Variations on a Town Meeting Day Area towns choose formats, new dates for annual votes

By Shawn Cunningham
© 2022 Telegraph Publishing LLC

Once again this year the Vermont legislature has taken its cue from the continuing Covid pandemic and is giving municipalities options in how they can manage Town Meeting Day. And area select boards have chosen several variations — from fully remote meetings and Australian ballots for all articles to postponing their meetings with the hope that they will be able to hold the traditional “vote from the floor” gatherings.

Regardless of their choice of a Covid workaround, the towns will have to hold an election on March 1 for voters to weigh in on their school budgets via Australian ballot. And for any Australian ballot — school budget or town articles — voters have the option of requesting an absentee ballot, voting early at the Town Clerk’s office or voting in-person. A couple of clerks did mention the recent problems with mail delivery as a factor to think about in making your choice.

Questions regarding voter registration status, early and absentee voting or other election matters can be directed to the town clerk. Here are some of the ways local towns are handling Town Meeting Day.

Andover

Andover’s Select Board opted for a hybrid Town Meeting, offering information but no voting at Andover Town Hall and via Zoom at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 26

Voting — including on the budgets of the Green Mountain Unified School District and River Valley Technical Center —  will take place from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 1 at Andover Town Hall, 953 Weston-Andover Road.

To join Saturday’s Zoom meeting click here. The meeting ID is 83537534032.

Town Clerk’s Office: 802-875-2765

Cavendish

The Cavendish Select Board has chosen to both delay its Town Meeting and to hold that meeting in the hybrid format.  That meeting will take place at 7 p.m. on Monday, March 28 at Cavendish Town Elementary, 573 Main St. in Proctorsville, and on Zoom. According to Town Clerk Diane McNamara,   Zoom arrangements are incomplete and will be included in the annual town report.

Town Meeting articles will be voted on by Australian ballot from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.  on Tuesday,  March 29 at the Proctorsville Fire Station, 513 Main St., in Proctorsville.

However, voting on the GMUSD & RVTC budgets however will take place from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 1  at the Proctorsville Fire Station.

Residents wishing to run for office may sign up with the Cavendish Town Clerk through Monday Feb. 21. This year the Vermont Legislature has made it possible for candidates to get on the ballot without collecting signatures, but they must sign consent forms with the clerk.

Town Clerk’s Office: 802-226-7292

Chester

Chester will hold a hybrid informational meeting at Town Hall and via Zoom at 6 p.m. Monday, Feb. 28.  In addition to the presentation of the budget, there will also be information on the opt-in vote on cannabis during the informational meeting. To join the Zoom meeting click here. The meeting number is  854 8580 6279. No voting will take place that night.

All articles (including a vote on allowing cannabis retail establishments in town and school budgets) will be voted by Australian ballot on the following day from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 556 Elm St.

Town Clerk’s Office: 802-875-2173

Grafton

The Town of Grafton will hold a hybrid information meeting in person and via Microsoft Teams at 5:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 24. Microsoft Teams information will be listed on the agenda which will be posted soon.

Voting will take place from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 1 at Town Hall, 117 Main St.

Town Clerk’s Office: 802-843-2419

Landgrove

Landgrove will handle the voting the same way it did last year. There will be a remote informational meeting  via Zoom at 6 p.m. on Monday Feb. 28 and Australian balloting from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 1  at Town Hall, 88 Landgrove Road.  Zoom information will be available from the Town Clerk.

Town Clerk’s Office: 802-824-3716

Londonderry

Londonderry is postponing its traditional floor-vote style meeting to 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 30, at the old town hall, 139 Middletown Road in South Londonderry.

The school budget vote will be held from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 1 at the Town Office, 100 Old School St. in South Londonderry.

Town Clerk’s Office: 802-824-3356

Ludlow

Ludlow will be postponing its Town Meeting to early April and holding an in-person only meeting for information and voting from the floor. It will take place at 6 p.m. on Monday, April 4 in the Heald Auditorium on the second floor of Town Hall, 37 Depot St.

Voting for town offices will be held in the same location on the following day, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 5.

The town will vote on the budget of the Ludlow-Mount Holly school district from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 1 in the Heald Auditorium.

Town Clerk’s Office: 802-228-2828

Peru

The Town of Peru will hold an online informational meeting at 7 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 28 followed by an Australian ballot on the town’s articles and school budget from 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 1 at the Peru Town Hall, 402 Main St. To join the meeting click here, and use passcode 629505.

Town Clerk’s Office: 802-824-3065

Weston

Weston Town Meeting has been postponed until 10 a.m. Tuesday, April 5 at the Weston Playhouse, 12 Park St. This will be a traditional floor-vote meeting.

However, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 1, voters can cast ballots for the school budget and school board members at the Town Office at 12 Lawrence Hill Road.

Town Clerk’s Office: 802-824-6645

Windham

Windham has opted to hold a remote only information meeting at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday Feb. 19. For information on joining and participating in the meeting click here.

Voting on the town articles and the school budgets will be held at from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 1 at the Windham Meeting House, 32 Harrington Road.

Town Clerk’s Office: 802-874-4211