Vermont › Chittenden County › Chittenden County High Bailiff
2 candidates are tracked for Chittenden County High Bailiff on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Paul McManus and Amy Payne. Candidate information follows official Chittenden County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.
Amy Payne won the five-way August 11 Democratic primary for Chittenden County high bailiff with 8,603 votes, per the Vermont Secretary of State's official results; Paul McManus received enough write-in votes to take the Republican line for November, pending his acceptance.
Retired law enforcement officer with 32 years at the Chittenden County Sheriff's Office who went on to serve as a Federal Protective Service regional commander and as security director for Vermont's Department of Buildings and General Services, per his campaign site and Seven Days. The Williston resident told Seven Days the high bailiff post is "a job you don't want, but I think it's a job that somebody has to be able to do," and Seven Days reports he is endorsed by the Vermont Police Association and Sheriff Dan Gamelin.
2026 priorities
- Be ready to assume sheriff duties immediately if the office falls vacant, per his campaign site
- Maintain continuity of leadership and uninterrupted service, per his campaign site
- Operate with knowledge, accountability and transparency, per his campaign site
Source: candidate campaign site, roster verified 2026-08-29.
Campaign site →
Burlington educator and writer who taught English for nearly 20 years, co-ran a restorative justice program and is serving a second term as inspector of elections for Ward 4, per her campaign site. Seven Days describes her as a former publishing executive who wants the high bailiff to act as a civilian bridge between the sheriff's office and the community.
2026 priorities
- Close the trust gap between law enforcement and the public through community outreach, per her campaign site
- Act as an objective ambassador between the sheriff's department and residents, per her campaign site
- Expand the office beyond a ceremonial role into transparency and restorative justice work, per her campaign site
Source: candidate campaign site, roster verified 2026-08-29.
Campaign site →
