SB2 drives get mixed results

Meredith residents voted 606 in favor and 456 voted against. The total number of ballots cast on the article was 1,062, three-fifths (or 60 percent) would be 637 or 31 more votes in favor than were cast.

Richard Juve, a Meredith resident, fervently supports SB2 and will carry on the fight next year, he said.

"The plus side is that we have let the selectmen know that it will pass next year," Juve said.

Juve said an SB2 format means more people would be able to vote on town or school districts budgets, as there is a much higher turnout at the polls in most communities than at town or school district meetings.

Seasonal property owners, those serving in the military or those otherwise away on voting day will have say on town or school district budgets through absentee ballots.

Chuck Palm, a newly-elected selectman and interim fire chief, has opposed SB2 and is glad the measure failed.

One of the reasons Palm favors town meetings over deliberative sessions is that warrant articles are explained, questions are answered, amendments are made and articles are voted on all at one time, leading to the greater understanding, in Palm's opinions, of the issues.

In Moultonborough, the three-fifths majority was missed by a small percentage for both the town and school district.

For the town, 748 (56 percent of ballots cast) voted 'yes', 588 (44 percent) voted 'no.'

For the school district, 740 (58 percent) voted 'yes,' 533 voted 'no.'

SB2 supporter Al Hume was disappointed the measure failed but noted it garnered 40 percent of the vote last year and 56 percent this year, so a 60 percent majority is not far away.

"The main thing is that town meetings are not working anymore," Hume said Tuesday.

As an example, Hume noted that attendance at some town meetings in recent years have dropped below 400 (10 percent of the town's registered 4,000 voters) while the number of people who turn out to vote is 1,300, which is 27 percent of voters.

In Belmont 254 voters approved SB2 for the town while 155 voted against, which just passed the three-fifths majority by nine votes.

The Gilmanton School District voters did not pass SB2, with 169 voting in favor and 200 voting against.

SB2 was also on the Inter-Lakes School District ballot.

The Shaker Regional School District also voted down SB2.

In the Inter-Lakes School District the number of Meredith residents who voted for an SB2 format in the school district was 599 while 629 Inter-Lakes School District voters in Meredith voted 'no.'

There were 62 Center Harbor residents who voted in favor of SB2 for the Inter-Lakes School District and 88 voted 'no'.

The results were not in for Sandwich at press time.

In the Winnisquam School District, Tilton voters voted 273 in favor and 175 against SB2. Sanbornton results were not in yet.