Winnipesaukee Forum - View Single Post - Meredith SB-2 petition

fatlazyless · 03-13-2008, 04:06 AM

Correct me if I'm wrong but it seems the difference is that 50% articles are generated by the selectboard, while 60% articles are generated by a resident's petition along with at least 25 resident's signatures.

Articles 2, 3, 4, 5, & 6 (mostly zoning issues) were all 50%-ers as they were generated by the selectboard.

Articles 1 & 7 were 60%-ers because they were generated by petition.
......

Article 1 - "Shall we adopt the provisions of RSA40:13 (known as SB2) to allow official ballot voting on all issues before the Interlakes School District?"

Meredith school results - 599-yes (57.1%) vs 450-no (42.9%)

Here are the results for the other two towns in the Inter Lakes School District from today's LaDaSun

Sandwich results - 160-yes (34.6%) vs
302-no (65.4%)

Center Harbor - unknown for now

With Sandwich and Center Harbor's totals added to the Meredith numbers it dramatically lowers the level of support for SB-2 from a Meredith only level of 57.1% to an overall level of 49.4%.

Isn't that interesting. I have to wonder about Sandwich and why its' numbers are really so very different and opposite than the Meredith numbers? Like, what's up with the Sandwich voters? Are they supporters of higher funding for teaching and the school system, or what? Except for the Sandwich Notch Road, I am personally very unfamiliar with the Town of Sandwich.

Article 7 - "Shall we adopt the provisions of RSA40:13 (known as SB2) to allow official ballot voting on all issues before the Town of Meredith?"

results - 616-yes (57.5%) vs 456-no (42.5%)
.......

Considering these numbers, I wonder if the 5-person, selectboard would be willing to put these two articles on the next ballot at the 50% level?

One of the reason that these articles get so much more participation than the town meeting is because the residents of Meredith prefer the SB-2 style of voting. It allows them to participate, and keeps them engaged in the process. By reading about it in the press or internet forum during the one month between deliberative session and the ballot, they can learn all about the issues and then make a more educated vote.

The town meeting is more exclusionary as is shown by the numbers of residents who participate. A whole lot more residents will show up to an all-day, 7am - 7pm, voting booth ballot, with absentee voting allowed, than go to town meeting. This makes the SB-2 style of voting a more representative and more informed electorate for Meredith.

Last night's annual Town Meeting had a vote of 285-yes vs 73-no for the 2.3mil fire station expansion, and 304-yes vs 54-no for the 400k-567 acre Page Pond conservation area. So, that says the town meeting had a total of 358 voters, while the all-day vote for candidates and articles had a total of about 1060 voters. This lets us know that almost exactly three times the number of Meredith voters participated in the daytime ballot then did at the night time, town meeting. Yes, almost exactly THREE TIMES as many Meredith voters.

Meredith has about 6000 residents and about 4700 who are old enough to vote.

With the results from Tuesday's election now known, will the 5-member selectboard please consider putting it on the next ballot at the 50% level ?

03-13-2008, 04:06 AM	#109
fatlazyless Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 8,960 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 308 Thanked 1,061 Times in 774 Posts	50% articles vs. 60% articles Correct me if I'm wrong but it seems the difference is that 50% articles are generated by the selectboard, while 60% articles are generated by a resident's petition along with at least 25 resident's signatures. Articles 2, 3, 4, 5, & 6 (mostly zoning issues) were all 50%-ers as they were generated by the selectboard. Articles 1 & 7 were 60%-ers because they were generated by petition. ...... Article 1 - "Shall we adopt the provisions of RSA40:13 (known as SB2) to allow official ballot voting on all issues before the Interlakes School District?" Meredith school results - 599-yes (57.1%) vs 450-no (42.9%) Here are the results for the other two towns in the Inter Lakes School District from today's LaDaSun Sandwich results - 160-yes (34.6%) vs 302-no (65.4%) Center Harbor - unknown for now With Sandwich and Center Harbor's totals added to the Meredith numbers it dramatically lowers the level of support for SB-2 from a Meredith only level of 57.1% to an overall level of 49.4%. Isn't that interesting. I have to wonder about Sandwich and why its' numbers are really so very different and opposite than the Meredith numbers? Like, what's up with the Sandwich voters? Are they supporters of higher funding for teaching and the school system, or what? Except for the Sandwich Notch Road, I am personally very unfamiliar with the Town of Sandwich. Article 7 - "Shall we adopt the provisions of RSA40:13 (known as SB2) to allow official ballot voting on all issues before the Town of Meredith?" results - 616-yes (57.5%) vs 456-no (42.5%) ....... Considering these numbers, I wonder if the 5-person, selectboard would be willing to put these two articles on the next ballot at the 50% level? One of the reason that these articles get so much more participation than the town meeting is because the residents of Meredith prefer the SB-2 style of voting. It allows them to participate, and keeps them engaged in the process. By reading about it in the press or internet forum during the one month between deliberative session and the ballot, they can learn all about the issues and then make a more educated vote. The town meeting is more exclusionary as is shown by the numbers of residents who participate. A whole lot more residents will show up to an all-day, 7am - 7pm, voting booth ballot, with absentee voting allowed, than go to town meeting. This makes the SB-2 style of voting a more representative and more informed electorate for Meredith. Last night's annual Town Meeting had a vote of 285-yes vs 73-no for the 2.3mil fire station expansion, and 304-yes vs 54-no for the 400k-567 acre Page Pond conservation area. So, that says the town meeting had a total of 358 voters, while the all-day vote for candidates and articles had a total of about 1060 voters. This lets us know that almost exactly three times the number of Meredith voters participated in the daytime ballot then did at the night time, town meeting. Yes, almost exactly THREE TIMES as many Meredith voters. Meredith has about 6000 residents and about 4700 who are old enough to vote. With the results from Tuesday's election now known, will the 5-member selectboard please consider putting it on the next ballot at the 50% level ? __________________ .... Banned for life from local thrift store! Last edited by fatlazyless; 03-13-2008 at 05:42 PM.