July of election years is the month for town committees to caucus to nominate Justice of the Peace candidates to be on the general election ballot. These individuals need to be registered voters of the specific towns. When elected their term will begin in February of 2027.
From the VT Secretary of State website: Major and minor party justice of the peace candidates are nominated by town caucus or town party committee in order to be placed on the ballot in the General Election (November 3, 2026). The caucus must be held on or before Monday, July 20, 2026 (the 3rd Monday in July before the Primary Election). If a town fails to hold a caucus, nominations may be made thereafter by party committee. In either case, the committee chair or secretary must file the statement of nomination with the town clerk no later than 5 p.m. Monday, July 27, 2026 (the 4th Monday in July before the Primary Election). No financial disclosure or consent of candidate form is required for justice of the peace nominations.
Town websites or town clerks will have info on the allowed number and list of current JP's. Ask the Republicans now serving if they are willing to serve another 2 years. The number of JP's for each town is based on population. In some towns, this total is historically split between the major parties to facilitate equal representation on the town's Board of Civil Authority, but committees may nominate candidates up to the total number allowed.
This is an important responsibility of town committees.
By statute a town party committee "JP" caucus needs to be set by July 20th with a notice (the sos elections division has been asked to post a sample notice template, but until then we can email you one at [email protected]) posted 5 days in advance in 3 public places including your town clerk's office. Following the caucus the town committee will submit to its' town clerk the nomination form with the agreed upon list of candidate names. The form needs to be signed by the town committee chair & secretary, notarized, and brought along with a copy of the notice, to the town clerk by 5pm on July 27th.
If a caucus isn't held by the 20th, 3 members of the committee can warn a meeting to "nominate by committee" to list Republican Justice of the Peace candidates. The filled out nomination form along with the notice still needs to be brought to the town clerk by 5PM July 27th.
If your town does not have an organized Republican committee, any three Republican voters in the town may call a caucus to nominate candidates for justice of the peace. Notice of the caucus must be given in the same manner as the notice required for a party caucus in a town that has an organized GOP committee. Upon meeting, the caucus shall first elect a chair and a secretary. Thereafter the caucus shall nominate its candidates for justice of the peace.
Here's a sample NOTICE:
