§ 2680 - Australian ballot system; general - Vermont Statutes

§ 2680. Australian ballot system; general

(a) Unless specifically required by statute, the provisions of the Australian ballot system shall not apply to the annual or special meeting of a municipality unless that municipality, at its annual meeting or at a special meeting called for that purpose, votes to have them apply.

(b) Officers. Once a municipality votes to elect officers by the Australian ballot system, such officers shall be elected in that manner until the municipality votes to discontinue use of the system.

(c) Budgets. A vote whether to use the Australian ballot system to establish the budget shall be in substantially the following form:

"Shall (name of municipality) adopt its budget article or articles by Australian ballot?"

If a budget voted on by Australian ballot is rejected, the legislative body shall prepare a revised budget. The legislative body shall establish a date for the vote on the revised budget, and shall take appropriate steps to warn a public informational meeting on the budget and the vote. The date of the public informational meeting shall be at least five days following the public notice. The date of the vote shall be at least seven days following the public notice. The vote on the revised budget shall be by Australian ballot and shall take place in the same locations that the first vote was taken. The budget shall be established if a majority of all votes cast are in favor. If the revised budget is rejected, the legislative body shall repeat the procedure in this subsection until a budget is adopted. Once a municipality votes to establish its budget by the Australian ballot system, the vote on the budget shall be taken by Australian ballot until the municipality votes to discontinue use of the system.

(d) Public questions. (1) A vote whether to use the Australian ballot on public questions other than the budget shall be in substantially the following form:

"Shall (name of municipality) vote on (specify the public question) by Australian ballot?"

or

"Shall (name of municipality) vote on all public questions by Australian ballot?"

(2) Once a municipality has voted to vote on any specific or all public questions by Australian ballot, the votes shall be taken by Australian ballot until the municipality votes to discontinue use of the system.

(e) A municipality shall not use the Australian ballot system at the same election at which its voters decide that the system shall be used.

(f) The presiding officer for any election or part of an election using the Australian ballot system shall be the town clerk or as otherwise provided in section 2452 of this title.

(g) Whenever a municipality has voted to adopt the Australian ballot system of voting on any public question or budget, except the budget revote as provided in subsection (c) of this section, the legislative body shall hold a public informational hearing on the question by posting warnings at least 10 days in advance of the hearing in at least two public places within the municipality and in the town clerk's office. The hearing shall be held within the 10 days preceding the meeting at which the Australian ballot system is to be used. The hearing under this subsection may be held in conjunction with the meeting held under subsection 2640(c), in which case the moderator shall preside. (Added 1977, No. 269 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; amended 1979, No. 200 (Adj. Sess.), §§ 108, 120; 1981, No. 239 (Adj Sess.), § 24; 1983, No. 30; 2003, No. 59, § 42; 2007, No. 121 (Adj. Sess.), § 13.)