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Hardwick amends Australian‑ballot petition; voters instruct select board to study voting options and preserve amendment process
Summary
After hours of public comment, voters amended a petition to replace an 'exclusively Australian ballot' proposal with a directive asking the select board to study voting options, public engagement and to maintain a mechanism for amendments at town meetings; the amended article passed.
Voters at Hardwick’s May 19 meeting debated a citizen petition that would have required all future annual and special town meeting votes to be conducted exclusively by Australian ballot. Speakers across the political spectrum urged both caution and change, and the floor ultimately adopted an amendment instructing the select board to study voting options and preserve an amendment process.
The original petition would have moved all votes to Australian ballot and eliminated in‑room amendments. Multiple residents argued that Australian ballot increases access and privacy. As Sam Rayom said, “Australian ballot is important,” because it can allow people who cannot attend town meeting to vote. Opponents argued that the deliberative, amendment‑and‑debate functions of town meeting are essential; several speakers urged a study process or hybrid solutions so that amendment procedures would remain possible even if ballots are expanded.
A working amendment was proposed on the floor to “strike the current text and instruct the select board to study and hold public engagement sessions to maximize engagement and democracy and to maintain an amendment process in town meeting.” After discussion and a show‑of‑hands count, the amendment passed on the floor.
Select board members told the meeting the board has already solicited feedback through a town‑meeting survey and will continue public engagement, including considering timing, hybrid options and task forces. One select board speaker summarized how the change would operate in practice: town meeting would be “informational” if Australian ballot were adopted, with printed budgets set in advance and voting occurring by ballot rather than by floor amendment.
The amended article, which asks the select board to research options and hold public engagement while preserving the amendment process, was then voted and passed by the meeting. The transcript records extensive, sometimes emotional public comment from residents on both sides of the question. The meeting moved on after the result and adjourned.
Where the transcript records specific vote tallies the counts are reported; for the final article vote the moderator announced passage but did not provide a clear, single tally in the transcript.
