New technology, new procedures for 2025 Town Meeting
Residents will reconvene with changes that could make the gathering more efficient.
One year after voters delegated possible Town Meeting reforms to a new study committee, residents are ready to reconvene this year with new tech and new measures that could make the process more efficient.
Following recommendations from the Town Meeting Study Committee, officials rented electronic voting “clickers” to deliver private and precise counts on certain articles. Officials will distribute Acton’s familiar voting placards as a backup system.
Town Moderator Carmin Reiss said attendees will decide on Monday whether to use clickers on all main motions and amendment votes throughout Town Meeting. If the preliminary motion passes, residents would still use placards on procedural votes, such as ones to “call the question” or cut off debate.
Beyond clickers, Reiss said one of the “chief complaints” during the Town Meeting Study Committee’s outreach was that the event takes too long. In a meeting with the Select Board this month, Reiss said she wants to address concerns without stifling debate. She suggested establishing an informal check-in after 30 minutes of discussion to see if residents are ready to vote on a given article.
The check-in won’t be a formal vote, but Reiss will have residents raise their placards to poll the room. The Select Board backed the idea.
New this year is the official Town Meeting Briefing Book, which runs 130 pages and includes warrant articles, explanations, maps, and charts. Town Meeting is also starting earlier than usual — at 6:30 p.m. — in an effort to finish discussion earlier in the evening. Among other changes, Article 27 on this year’s warrant will ask voters to authorize a home rule petition for remote participation in future town meetings. The petition would need to go to the state legislature, and it could take years to implement the necessary technology, even if lawmakers allow a hybrid meeting.
