Special Meeting: Frequently Asked Questions
- Why is there a special meeting?
If 5% of voters in a town request a special meeting for a specific change to how the town votes on a topic (budget, questions, elected officials), then the town is required to hold a special meeting. This meeting was requested by more than 5% of voters in town who signed a petition requesting the special meeting.
- What is the going to happen at the special meeting?
The main order of business is discussing and ultimately voting on whether to stop voting on the town budget and public questions from the floor in person at town meeting and instead vote on everything by paper Australian ballot.
Justices of the Peace from both parties along with the town clerk will be checking everyone in at the door to ensure they are valid Monkton voters.
- When is the meeting?
October 15th at 7pm at Monkton Central School.
- Will the meeting be streamed and recorded?
Yes.
- Who can vote at the special meeting?
Only registered Monkton voters.
- What are we voting on?
Shall the Town of Monkton adopt the Australian ballot system of voting on any public question and budget?
- What happens if the vote is yes?
In person town meeting would effectively no longer exist in the town of Monkton. All votes on the budget, elected officials, and public officials will be cast by Australian ballot.
- What happens if the vote is no?
Monkton will keep its current system of using Australian ballot to elect officials and in-person town meeting voting from the floor for public questions and the budget.
- Can I vote by absentee ballot for this special meeting?
By state law, no. Special meeting votes in this case must be cast in person.
- Can you vote or participate remotely?
No. Special meeting votes in this case must be cast in person according to state law.
- Can a voter amend the question from the floor?
This is up to the discretion of the town moderator. This depends on if the amendment is interpreted as germane to the question.
- How was the meeting warned?
In Vermont, a special town meeting warning must be posted by the municipal legislative body (such as the selectboard) in at least two public places in the town and in or near the town clerk’s office not less than 30 nor more than 40 days before the date of the meeting.
The town has significantly exceeded the state public notice requirement for letting everyone know about the upcoming special meeting. The warning has now been posted in nine public locations: five physical, three online, and one in the local paper of record:
- town hall inside board
- town hall outside kiosk
- Russell Memorial Library (town library)
- Monkton post office
- Monkton Central School
- Town website and calendar
- Monkton Community Facebook page
- Front Porch Forum
- Addison Independent
This notice requirement is not the same as the town report. Under 24 V.S.A. § 1682, the town report must be mailed or otherwise distributed to voters and residents at least 10 days before the annual meeting.
Please spread the word about the meeting!
- Where can I get more information about the arguments for and against town meeting votes from the floor versus voting by Australian ballot?
- Where can I get more information about special meetings in Vermont?
- Can the town clerk’s office provide private contact information to residents?
The town clerk has many duties, including maintaining the voter roll and checklist. This role does not include retaining records of every residents private cell phone number and/or email address.