{{Short description|Elected public official in Vermont, U.S.}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2025}} A '''high bailiff''' in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Vermont]] is an elected public official whose office is unique to local government in Vermont.<ref name=Dreher>Isabel Dreher, [https://www.ourherald.com/articles/sudden-interest-in-unsung-office/ Sudden Interest In Unsung Office: High Bailiff Election Sees Two Write-In Campaigns], ''The White River Valley Herald'' (October 31, 2024).</ref> High bailiffs are elected in each of Vermont's [[List of counties in Vermont|fourteen counties]].<ref name=Dreher/>
The duties of high bailiff are to serve [[writ]]s which the [[Sheriffs in the United States|sheriff]] is incapable of serving, such as the writ of arrest of the sheriff, and to temporarily succeed to the office of the sheriff in the event of the sheriff's incarceration or incapacity.<ref>{{Cite web|first=Elizabeth|last=Hewitt|date=August 10, 2020|title=Candidates see oversight potential in the little used position of high bailiff|url=https://vtdigger.org/2020/08/10/candidates-see-oversight-potential-in-the-little-used-position-of-high-bailiff/|access-date=April 29, 2021|website=VTDigger|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>[http://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/fullchapter/24/005 Title 24 § 331–3] ([http://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/ Vermont Statutes Online] 2011).</ref> The position is unpaid.<ref name="ad">{{cite news|last1=Kirkaldy|first1=Andy|title=No pay? No work? Why not, say two high bailiff candidates|url=https://www.addisonindependent.com/2016/10/26/no-pay-no-work-why-not-say-two-high-bailiff-candidates-2/|accessdate=January 3, 2022|work=Addison Independent|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220104031353/https://www.addisonindependent.com/2016/10/26/no-pay-no-work-why-not-say-two-high-bailiff-candidates/|archive-date=January 4, 2022|date=October 27, 2016}}</ref> In practice, an officeholder "rarely, if ever, does anything"; in 2016, the high bailiff of Addison County noted that it was not unusual for a person to hold the office for more than two decades without having to perform any official function.<ref name="ad"/> Addison County Sheriff Don Keeler said in 2012 that he believed he was the only Vermont high bailiff to have performed an official act in the preceding five decades (when he took over as acting sheriff in April 2012, after the sheriff died in office; Governor [[Peter Shumlin]] appointed Keeler sheriff a few months later).<ref name="ad"/>
While historically the office has largely been held by members of the law enforcement community, in 2020 several candidates ran for high bailiff on a platform calling for civilian oversight of law enforcement.<ref>{{Cite web |title="Making Powerful People Feel Uncomfortable Is A Good Thing": Enter Vermont's High Bailiffs |url=https://theappeal.org/politicalreport/vermont-high-bailiffs/ |access-date=April 29, 2021 |website=The Appeal Political Report |language=en}}</ref> Three of those candidates won: former State's Attorney Bobby Sand in Windsor County, college student Asa Skinder in Washington County,<ref>{{Cite web |title=VT Elections Database » Candidate Profile... |url=https://electionarchive.vermont.gov/candidates/view/Asa-Skinder |access-date=October 15, 2024 |website=VT Elections Database |language=en-US}}</ref> and attorney and drug policy reform advocate Dave Silberman in Addison County.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jaeger |first=Kyle |date=June 3, 2020 |title=Meet the Vermont marijuana legalization advocate running for the office of 'high bailiff' |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/06/03/marijuana/meet-vermont-marijuana-legalization-advocate-running-office-high-bailiff/ |access-date=April 29, 2021 |website=BostonGlobe.com |language=en-US}}</ref>
In 2024, no candidates filed to run for high bailiff of [[Orange County, Vermont|Orange County]], and two [[write-in candidate]]s campaigned for the post.<ref name="Dreher" /> The winner of that race was Chris Helali, a social studies teacher and member of the [[American Communist Party (2024)|American Communist Party]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Helali Wins High Bailiff As Write-In |url=https://www.ourherald.com/articles/helali-wins-high-bailiff-as-write-in/ |access-date=August 6, 2025 |work=The White River Valley Herald |date=November 14, 2024}}</ref><ref>Gravino, Michele (November 8, 2024). "In America hanno eletto un comunista. Ed è trumpiano". ''[[La Repubblica]]''.</ref>
==See also== * [[High sheriff]]
==References== {{reflist}}
[[Category:Politics of Vermont]]