Bill Taffel, Westford Resident

It’s time we enabled citizens to vote on warrant articles without having to attend Town Meeting.

Many important issues facing the town are decided by votes at Town Meeting.  This spring we have an override.  At the last Special Town Meeting, we had a question regarding gun sales in the town.  These are issues that people have strong views on which they would like to have counted in the votes that decide the outcome.

Yet many people are unable to attend Town Meeting due to a variety of legitimate reasons.  Therefore, they are unable to vote, and are not represented.  In particular, it can be very difficult for seniors, parents with young children, and people with demanding work schedules to dedicate a whole day to sitting through an arduous meeting in order to have their votes counted.  Further, as the March attempt to hold the meeting showed, it can be difficult to find a space large enough to accommodate interested voters.

There are essentially two ways people could be enabled to vote without physically attending Town Meeting:  1) Attend remotely and vote by electronic means, or 2) Have the meeting as usual, and, instead of having final votes at the meeting, put the warrant articles on the ballot and let people vote on them subsequently at the polls.

We, Westford, cannot decide this ourselves.  Massachusetts law requires people to be physically present at the Open Town Meeting to be able to vote.  It is a rule invented very long ago, which is obsolete, and needs to be changed.  To change the requirement, legislation must be passed at the State level.

The Town of Wayland has submitted such a bill:  H.2053 “An Act authorizing remote participation at town meetings in the town of Wayland” which is currently under review by the legislature and being worked aggressively by Wayland.  This bill would apply only to Wayland.  Many other towns (including Westford) are watching to see what happens to the Wayland bill.

I see no reason to wait.  I recommend putting a citizen’s petition on the warrant for the fall, 2024 Special Town Meeting, asking that the Select Board and the Town Manager work with our representatives (Rep. Jim Arciero and Senator John Cronin) to initiate the same bill as Wayland’s, but applying to Westford, in the next legislative session beginning January 2025.

I am collecting names.  If you are in support of enabling people to vote on warrant articles without physically attending Town Meeting, please go to this website or scan the QR code:

https://xanthy290.wixsite.com/townmeeting                

and subscribe, and you will be added to the list which already has some 80 subscribers.  We need 100 supporters to put a citizen petition on the Special Town Meeting this fall.

If enough people get behind this, perhaps we can make a much-needed change!

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