Officials looking into paper ballot for STM articles

As the dialogue around government oversight and accountability intensifies in the run-up to the November 20 Special Town Meeting, new procedural questions are emerging — particularly around voting methods — that could impact the way that town meeting business itself is conducted.

The biggest question seems to center on whether to use a paper ballot for at least some of the eight warrant articles, including the trio of articles originally put forward by citizens’ petition and another citizen-sponsored proposal seeking term limits for Select Board members.

According to the recommendations of the Finance Committee, which voted unanimously to support use of paper ballots for the aforementioned articles, some residents have expressed a desire for anonymity with respect to these proposals — which include potential votes of no confidence in the current Select Board and Canton Police leadership as well as calls for an independent investigation and audit of the town government.

By conducting the votes by paper ballot, according to FinCom, residents would be allowed to “vote their conscience” and it would ensure that they can “feel comfortable during the proceedings.”

To achieve this outcome in the most efficient way possible and avoid any delays, the FinCom opted to insert a motion into the warrant under Article 1 (“Adopt the rules to govern Special Town Meeting”) that outlines the recommended voting procedures for each article. Otherwise, noted FinCom, they would run the risk of a resident calling for a floor vote on whether to use paper ballots, which, based on their reading of the town bylaws, would trigger a 36-weekday-hour delay to consider any of the affected articles.

Another way that the town could expedite the proceedings without requiring a delay would be for Town Moderator Alan Hines to decide the voting procedures in advance of the Special Town Meeting, and Hines said he’s looking into all options in consultation with town counsel to ensure the meeting is run as efficiently and as fairly as possible — and preferably within the scheduled timeframe.

Ideally, Hines said he would want the voters to be able to decide whether to implement a written ballot, although the hope, he said, is that it could be done so in a way to avoid the 36-hour delay.

Hines said he even spent a considerable amount of time working with the Town Clerk’s office to investigate electronic voting options; however, they determined it would not be feasible nor is it permitted under the town bylaws.

“To execute this efficiently and appropriately there are some practical limitations, but we have a game plan and I’m doing my best to be an effective moderator,” Hines said. “Already I think I’ve spent more time on this Special Town Meeting than I think I’ve spent cumulatively moderating all the other town meetings.”

Hines did make it a point to emphasize that the proposed paper ballots would not be considered “secret” or “confidential” ballots as some have suggested. It’s a small but important distinction, he said, owing to logistical factors that arise when conducting a vote with potentially hundreds of people in the same room.

In an effort to maintain decorum while the meeting is underway, Hines said only registered Canton voters will be permitted in the auditorium that evening. However, an overflow area will be set up at the school for people who want to watch the proceedings, and another area will be designated for anyone who wants to come and hold signs or peacefully protest.

Residents are encouraged to read the warrant as well as the FinCom recommendations prior to attending, and a booklet will be mailed to all registered voters next week. Additional STM preview information will also appear in next week’s edition of the Citizen.

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Posted by Jay Turner on Nov 10 2023. Filed under Uncategorized. Both comments and pings are currently closed.