Vermont Legislature to decide governor’s race

Vermont’s Legislature will have to decide the state’s gubernatorial race after incumbent Gov. Pete Shumlin (D) faced a surprisingly tough challenge from his GOP rival.

According to results posted on the Vermont Secretary of State’s website, Shumlin received 46.28 percent of the vote, while Republican Scott Milne received 45.23 percent. 

{mosads}Under the state constitution, candidates for governor must win a majority or the race is settled by the Legislature. The Legislature, controlled by Democrats, will likely decide the race in January.

State lawmakers nearly always give the election to the candidate with the plurality of votes, according to The Associated Press. 

Shumlin, 58, is chairman of the Democratic Governors Association. He has served two terms as Vermont governor, three years in the state House and 14 in the state Senate. 

Milne, 55, has never held elected office, but both his mother and father served in the state House.