The case for SB2: Local school districts traditional annual meetings poorly attended. 96% of registered voters had no say.

Moultonboro Citizens Alliance

 Editorial March 7, 2009

In recent days, Inter-Lakes School district and Shaker Regional School district had their traditional annual meetings. Between the two districts, close to $40million dollars in budgets were on the table as well as some important petitioned articles. Both school districts operate under the old traditional annual meeting format: you have to be there to vote. At Inter-lakes only 118 voters decided all the issues for the 7000 or so registered voters. At Shaker it was 234 deciding for about 6000.

Annual town and school district meetings are traditionally poorly attended. There is a higher percentage of the registered voters at town meeting than at the SB2 deliberative session, but the reason for that is because it is the only time people get to vote. Rapid decisions after often emotional debates with little time to think through the issues. Not so with SB2. The deliberative session offers a month or more of reading, asking questions and being better informed on the issues. Then at the voting session every registered voter can vote, even by absentee ballot in the privacy of the voting booth. The proof of SB2’s success is the much high voter turnout on ballot day. Here in Moultonboro, 33% voted in the last municipal election vs. just 11% (down to 4% at the end) at town meeting a few days later. In many SB2 towns, that percentage is even higher.

Contrary to what some believe, the rules for the deliberative town meeting do not vary from traditional town meeting. They are identical. The moderator follows exactly the same procedures. The debates continue exactly the same way. Secret ballots can still be requested. Reconsideration can be restricted. Amendments are voted on in exactly the same way. We still have town meeting. The only change is who, when and how you vote.

The ability for all voters to vote on all issues in private cannot and should not be underestimated. School meetings are notorious for packing the bleachers with staff, many of whom are not registered voters to be cheerleaders and promote the intimidation factor that is so prevalent at these sessions.  With SB2, that is mitigated (although that can still occur at the deliberative town meeting) with the ballot box. SB2 ends voter disenfranchisement.  You no longer have to physically attend an annual meeting for your vote to count.

SB2 towns have much better informed voters. They have the enormous benefit of time that you don’t have with traditional town meeting.  All the information voters need to make decisions can be made available in local newspapers and the internet. You can ask questions of town and school officials. SB2 gives you the opportunity to sit and discuss an issue with a selectmen or school board member.  

I looked at the ballots /warrants this year in some SB2 towns as most now post them on their town’s websites. The average # of pages is less than four. In places that have both town and school under SB2 it is about six. Remember though that these ballots also include the elections for various offices in both town and school district which are also present on non-SB2 ballots. Not so onerous considering that you will have a month or more to read and decide.

Moultonboro Citizens Alliance