Sugaring season is here, the Legislature is on break…and we’re coming up on the first Tuesday of March when (many) Vermont communities come together for Town Meeting Day to discuss and decide civic issues at the local level.
This year, school budgets and property taxes will be at the forefront for many towns. It’s also a presidential election year, so in addition to electing local leaders, voters will also partake in Super Tuesday primary elections. Among these many important decisions, communities will also be asked to approve town budgets and ballot items, including funding for local nonprofit organizations.
Wondering how your organization can get on municipal ballots? Read this guide from the Secretary of State’s office: Getting on the Ballot: A Practical Guide for Social Service Agencies.
Town Meeting Overview
How does voting work? Many Vermont towns hold in-person meetings with discussions and floor-votes, some towns opt to vote on issues solely by Australian ballot, and others utilize both decision making processes. This year, Act 1 (H. 42) of 2023 gives municipalities have the option to postpone their 2023 and 2024 meetings to a later date or hold the meeting remotely.
Where do I find information for my town? Most municipalities will share information about Town Meeting Day and ballot items on their website. For a complete list of 2024 polling locations and voting processes, click here. More information can be found on the Secretary of State’s site.
Resources & Information
- Secretary of State’s “My Voter Page” – Check your voter status, request an absentee ballot, find your polling location, and more!
- ACLU: Your guide to Town Meeting Day
- The Center for Cartoon Studies: Freedom and Unity: A Graphic Guide to Civics and Democracy in Vermont
- Vermont Public:
- VT Digger
- WCAX:
- NBC5 In Depth: Vermont’s secretary of state on importance of Town Meeting Day, Super Tuesday