Article 27 - Remote Participation at Annual & Special Town Meetings

ARTICLE 27. To determine whether the Town will authorize the Select Board to petition the General Court for special legislation substantially in the form below and to authorize the Select Board to approve amendments to said legislation by the General Court before its enactment that are within the general objectives of this Article; or take any other action relative thereto:
 
 “An Act authorizing remote participation at Town Meetings and Special Town Meetings in the Town of Concord”
 
 SECTION 1. Notwithstanding chapter 39 of the General Laws, or any other general or special law or charter provision to the contrary, the Town of Concord may hold Town Meetings and Special Town Meetings with voters located in a common, physical location in-person, fully remotely or through a hybrid of a remote and in-person format.
 
 SECTION 2. Any Town meeting held completely remotely or in hybrid form in accordance with this act shall be recorded and the recording shall be made available for public viewing on the town’s website, or another publicly available video platform for at least 30 days following the conclusion of the meeting. The recording shall also be a public record of the Town, subject to disclosure upon request.
 
 SECTION 3. All actions taken at a remote or hybrid Town Meeting held in accordance with this act shall have the same effect as if the Town Meeting had been conducted entirely in person.
 
 SECTION 4. This act shall take effect upon its passage. 

Article Explanation

This article would authorize the Select Board to petition the state legislature for special legislation allowing Concord to permit voters to participate and vote in town meetings remotely. Close to 80% of respondents in our Town Meeting Study Committee survey favored having this option. Technology to secure one-person-one-vote and assure only registered voters can participate is currently under development.

Allowing remote participation can remove a barrier to full Town Meeting participation for parents with small and school-age children, senior citizens, people who travel for work, and many others, making Town Meeting more user-friendly and representative.

Article Motion

Mr. McKennitt moves that the Town take affirmative action on Article 27 as printed in the Warrant.