What is referendum voting? And how would it affect Town Meeting?

Referendum defined Let’s start with defining referendum: “a vote in which all the people in a country or an area decide on an important question” Cambridge Dictionary “1a : the principle or practice of submitting to popular vote a measure passed on or proposed by a legislative body or by popular initiative b : a vote on a measure so submitted” Merriam-Webster

Secret ballot Secret ballot. The clerk prepares this for use at the polling place in secret (Australian) ballot elections, which can be for referendum questions (issues) as well as for candidates. Open town meeting towns become secret ballot towns by a Town Meeting vote to adopt secret ballot voting at least 90 days before the annual meeting. There are several towns in Maine that act on their entire warrant by secret ballot; many others use secret balloting for large ticket items, like bond issues. MMA Note: We have been referring to Secret Ballot voting as referendum voting.

Current status: bifurcated town meeting Two Parts Vote for candidates in Part One via Secret Ballot at the polling place. Vote for issues (budget articles, questions, etc.) in Part Two via open town meeting.

Secret ballot voting We’ve been referring to this as “referendum-style” voting. Is the Town interested in voting on all business via secret (written) ballot exclusively? If so, all business (including election of candidates, budget questions, ordinances, etc.) would be placed on a written ballot. Voting would take place at the polls as opposed to in an open town meeting. Public hearings would be held ahead of time so the Board could receive input from the public before voting day. The Board would have the opportunity to adjust the draft warrant articles based on the input received. The polls would open with the election of a moderator and would remain open to voters until a pre-determined and pre-disclosed closing time.

How is the change facilitated? The Town would vote at least 90 days before its regular town meeting to determine if it wants to use a secret ballot method for the entirety of its annual business. (This could be 90 days before next June, or it could be voted on next June to become effective for town meeting in 2021). It can be as simple as asking the question: “ARTICLE 13: To see if the Voters of the Town of Buckfield will vote on all warrant articles by Secret Ballot at the 2020 Town Meeting.” Yes No Or, the Town can develop an ordinance that spells out the process in more detail, illustrating specifically which budget items must appear in a certain format on the ballot.

Referendum voting ordinance Insert Mexico Ordinance for example here.

How is the change facilitated? (con’t) If the Town chooses to use secret ballot voting, the Board – through administration – could set up a warrant that is built for secret ballot voting. For instance, each question would be a “yes” or “no” question. Here’s an example of our current open town meeting question, which is not a “yes” or “no” question: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate through taxation or appropriate a sum of money for Streetlights account. Select Board recommends $4,000.00 Budget Committee recommends $4000.00

How is the change facilitated? (con’t) Here’s an example of a warrant article from a secret ballot: To see if the Town will vote to raise and/or appropriate through taxation $4000.00 for Streetlights account. Yes No Select Board recommends $4000.00 Budget Committee recommends $4000.00

Other considerations The Voting Room is limited by the number of booths. This is typical in voting places. There is a one-time expense for each ballot set-up for the counting machine of approximately $500. Secret Ballot voting would require the presence of ballot clerks and an election warden. The voting place is typically staffed on the second Tuesday of June for state and federal primary elections and other state and federal business.