American activist and perennial candidate
Cris Ericson (born May 16, 1952) is an American marijuana legalization activist and perennial candidate for public office in Vermont . She has unsuccessfully run for the governorship of Vermont nine times and for a seat in the United States Congress eight times.
Cris Ericson was born in Washington, D.C., on May 16, 1952.[ 1] From 1970 to 1971, she attended Goddard College . In 1976, she graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a bachelor of arts degree.[ 2]
During the 2002 Vermont gubernatorial election Ericson was one of four independent candidates and ran under the Make Marijuana Legal party line.[ 3] In the general election she placed fourth behind Jim Douglas , Doug Racine , and Cornelius Hogan.[ 4]
During the 2004 Vermont gubernatorial election she ran as an independent under the Marijuana party line.[ 5] [ 6] In the general election she placed third behind Douglas and Peter Clavelle .[ 7]
She ran for governor of Vermont in 2006 , 2008 , 2010 , 2012 , 2014 , and 2018 .
In 2020, she ran for the gubernatorial, lieutenant gubernatorial, attorney general, treasurer, secretary of state, and auditor nominations of the Vermont Progressive Party . The Vermont Progressive Party sought volunteers to run in the primaries and for party members to write-in David Zuckerman in the gubernatorial primary and Doug Hoffer in the auditor general primary to prevent Ericson from winning.[ 8] [ 9] She was able to appear on the ballot due to lower ballot access requirements instituted due to COVID-19.[ 10] She was defeated by Zuckerman, who won as a write-in candidate, in the gubernatorial primary.[ 11] However, she won the Progressive nominations for lieutenant governor, auditor, secretary of state, attorney general, and treasurer. Ericson called for a recount in the gubernatorial primary.[ 10]
United States Congress [ edit ]
During the 2004 United States Senate election in Vermont Ericson ran under the Marijuana party line and placed third behind Patrick Leahy and John A. McMullen .[ 12] [ 13]
During the 2006 United States Senate election in Vermont she ran for the Republican nomination, but was defeated by Richard Tarrant .[ 14] [ 15] In the general election she ran as an independent and placed third behind Bernie Sanders and Tarrant.[ 16]
Cris Ericson electoral history
2006 United States Senate election in Vermont [ 20] [ 21]
Primary election
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
Richard Tarrant
22,008
61.84%
Republican
Greg Parke
10,479
29.44%
Republican
Cris Ericson
1,722
4.84%
Write-in
1,382
3.88%
Total votes
35,591
100.00%
General election
Independent
Bernie Sanders
171,638
65.41%
Republican
Richard Tarrant
84,924
32.36%
Independent
Cris Ericson
1,735
0.66%
Green
Craig Hill
1,536
0.59%
Anti-Bushist Candidate
Peter Moss
1,518
0.58%
Liberty Union
Peter Diamondstone
801
0.31%
Write-in
267
0.10%
Total votes
262,419
100.00%
2016 United States Senate election in Vermont [ 30] [ 31]
Primary election
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Patrick Leahy (incumbent)
62,249
88.59%
Democratic
Cris Ericson
7,596
10.81%
Write-in
424
0.60%
Total votes
70,269
100.00%
Blanks/Spoiled
2,893
General election
Democratic
Patrick Leahy (incumbent)
192,243
61.26%
Republican
Scott Milne
103,637
33.03%
Marijuana
Cris Ericson
9,156
2.92%
Independent
Jerry Trudell
5,223
1.66%
Liberty Union
Peter Diamondstone
3,241
1.03%
Write-in
309
0.10%
Total votes
313,809
100.00%
Blanks/Spoiled
6,658
^ "Cris Ericson's Biography" . Vote Smart . Archived from the original on August 19, 2020. Retrieved August 19, 2020 .
^ "Education" . Brattleboro Reformer . October 25, 2002. p. 46. Archived from the original on August 19, 2020. Retrieved August 19, 2020 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Independents, minor parties file petitions to get on November ballot" . Rutland Daily Herald . September 14, 2002. p. 12. Archived from the original on August 19, 2020. Retrieved August 19, 2020 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "2002 gubernatorial election results" . Secretary of State of Vermont . Archived from the original on August 19, 2020. Retrieved August 19, 2020 .
^ "Independent in 2004" . The Burlington Free Press . September 6, 2004. p. 5. Archived from the original on August 19, 2020. Retrieved August 19, 2020 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Candidates fill out election ballot" . The Burlington Free Press . September 21, 2004. p. 13. Archived from the original on August 19, 2020. Retrieved August 19, 2020 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "2004 gubernatorial election results" . Secretary of State of Vermont . Archived from the original on August 19, 2020. Retrieved August 19, 2020 .
^ "Progressive Party Asks For Write-In To Beat Gubernatorial Candidates On Its Ballot" . Vermont Public Radio . July 30, 2020. Archived from the original on August 19, 2020. Retrieved August 19, 2020 .
^ "Progressives Seek to Ward Off Perennials Vying for Party Nod" . Seven Days . July 7, 2020. Archived from the original on August 19, 2020. Retrieved August 19, 2020 .
^ a b "Perennial Progressive candidate bucks party, pushes for recount" . WCAX-TV . August 19, 2020. Archived from the original on August 19, 2020. Retrieved August 19, 2020 .
^ "David Zuckerman Wins Vermont Progressive Party Gubernatorial Nomination by Write-in Votes" . Ballot Access News . August 18, 2020. Archived from the original on August 19, 2020. Retrieved August 19, 2020 .
^ "2004 partisan affiliation" . Rutland Daily Herald . October 31, 2004. p. 66. Archived from the original on August 19, 2020. Retrieved August 19, 2020 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "2004 United States Senate election results" . Secretary of State of Vermont . Archived from the original on August 19, 2020. Retrieved August 19, 2020 .
^ "Republicans face ideological choice in primary" . The Burlington Free Press . September 5, 2006. p. 1. Archived from the original on August 19, 2020. Retrieved August 19, 2020 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "2006 United States Senate primary results" . Secretary of State of Vermont . Archived from the original on August 19, 2020. Retrieved August 19, 2020 .
^ "2006 United States Senate election results" . Secretary of State of Vermont . Archived from the original on August 19, 2020. Retrieved August 19, 2020 .
^ "2002 Governor General Election" . Vermont Secretary of State . Retrieved June 9, 2025 .
^ "2004 Governor General Election" . Vermont Secretary of State . Retrieved June 9, 2025 .
^ "2004 U.S. Senate General Election" . Vermont Secretary of State . Retrieved June 12, 2025 .
^ "2006 U.S. Senate Republican Primary" . Vermont Secretary of State . Retrieved June 12, 2025 .
^ "2006 U.S. Senate General Election" . Vermont Secretary of State . Retrieved June 9, 2025 .
^ "2008 Governor General Election" . Vermont Secretary of State . Retrieved June 9, 2025 .
^ "2008 U.S. House General Election" . Vermont Secretary of State . Retrieved June 13, 2025 .
^ "2010 U.S. Senate General Election" . Vermont Secretary of State . Retrieved June 9, 2025 .
^ "2010 Governor General Election" . Vermont Secretary of State . Retrieved June 13, 2025 .
^ "2012 U.S. Senate General Election" . Vermont Secretary of State . Retrieved June 9, 2025 .
^ "2012 Governor General Election" . Vermont Secretary of State . Retrieved June 14, 2025 .
^ "2014 Governor General Election" . Vermont Secretary of State . Retrieved June 9, 2025 .
^ "2014 U.S. House General Election" . Vermont Secretary of State . Retrieved June 14, 2025 .
^ "2016 U.S. Senate General Election" . Vermont Secretary of State . Retrieved June 9, 2025 .
^ "2016 U.S. Senate Democratic Primary" . Vermont Secretary of State . Retrieved June 14, 2025 .
^ "2016 Governor Democratic Primary" . Vermont Secretary of State . Retrieved June 14, 2025 .
^ "2018 Governor General Election" . Vermont Secretary of State . Retrieved June 16, 2025 .
^ "2018 U.S. House General Election" . Vermont Secretary of State . Retrieved June 16, 2025 .
^ "2020 Attorney General Progressive Primary" . Vermont Secretary of State . Retrieved June 16, 2025 .
^ "2020 Attorney General General Election" . Vermont Secretary of State . Retrieved June 16, 2025 .
^ "2020 Treasurer Progressive Primary" . Vermont Secretary of State . Retrieved June 16, 2025 .
^ "2020 Treasurer General Election" . Vermont Secretary of State . Retrieved June 16, 2025 .
^ "2020 Secretary of State Progressive Primary" . Vermont Secretary of State . Retrieved June 16, 2025 .
^ "2020 Secretary of State General Election" . Vermont Secretary of State . Retrieved June 16, 2025 .
^ "2020 Lieutenant Governor Progressive Primary" . Vermont Secretary of State . Retrieved June 17, 2025 .
^ "2020 Lieutenant Governor General Election" . Vermont Secretary of State . Retrieved June 17, 2025 .
^ "2020 Auditor Progressive Primary" . Vermont Secretary of State . Retrieved June 17, 2025 .
^ "2020 Auditor General Election" . Vermont Secretary of State . Retrieved June 17, 2025 .
^ "2020 U.S. House Progressive Primary" . Vermont Secretary of State . Retrieved June 17, 2025 .
^ "2020 Governor Progressive Primary" . Vermont Secretary of State . Retrieved June 17, 2025 .
^ "2022 U.S. Senate General Election" . Vermont Secretary of State . Retrieved June 19, 2025 .