Taking a Vote | Plympton MA

In an Open Town Meeting there are three ways to take a vote on an article before the body.

SHOW OF HANDS:
After discussion has been terminated, the Moderator may repeat the article to be voted on and then ask "all who are in favor indicate by raising your right hand" and then after those hands are lowered "those opposed raise your right hand". It then becomes a judgment call on the part of the Moderator as to which side prevailed. If, in the opinion of the Moderator, it was "too close to call" he may ask his tellers to come forward for a counted standing vote. A voter who disagrees with the decision of the Moderator may also ask for a counted vote. He/she need only to stand and say, "I question the vote." The Moderator will then ask if there are six other voters who will stand in support of the question. If a total of seven or more voters stand in support, then the Moderator will call the tellers forward and a standing vote will be taken.

STANDING COUNTED VOTE:
Certain votes always require a counted vote including bonded debt and paying of old bills. The tellers, appointed by the Town Clerk, assist the Moderator by counting the standees on each side of an issue and reporting their totals to the Moderator and the Town Clerk. State law permits, if the Town Meeting so decides, that those matters requiring a 2/3rds counted vote, the Moderator may declare such a vote to be passed or failed without an actual count; provided, however, that if seven or more registered voters rise in disagreement with the Moderator's declaration, an actual count must be made.

BALLOT VOTE:
On rare occasions, the necessity of a ballot or secret vote is requested. This may be determined by the Selectmen, the Moderator, or may be called for from the floor by a voter who is supported by a majority vote of other voters. This requires all voters to come forward as directed by the tellers and in turn cast a YES or NO paper ballot vote for the issue at hand. The tellers then tally the results and report it to the Moderator. This is a time consuming process; however, to avoid the intimidation of a public vote, many voters seem to prefer it.