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Kingston Select Board debates voter guide, agrees to draft neutral explanations for warrant articles
Summary
Board members debated whether the town should produce a voter guide explaining warrant articles without crossing into electioneering; the board asked a member to draft a neutral explanation and circulate it for feedback, and discussed posting information to municipal channels.
Members of the Kingston Select Board discussed whether the town should prepare a voter guide explaining warrant articles and how to avoid impermissible electioneering.
A resident, Rick Rusman, told the board, "I would speak against the voter guide. I think if the articles are that poorly written that people can't understand whether or not we should buy a new fire truck, I really have a hard time believing you need some kind of a thing to explain... The voters are smarter than people think." Rusman urged reliance on the existing town report and sample ballots.
Board members responded that some warrant articles, especially zoning-related items, can be confusing and that a short, neutral explanation could help turnout and informed voting. One member recommended that any board-sponsored explanation avoid advocacy and be consistent across all warrant articles if used.
The board asked a member to draft suggested text for the Main Street Bridge Grant warrant article as an example and circulate it to board members for feedback. The draft would be written to explain what a yes or no vote would mean in simple terms (for example, "a yes vote will authorize...; a no vote will not authorize...") and then posted to appropriate municipal channels if the board agrees the language is neutral. The board discussed posting content on the highway department or public works Facebook page and leaving distribution to standard town outreach channels; several members cautioned that departmental social pages could risk perceived advocacy if not carefully worded.
No formal vote to publish a town-composed voter guide was taken. The board directed that a draft explanation be circulated to members for review and that the town's moderator and legal counsel be consulted if needed to avoid electioneering violations.
