The Chittenden-19 race
Voters in Vermont State House District Chittenden-19 have a contested race on the general election ballot scheduled for Nov. 3, 2026. The field includes Wendy Critchlow and Sarita Austin, both Democrats and both incumbents.
That creates a race in which party label and current officeholder status do not distinguish the candidates. Each is running as a Democrat, and each already holds office. The choice therefore turns on the individual candidacies rather than a contest between different political parties or between an incumbent and a challenger.
The election is part of Vermont’s 2026 general election. Chittenden-19 voters will decide the district’s State House representation through that election. The race is marked as contested, meaning voters have more than one listed candidate to consider.
Wendy Critchlow
Wendy Critchlow is running as a Democrat and is an incumbent in the Vermont House. Her candidacy gives Chittenden-19 voters the option of supporting a current officeholder for continued service in the Legislature.
Critchlow enters the election with the same stated party affiliation and officeholder status as Austin. As a result, neither the Democratic label nor incumbency alone separates Critchlow from the other candidate in the race. Voters assessing her campaign will need to look to the distinctions the candidates draw during the election, including how each presents her record, priorities and approach to representing the district.
Critchlow’s name will be part of the contested Chittenden-19 race in the Nov. 3 general election. Her place in the field is defined by two clear facts: she is a Democratic candidate and a current officeholder.
Sarita Austin
Sarita Austin is running as a Democrat and is an incumbent in the Vermont House. Her candidacy gives Chittenden-19 voters the option of supporting a current officeholder for continued service in the Legislature.
Austin enters the election with the same stated party affiliation and officeholder status as Critchlow. As a result, neither the Democratic label nor incumbency alone separates Austin from the other candidate in the race. Voters assessing her campaign will need to look to the distinctions the candidates draw during the election, including how each presents her record, priorities and approach to representing the district.
Austin’s name will be part of the contested Chittenden-19 race in the Nov. 3 general election. Her place in the field is defined by two clear facts: she is a Democratic candidate and a current officeholder.
What makes the race contested
The central feature of Chittenden-19 is that its listed candidates share both a party and an incumbent designation. This is not a field divided by party affiliation, and it does not present the usual contrast between a current officeholder and someone seeking office from outside the Legislature.
Instead, voters will be comparing two Democratic incumbents. As the campaign develops, the most useful distinctions will come from what Critchlow and Austin say about their work, their priorities and their plans for representing Chittenden-19. Any public appearances, candidate statements or campaign materials could help voters compare them before the general election.
The fixed date is Nov. 3, 2026. Between now and then, voters can watch for the candidates to explain the differences between their candidacies in a race where party and incumbent status are shared.
