Former Vermont gubernatorial candidate Kevin Hoyt arrested

The third-place finisher in Vermont’s last two gubernatorial elections has pleaded not guilty to willfully violating an anti-stalking order, according to the Bennington Banner.

The newspaper reports that Fair Haven police arrested 52-year-old Kevin Hoyt on Route 22A on July 4 after receiving an anonymous tip. He is accused of violating a stalking ban three times in 2022; each of the alleged incidents resulted in a misdemeanor charge against him. The ban prohibited Hoyt from having any contact with former state Rep. Christopher Bates of Bennington in person, by phone, by mail or online – including social media.

Hoyt’s next court date is September 9. If convicted, he could spend up to a year in prison on each charge. He received more votes than any other independent candidate in the 2020 and 2022 gubernatorial elections.