1. How Does Vermont Government Work?
Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos

2. Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos
Cities and Towns
Town Meeting Day
First Tuesday in March (usually)
First Town meeting was held in Bennington in 1762!
Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos

3. What did they talk about at Town Meeting in 1762?
Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos

4. Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos
Town Meeting
Should farmers let their pigs run free?
How much firewood should each town member contribute to heat the town and school?
Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos

5. Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos
What kinds of things do you think are talked about today at Town Meeting?
Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos

6. Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos
Property Taxes School Taxes Snow plowing Road repairs Library Buses Fire Trucks School Books
Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos

7. Town Governance (Who’s in charge?)
Selectboard
Schoolboard
Town Clerk
Treasurer
Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos

8. Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos
What Do They Do?
Selectboard- small groups of people who run the town– in cities they are called the City Council
Schoolboard- small groups of people who make important decisions about the schools
Town Clerk- keeps the records of the town and runs elections
Treasurer- pays the bills and keep track of the town and school district’s money
Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos

9. Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos
How Do They Decide?
Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos

10. VOTE!!! Floor Vote Australian Ballot
Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos

11. Town Meeting Getting Started!
Warning!
Advertise!
Where, When and What!
Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos

12. Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos
The Day of Town Meeting
Moderator- runs the meeting
Discussion- of the topic to be voted on
Vote- Floor or Australian Ballot?
Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos

13. What if you can’t get to Town Meeting?
Absentee Ballots
Mail- in
Delivered by election Workers
Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos

14. Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos
Questions?
Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos

15. Where is the State’s Capital?
State Government
Where is the State’s Capital?
Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos

16. Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos
Montpelier!
Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos

17. Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos
What is the State Bird?
Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos

18. Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos
Hermit Thrush
Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos

19. What is the State beverage?
Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos

20. Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos

21. Some other fun facts and history of Vermont
Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos

22. Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos
1777- The first state constitution to outlaw slavery
1791- The first state to join the original 13 colonies in the union!
1846- The first postage stamp to be printed was in Brattleboro!
1909- The first Boy Scout Club is formed in Barre!
1955- Consuelo Northrop Bailey becomes the first woman in the nation to be elected lieutenant governor
1968- The SECOND state to outlaw Billboards!
Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos

23. What other cool and important things has Vermont done since then?
Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos

24. How do we make State law in Vermont? How does our government work?
Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos

25. Three Branches of Government
Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos

26. Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos
Balance of Power!
Executive- The head of the executive branch decides whether to veto bills passed by the legislature. Who is that person right now?
Legislative- 150 members of the House and 30 members of the Senate. They pass laws and decide how to spend our tax dollars
Judicial- The Vermont Supreme Court is located in Montpelier and there are courthouses all across the State
Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos

27. Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos
How A Bill Becomes a Law!
Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos

28. A Great (or not so great) idea!
Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos

29. Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos
1.Idea (citizen or lawmaker) 2.Lawmaker 3.Support 4.Draft the Bill 5.Introduce the Bill 6.Pass the Bill 7.Veto or Signature
Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos

30. Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos
QUESTIONS?
Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos

31. Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos