Below is information that might be helpful to know for March 2nd local elections. The Windham Southeast School District vote will be held in addition to the Annual Town Meeting Day elections.
Polling places for all three districts in Brattleboro is the American Legion, 32 Linden St., from 7:00 am until 7:00 pm.
Due to COVID-19, masks will be required (and provided if needed) to enter the American Legion for voting, and hand sanitizer or gloves will also be provided. If you are unable to wear a mask and did not vote absentee, there will be a space outdoors for you to vote. Due to social distancing and reduced capacity indoors, please be prepared for potential wait times.
Parking is available at the American Legion, the State Building, and the Municipal Center parking lots. There are handicapped parking spaces close to the American Legion entrance.
There is a wheelchair immediately inside the door with a ramp for anyone that may need it.
Town Meeting members are still needed in districts 1 and 3.
Anyone interested in running for a position as a write-in candidate must file a Declaration of Candidacy with the town clerk by the close of the polls on election day in order for their votes to be counted. Declarations of Candidacy will be posted on a bulletin board at the polls so voters will be aware of those interested in vacant positions. A minimum of ten votes are required to be elected.
Election information, including sample ballots, is posted on www.brattleboro.org
Unofficial election results will be posted on the town website as soon as possible after the polls close that evening.
Vermont has same day voter registration, however to save time on Election Day it is advisable to register prior to 5:00 pm the day before the election, by visiting https://olvr.vermont.gov . You can also update your voter information or request a ballot at https://mvp.vermont.gov.
If you requested absentee ballots, be sure to return them. We must have them in-hand by 7:00 pm on March 2 in order to count them. You can return ballots by mail, although at this point in time it is recommended to do so by placing them in the drop box in the Municipal Center parking lot, or by bringing them directly to the polls on election day.
Office hours for the Brattleboro Town Clerk’s office are 8:30AM – 5:00PM, Monday through Friday. While the doors are closed to the public, we are in the office and able to assist. We will be closed Tuesday, March 2, election day. Contact the Brattleboro Town Clerk if you have any election questions 251-8129 or hfrancis@brattleboro.org
Thanks. Hilary
Hilary Francis
Brattleboro Town Clerk
230 Main Street, Suite 108
Brattleboro. VT 05301
hfrancis@brattleboro.org
ph 802-251-8129
cell 802-490-9835
fax 802-257-2312
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Full-time Brattleboro residents can Register to vote online:
https://www.mvp.sec.state.vt.us/
Please be advised that your email communication to the Town may be considered public record and may be subject to disclosure under the Vermont Open Public Records Act.
The Articles To Be Voted On
Article II – Shall the Town permit the operation of licensed cannabis retailers subject to such municipal ordinance and regulation as the Selectboard may lawfully adopt and implement?
Article III – Shall the Town of Brattleboro amend the Brattleboro Town Charter to add subsection (E) to Article VII (Charter Amendments) as follows: ” This Charter may be amended: (E) BY the Selectboard upon approval of a majority vote of the voters of the Town by Australian ballot. Any Charter amendment approved pursuant to this subsection must conform to a Charter provision authorized by the State Legislature for another municipality of the State. Such amendment approved under this subsection shall be effective only upon written notice of such amendment given to the Secretary of State.”
Article IV – Shall the voters of the Town of Brattleboro authorize the Town to withdraw from the Windham Southeast School District?
Article V – Shall the voters of the Town of Brattleboro conditionally approve and ratify the withdrawal of the Towns of Dummerston, Guilford, and/or Putney from the Windham Southeast School District, subject to the certification of results from the respective Town votes to withdraw on March 2, 2021?
Cannabis Retailers
It will now be legal to purchase spinach in state-approved shops, so long as it is not too fresh. Our political leaders hope that by legalizing this popular vegetable with government-regulated distribution through specially-favored retailers, will squeeze out illegal growers and criminal spinach-pushers.
Seriously folks:
I am having a hard time deciding how to vote. If I vote “no,” my vote will increase the anti-pot tally, and be seen as opposition to legal marijuana. If I vote, “yes,” I will be voting for state-sponsored restraint of trade, meant to harm those of our friends who for decades took risks practicing illegal horticulture and free-enterprise, keeping us supplied.
Not only does a “yes” vote support economic favoritism, but it means paying twice as much at a dispensery, for an inferior product which is prohibited from having more than a limited strength of THC. (Limiting THC is a health issue, because now you will have to put twice as much smoke in your lungs.)
“A friend of mine,” tells me that for years he has attended underground gatherings, where pot sellers display their agricultural products, offering information about its characteristics and origin: “My brother grew this Sativa, it will stimulate creativity. Or if you want something mellow, try this Indica.”
Over time, “my friend” tells me, acquaintanceship, trust, and a sense of community develop. No doubt there are also fast-lane dealers who simply sell anything illegal; but — in a free-market environment — if lifestyle matters to you, then you can choose where and with whom to do business.
About a 2 years ago, I met a young fellow who is devoted to every aspect of growing pot. He earns a modest amount, but his passion is developing his expertise in types of grow-lights, genetic strains, soil, environmental conditions. He is totally enthused about this work, an honest and decent person.
The progressive politicians are complicit with criminalizing this individual, who is someone I am proud to know. It seems that this Vermont pot initiative is the product of a corrupt compromise between progressives, whose “realpolitik” requires that they make deals in order to appease authoritarians.
Hey… I have an idea! Why not let cannabis be just like spinach… grow it if you like, use it if you like, let the free market determine where it gets sold and at what price.
Article 111~ can anybody unpack this for me? What is this in reaction to?
Article III – Shall the Town of Brattleboro amend the Brattleboro Town Charter to add subsection (E) to Article VII (Charter Amendments) as follows: ” This Charter may be amended: (E) BY the Selectboard upon approval of a majority vote of the voters of the Town by Australian ballot. Any Charter amendment approved pursuant to this subsection must conform to a Charter provision authorized by the State Legislature for another municipality of the State. Such amendment approved under this subsection shall be effective only upon written notice of such amendment given to the Secretary of State.”
I'll try... : )
Right now, for the Town to make a change to the Charter it has to be approved by the state legislature.
If this passes, it would allow the Town to adopt a change to the Charter without approval by the state… IF the state had previously approved the same thing fro another town.
So, if Montpelier got a charter change approval to, say, allow 17 year olds to vote and it was approved by the state legislature, then Brattleboro could choose to adopt that same change without needing to go to the state again.
It is in reaction to desires by the Town manager and others to fight for more local control and less state interference.
A yes vote?
So a “yes” vote would be helping the Town Manager and others to have more local control?
Yup
Others, including residents, yes, so the argument goes.
It might be interesting to know what other town charter thingies Brattleboro is interested in adopting. If anyone finds out, lets us all know… : )
Article 11
Article II – Shall the Town permit the operation of licensed cannabis retailers subject to such municipal ordinance and regulation as the Selectboard may lawfully adopt and implement?
I am in support of this for two reasons:
1. I want to support my town and state with the money I am spending in other locations.
2. This plant is an ally and needs to be available locally.
Articles 4 and Especially 5
The school articles seem ripe for confusion.
Let’s say IV passes, Brattleboro stays in the new union.
Then one or more of the other towns voting that day decide to leave the new union.
And then let’s say V fails in Brattleboro and we don’t respect the choices of other towns. (I’m not quite sure how one town can have a say over others, but I’ll roll with it for now…). They may not leave!
Then what? We outvote them and force them to stay?
Another question – what if we vote to leave the union and NOT respect the votes on the same issue in other towns?
Or, what if we decide to stay and all other decide to leave, and we don’t respect their decisions?
Or, what if we vote to leave, all others vote to stay, and we don’t respect their decisions?
Seems like the likelihood of Article 5 causing trouble is high, unless everyone decides to stick with the status quo and respect other votes in other towns.
Thank you with 4 & 5
I can see the conundrum ~