House orders third reading of bill clarifying use of Australian ballot in local elections

The Vermont House on Jan. 28 ordered a third reading of H.78, a bill that would amend state law to clarify that a municipality may vote to elect any or all local officers by the Australian ballot system and include session-law protections for previously used hybrid voting arrangements, Representative Birong said.

The bill matters because it would resolve a legal ambiguity about whether municipalities may elect some — but not all — officers by Australian ballot, and it would add session law saying prior hybrid practices and elections at 2025 annual meetings would not be invalidated or subject to challenge.

Representative Birong, speaking for the House Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs, summarized the bill and its sections. She said section 1 would amend 17 V.S.A. §2680B to…