A number of recent comments in letters to the editor in The Hardwick Gazette, on Front Porch Forum and on social media have suggested working Vermonters have difficulty leaving their jobs to attend town meetings in-person.
Several people have brought to our attention that provisions of Vermont State law allow employees to take time off to attend town meetings in a section on employment practices titled, “Town meeting leave; employees; students” (21 V.S.A. § 472b.)
The Vermont legislation, originally passed in 2007 and amended in 2013 indicates, “an employee shall have the right to take unpaid leave from employment . . . for the purpose of attending his or her annual town meeting, provided the employee notifies the employer at least seven days prior to the date of the town meeting.” Students are offered similar privileges without any penalty.
An opening clause indicates, a business or entity of state or local government could take priority in finding the employee to be essential, presumably leading to a rejection of a request for leave.
There’s an argument to be made that losing a day of pay, or even going some hours without it, would be a hardship for some. In fact, it might be seen as a roundabout way to enact a poll tax, falling most heavily on those least able to afford it.
Allowing an employer or government entity to declare an employee essential, thus denying them the option of participating in town meetings, potentially removes others from having a voice too.
Vermont’s tradition of in-person town meetings, with questions coming before the electorate for an immediate vote, doesn’t allow for an absentee ballot. One must be there to cast a vote.
The option exists for voters to elect to have questions voted by Australian ballot. An Australian ballot is what most would call a secret ballot vote at polls open for a set number of hours announced in advance, on printed ballots. The process was invented in Australia in the mid-1800s and spread to the rest of the world over time.
The Australian ballot option allows workers, essential or otherwise, to cast absentee ballots. When towns have votes by Australian ballot, the number of votes cast generally far exceeds the number of people attending the meeting, thus allowing more of the electorate to be polled.
While town meetings allow for discussion when a question is before the voters, Australian ballots do not. Though towns, more often than not offer informational meetings before town meeting Australian ballot votes, they are generally not well-attended.
So, while the State does offer leave, there are significant limitations even then.
An Australian ballot vote seems to be the best option for almost any voter to make their choice on a question known.
Paul Fixx, editor
Paul Fixx is editor of The Hardwick Gazette and lives in Hardwick.