor District. He assumed office in 2007. His current term ends on January 8, 2025.

McCormack (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the Vermont State Senate to represent Windsor District. He won in the general election on November 8, 2022.

Biography

McCormack earned his B.A. from Hofstra University in 1970. He went on to attend Castleton State College from 1977 to 1978. He then attended MSEL at Vermont Law School from 1999 to the present.

McCormack was a teacher for Woodstock County School from 1978 to 1980. He has worked as a performer and broadcaster since 1966.

McCormack's political experience began with his work as a Justice of the Peace.

Committee assignments

2023-2024

McCormack was assigned to the following committees:

2021-2022

McCormack was assigned to the following committees:

2019-2020

McCormack was assigned to the following committees:

2017 legislative session

At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:

Vermont committee assignments, 2017
• Appropriations
• Health and Welfare
• Government Accountability

2015 legislative session

At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, McCormack served on the following committees:

Vermont committee assignments, 2015
• Appropriations
• Health and Welfare

2013-2014

In the 2013-2014 legislative session, McCormack served on the following committees:

Vermont committee assignments, 2013
• Education, Chair
• Health and Welfare

2011-2012

In the 2011-2012 legislative session, McCormack served on these committees:

Vermont committee assignments, 2011
• Finance
• Natural Resources and Energy

2009-2010

In the 2009-2010 legislative session, McCormack served on these committees:

Vermont committee assignments, 2009
• Finance
• Natural Resources and Energy

Issues

Charter schools

On February 8, 2013, McCormack and fellow Senators Donald Collins, David Zuckerman, and Richard Sears introduced a bill to impose more requirements on many independent schools. Under Senate Bill 91, any independent schools which receives public tuition funds for more than one third of its students would be required to hire only state-certified teachers, accept all publicly funded students who apply so long as space permits, provide free and reduced-price lunch to eligible students, and be approved to offer at least four categories of special education.^[1] John McClaughry of the Ethan Allen Institute, a free-market think tank, criticized McCormack's bill as "clearly designed to put as many general purpose independent schools under the big fat thumb of the Education Agency in Montpelier." He accused McCormack of attempting to rush the bill through without input from the independent schools.^[2] The Vermont Independent Schools Association also opposed the bill, saying, "State control of admissions and of hiring would strongly impair independent schools' ability to fulfill their unique missions."^[3] McCormack and bill supporters argued that the independent schools were weakening public education by attracting students and state tuition dollars away from public schools without being required to meet state mandates, such as the requirement to offer expensive special education services. The Vermont National Education Association and the Vermont School Board Association endorsed SB 91. The bill was referred to the Education Committee, chaired by McCormack. Collins and Zuckerman are also members of the five-member committee.

Elections

2024

See also: Vermont State Senate elections

Richard McCormack did not file to run for re-election.

2022

General election

General election for Vermont State Senate Windsor District (3 seats)

The following candidates ran in the general election for Vermont State Senate Windsor District on November 8, 2022.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Alison Clarkson (D)	23.4	17,042
✔	Rebecca White (D)	22.9	16,740
✔	Richard McCormack (D)	22.7	16,539
	Alice Flanders (R)	10.6	7,737
	Dana Colson (R)	10.4	7,586
	Bill Huff (R)	9.8	7,174
	Other/Write-in votes	0.2	133

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 72,951
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Vermont State Senate Windsor District (3 seats)

Rebecca White, incumbent Alison Clarkson, and incumbent Richard McCormack defeated Christopher Morrow in the Democratic primary for Vermont State Senate Windsor District on August 9, 2022.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Rebecca White	31.4	7,545
✔	Alison Clarkson	31.3	7,528
✔	Richard McCormack	27.9	6,701
	Christopher Morrow	9.2	2,211
	Other/Write-in votes	0.3	74

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 24,059
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for Vermont State Senate Windsor District (3 seats)

Dana Colson and Alice Flanders advanced from the Republican primary for Vermont State Senate Windsor District on August 9, 2022.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Dana Colson	48.6	1,570
✔	Alice Flanders	45.9	1,481
	Other/Write-in votes	5.5	179

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 3,230
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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