ENFIELD — At town meetings next month, residents in three Upper Valley towns will consider dropping traditional floor meetings in favor of all-day ballot voting.

For the second time in two years, Enfield voters will consider moving away from traditional Town Meeting to become an SB2 town, as they are known in New Hampshire. (Senate Bill 2 was the legislation passed in 1995 that gave towns that option.)

In Haverhill and Sharon, the selectboards opted to put the articles before voters after hearing from residents who are interested in switching to that style of government.

The Sharon Selectboard decided to bring the topic before voters after a resident collecting signatures for a petition fell around 15 signatures short of the 60 needed to add it to the town warning, Selectboard Chairman Kevin Gish said.

“Clearly it’s important to a significant number of people,” said Gish. “We thought we’d let people discuss it at Town Meeting and see what people think.”

If the three towns decide to do away with traditional Town Meeting, they would join the likes of Strafford and Pomfret, which made the change just last year.

Bridgewater voters, when faced with a similar question last year, voted to keep traditional Town Meeting in place, and Bradford, Vt., residents voted to elect town officials via Australian ballot but conduct all other business using floor votes. The Woodstock Selectboard “is considering the possibility of moving Town Meeting permanently to Australian ballot,” according to a statement in the annual town report. In January, the Selectboard voted to use Australian ballot voting for this year’s Town Meeting using a law passed during the COVID-19 pandemic that allowed towns to move or change their annual meetings.

Sharon voters will take up the topic during what could be the town’s final in-person floor meeting at 9 a.m. next Tuesday, which is Vermont Town Meeting Day.

The switch to Australian ballot would only apply to town business. It would not change the format of the annual school meeting, which is typically held on the Monday night before Town Meeting

A simple majority of voters would need to approve the change during the floor portion of Town Meeting for it to take effect the following year. Voters will consider three separate articles related to Australian ballot: one that pertains to selecting all elected officials, a second that includes all budget items and a third that states “all public questions” would be decided that way.

“Personally, I’m not sure yet,” Gish said. “I think there are really good arguments both ways.”

Last year was the first in-person Town Meeting Sharon had held since 2020. In 2021 and 2022 all town and school business was conducted via Australian ballot due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2023, 127 voters cast Australian ballots for town officials and 81 people participated in the floor portion of Town Meeting, according to Sharon Town Clerk Cathy Sartor. Turnout was similar to 2020 and other meetings before the pandemic. In 2021, 309 people voted via Australian ballot and in 2022, 360 people cast ballots. There are just under 1,200 registered voters in Sharon.

“You would get more participation in whatever is being voted on most likely,” Gish said about the potential switch to Australian ballot.

But he also worries that going to Australian ballot will limit conversations between neighbors and take away from the democratic process.

“One of the things that concerns me slightly is the budget aspect,” he said. “If it’s all done via Australian ballot then the budget is an up and down vote. There’s no amending it or discussing it, which kind of changes how that works.”

Second try

In Enfield, the petitioned warrant article was submitted by Debra Ford, who is interim business administrator for the Mascoma Valley Regional School District, which operates under SB2. The question will come before voters on Saturday, March 16, when Enfield’s floor portion of Town Meeting takes place.

Residents will vote on town officials and the Mascoma Valley Regional School District warrant on Tuesday, March 12.

In SB2 style of government, residents have the opportunity to weigh in on and suggest changes to the budget and other articles during a deliberative session before voting via Australian ballot on all warrant articles. Town officials also put together a default budget, which goes into effect if the proposed budget fails.

In 2022, Enfield residents fell 10 votes short of switching to SB2 by a vote of 96 to 81. In order to go into effect, 60% of voters during the floor meeting must support the switch. Ford, who supported the 2022 effort for SB2, noted the close vote and decided to start a petition to bring it before voters again this year.

“It seems more equitable to me if we do it all on Tuesday,” Ford said during a public hearing last week about her support for SB2.

Those who support SB2 cited town voting records that show higher turnout during Australian ballot voting for town officials compared to attendance at Town Meeting.

Two Selectboard members — John Kluge and Tracy Young — have spoken in support of keeping Town Meeting as it is.

“It’s part of the structure and fabric of the community,” Kluge said during the hearing. “I honestly believe people’s minds are changed during those deep discussions.”

He added that he had concerns that not many people would attend deliberative session.

“I think that we get a more balanced approach at Town Meeting,” Kluge said.

Selectboard Chairwoman Kate Plumley Stewart signed the petition to support SB2.

“I continuously hear in our community that people are disenfranchised for one reason or another from voting,” she said during the hearing, noting that some residents might have other commitments related to their children or work. “I think when there is an important discussion people show up to deliberative session.”

Later in the public hearing, resident Michael Kirk spoke against comments made by people at the hearing who said that voters who attend the floor portion Town Meeting tend to be better informed. He said that just because residents do not attend meetings does not mean they do not know what is going on in town.

“I think it’s important and fair that we get a better turnout on votes than we have been getting,” he said. “We’re not misinformed. We are informed. … Please give us an avenue for our voices to be heard.”

Ongoing discussions

Haverhill residents and town officials have spent around two years discussing switching to SB2, Town Manager Brigitte Codling said.

It was first brought up by residents in 2022, and after Town Meeting last year, the Selectboard decided to study it further.

“We’ve spent the last two years discussing it, educating the public and holding public hearings,” Codling said in a phone interview. “Now it will be up to the people.”

Town officials have shared information with residents including articles for and against SB2. As in Sharon, the proposal will only apply to Town Meeting — Haverhill voters still gather in person for the annual school meeting. This year, both meetings take place Saturday, March 16, with Town Meeting scheduled to begin at 9 a.m.

Voters will elect town and school officials via Australian ballot Tuesday, March 12, as well as decide on a warrant article to remove the position of town manager.

Codling noted that if SB2 goes into effect it will push up the budget season timeline around a month. Town officials will also have to come up with a default budget, which would require more work.

“I really don’t know how this is going to play out,” Codling said. She added that she thought if it was voted on by Australian ballot, it would likely pass. “Going to the floor, you’re probably not going to see such a wide margin and it could fail. It depends on who shows up for Town Meeting.”

Liz Sauchelli can be reached at esauchelli@vnews.com or 603-727-3221.