The voter's oath or affirmation, formerly the freemen's oath, is a citizen's

oath Traditionally an oath (from Anglo-Saxon ', also called plight) is either a statement of fact or a promise taken by a sacrality as a sign of verity. A common legal substitute for those who conscientiously object to making sacred oaths is to ...

or affirmation taken during voter registration in the U.S. state of

Vermont Vermont () is a state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to ...

. In 2007, the law was amended to make it easier to administer this oath or affirmation; instead of being administered only by notaries public and similar officials, the oath may be administered by nearly anyone, including the applicant. ("Voter's oath or affirmation; how administered" 2007) The Freemen's Oath was a part of the 1777 Constitution of the Vermont Republic, the first constitution in the Western Hemisphere to grant universal suffrage to all men, regardless of property ownership. Several of the American colonies used a Freemen's Oath. Until the early twentieth century all official state commissions and certificates were headed by the words "BY THE FREEMEN OF VERMONT."

Freemen's Oath

The original oath read as follows:

§ 42. Voter's qualifications and oaths
Every man of the full age of twenty-one years who is a citizen of Vermont, having resided in this State for the period established by the General Assembly and who is of a quiet and peaceable behavior, and will take the following oath or affirmation, shall be entitled to all the privileges of a voter of this state: You solemnly swear (or affirm) that whenever you give your vote or suffrage, touching any matter that concerns the state of Vermont, you will do it so as in your conscience you shall judge will most conduce to the best good of the same, as established by the Constitution, without fear or favor of any man.

Oath as revised with inclusive language

{{disputed-section, date=March 2018 In November 2002, the

Vermont General Assembly The Vermont General Assembly is the legislative body of the state of Vermont, in the United States. The Legislature is formally known as the "General Assembly," but the style of "Legislature" is commonly used, including by the body itself. The G ...

amended the language of the oath to reflect the inclusion of women. The oath was retitled the "Voter's Oath." The text of the revised oath reads:

§ 42. Voter's qualifications and oaths
Every person of the full age of eighteen years who is a citizen of the United States, having resided in this State for the period established by the General Assembly and who is of a quiet and peaceable behavior, and will take the following oath or affirmation, shall be entitled to all the privileges of a voter of this state: You solemnly swear (or affirm) that whenever you give your vote or suffrage, touching any matter that concerns the State of Vermont, you will do it so as in your conscience you shall judge will most conduce to the best good of the same, as established by the Constitution, without fear or favor of any person.

Vermont, Alabama, and Florida are the only U.S. states with a voter's oath.

References

* ''The Constitution of the State of Vermont: a Facsimile Copy of the 1777 Original.'' The

Vermont Historical Society The Vermont Historical Society (VHS) was founded in 1838 to preserve and record the cultural history of the US state of Vermont. Headquartered in the old Spaulding School Building in Barre, the Vermont History Center is home to the Vermont His ...

: 1977.
"Voter's oath or affirmation; how administered"
7 V. S. A. 2124Vermont General Assembly (2007).

External links

Text of the Constitution of Vermont as amended November 5, 2002
Vermont law Government of Vermont Vermont culture History of New England Pre-statehood history of Vermont Oaths