This story by Liberty Darr was first published in The Citizen on June 4, 2026.
Since Charlotte’s Town Meeting Day in March, folks have wondered how to keep the annual event at least somewhat traditional.
The topic of a traditional in-person Town Meeting Day has largely been one of the most debated topics in town in recent months, particularly since 106 people voted by paper ballot to do away with a floor vote on the budget at this year’s annual meeting.
The decision came after more than an hour of discussion that largely mirrored the discussion last year when residents were asked to vote on this same question. The vote last year, however, failed. But resident feedback on the topic hasn’t stopped since March and has come before the selectboard at least two times since then, including on May 26.
Advocates at the meeting said there is some sort of hybrid system the town could implement — “hybrid” meaning an in-person meeting where budget measures could be debated and changed, and then an Australian ballot vote to follow later. This system was one the town had implemented through a charter change prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, which has since sunset.
While Town Meeting Day is one of Vermont’s most beloved traditions, the move to Australian ballot voting is gaining traction among Vermont towns, and in Charlotte most of the debate hinged on accessibility for all residents. Only about 250 residents out of nearly 3,400 registered voters packed into Charlotte Central School this March to vote on some of the town’s biggest — and most expensive — questions.
Despite the move to Australian ballot for budget questions, another aspect of in-person Town Meeting Day was partially preserved. A measure asking voters to move to ballot votes for all public questions — which includes things like hearing the report of the town officers, approving the payment of property taxes and transacting other business — failed.
“The fact of the matter is, even if every single person in this town wanted to attend town meeting, they couldn’t because you cannot even fit everyone in this town in that room,” resident Maura Wygmans told the selectboard on May 26. “If we don’t give people the opportunity to vote with a paper ballot, then we are effectively making it so that people’s voices can’t be heard.”
The idea of a hybrid system is also playing out in neighboring towns. In Jericho they hold what’s called “Town Meeting Reimagined,” in which during a moderated budget hearing in January, residents can weigh in on amendments and the draft proposal. Australian ballot voting happens in March.
The town of Shelburne also has a sort of hybrid system. The town holds an informational meeting on the budget before Australian ballot voting, and while residents aren’t actually able to make amendments on the floor at that time, the town does gather for a community dinner to keep the feeling of Town Meeting Day alive.
The Charlotte Selectboard has charged a small subcommittee composed of board members JD Herlihy and Troy Krahl, who will act as the community point people to take questions and study the issue. They will look into whether the town needs another charter change to implement a hybrid meeting and what the legalities are behind that.
They will bring an update back to the board for further action possibly as early as the end of June.
“We are unique in this country that we have this,” resident Nancy Wood said, advocating for a hybrid model. “How can you maintain some of that direct democracy where people can come and actually have a say?”
