Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Town Meeting Electronic Voting topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Town moderator and town staff push electronic voting option for town meeting
Summary
Moderator John Graydon and town officials presented an Article to allow electronic voting at Town Meeting using handheld devices; supporters said the system speeds counts and protects voter anonymity and noted the technology is already used in other Massachusetts towns.
At the pre‑town meeting, Article 5 proposed amending the town bylaws to permit electronic voting by handheld devices at Town Meeting. Proponents said the system would speed vote counts, enable anonymous voting on sensitive matters and make it easier to handle close voice counts and two‑thirds threshold votes.
Town Moderator John Graydon described outreach he and the town clerk made to other towns and to residents who said they were uncomfortable shouting votes aloud. “I had people coming to me saying, ‘John, I don’t feel comfortable voting…,’” Graydon said, and he urged the committee to make Town Meeting more accessible: “You can go to town meeting. You can click yes or no. You don’t have to raise your hand. You don’t have to worry about someone watching you.”
Graydon said the particular voting system discussed operates on a dedicated radio frequency, has been used by 76 Massachusetts towns and can handle live amendments and automatic percentage calculations for two‑thirds votes. Town staff described the article as a joint effort between the moderator and town clerk and said the system can be rented initially before the town buys equipment.
Advisory members and other speakers expressed broad support, saying the change would reduce time spent on hand counts, protect voter privacy and could make Town Meeting more inclusive for people unable or uncomfortable with public voice votes. The article was presented for voters at Town Meeting; the advisory committee recorded its recommendation in the roll‑call.
