As a 30-something (I guess under-represented?) software developer (over-represented?) in town, I found the inefficiency of the mechanics of the tallying process the frustrating part of the meeting.
Hearing the presentations and public comments is amazing and something I find very valuable. Sitting around waiting for addition to happen manually is another matter... It's 2023 ... we could trivially have a system whereby each voter attending the meeting (or not?) is given a unique link via text message or email at which they can input their vote (once) on their phone, while providing summary statistics to the moderator in real time. I can't imagine this is a new idea, there are surely vendors that provide this service to numerous states and municipalities. This is not a "hard problem", it would take a weekend to build a simple version of this. I would be happy to advise on / help implement such a thing if there is motivation to do so. Fil 16 Minebrook Rd On Tue, Dec 12, 2023 at 9:19 PM Robert Ahlert <[email protected]> wrote: > Town meeting is special, a chance to discuss and decide on issues. The > camaraderie is cathartic after intense pre-election debating. > > However, when it comes time to vote, i think emotion should not play a > role and therefore I prefer electronic voting. I trust my fellow residents > to do their homework and come prepared to cast a ballot. > > Rob Ahlert > 185 Lincoln Road > > *Robert Ahlert* | *781.738.1069* | [email protected] > > > On Tue, Dec 12, 2023 at 9:00 PM Laura Crosby <[email protected]> > wrote: > >> I’m 100% in agreement in purchasing >> electronic voting devices. Valerie >> Fox is also in agreement. >> We lost close to two hours >> at the recent Special Town >> Meeting waiting for votes to be >> counted. >> Many left after first vote due >> to timing issues. >> >> Sent from my iPhone >> >> On Dec 12, 2023, at 6:47 PM, Scott Clary <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> >> Peter and Andy, >> >> Thank you for detailing a plan for revampment of our voting system that >> makes so much sense. It really is a no-brainer. And the percentages broken >> down by age that Peter provided are quite telling. >> >> Kind Regards, >> >> Scott Clary >> 617-968-5769 >> >> Sent from a mobile device - please excuse typos and errors >> >> On Tue, Dec 12, 2023, 6:17 PM Peter Buchthal <[email protected]> wrote: >> >>> A town meeting is an all day plus affair which disenfranchises many >>> younger voters with families and other voters who are unable to attend all >>> day meetings. >>> >>> At our last special town meeting in early December we had 878 voters >>> check-in with the following distribution of voters by age. >>> 18-29 30-39 40-49 50-59 60-69 70-79 80+ >>> 2% 5% 14% 16% 23% 24% 16% >>> >>> With only 640ish cast ballots for preference votes for the Community >>> Center and HCA rezoning, we lost 16/% of our checked-in voters as many >>> didn't stay to participate in both important votes. Please note that only >>> 21% of the vote is 49 or under. >>> >>> >>> With a poor representation of our younger residents, We need to revamp >>> our Town Meetings to better engage our 4876 registered voters. Certain >>> votes require 2/3 of a town meeting and with such poor voter turnout, the >>> power of a few well organized groups can dominate the decisions of the town >>> unjustly. >>> >>> I propose >>> 1) The town should purchase electronic voting devices to speed up all >>> town meetings. At least 60 towns in the commonwealth already successfully >>> use these devices. I bet we could save at least a couple of hours at each >>> town meeting by using this proven technology. List of Mass Towns >>> <https://www.meridiaars.com/electronic-voting-system-in-massachusetts-towns/> >>> >>> >>> 2) We should explore Andy Wang's earlier suggestion of separating the >>> debate/amend parts of a Town Meeting from the voting part. The town should >>> create a working group to explore the many different ways to increase voter >>> participation at Town Meetings. Maybe we can even get this new style of >>> Town Meeting ready for our March meeting. >>> >>> Many towns like Concord have town meetings that last several days and >>> have even poorer voter participation than ours Concord Town Meeting >>> Participation >>> <https://concordma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/43398/TOWN-MEETING-VOTER-PARTICIPATION-1997-2023>. >>> The working group should explore separating the time consuming parts of a >>> Town Meeting from the voting part. The first day of the Town Meeting >>> could work through, amend and debate all contentious warrants up to an >>> actual vote. At a certain point when a warrant is ready to vote, the >>> moderator should table the vote until the continuation of the 2nd day of >>> the town meeting. Information about the 1st day's work will be posted >>> online with a video that voters would be able to review. The 2nd day of >>> only voting would be a couple of days after the first and begin at a set >>> time and be finished hopefully after only spending a couple of minutes per >>> vote if the Town purchases electronic voting devices. >>> >>> Peter Buchthal >>> Weston Rd >>> >>> >>> >>> On Tue, Dec 12, 2023 at 9:01 AM Andy Wang <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>>> As of March, according to the election results. >>>> <29AFF794-562A-4589-B5F3-D20DB548516B.png> >>>> >>>> Andy >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> On Tue, Dec 12, 2023 at 8:36 AM Garrick Niemiec < >>>> [email protected]> wrote: >>>> >>>>> >>>>> On Mon, Dec 11, 2023, 9:52 PM Garrick Niemiec < >>>>> [email protected]> wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> 5000 voters are on record >>>>>> >>>>>> On Mon, Dec 11, 2023, 9:36 PM Barbara Low <[email protected]> >>>>>> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>>> I thought there were about 5000 residents, not voters. >>>>>>> Does anyone know the actual number of voters? >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Sent from my T-Mobile 5G Device >>>>>>> Get Outlook for Android <https://aka.ms/AAb9ysg> >>>>>>> ------------------------------ >>>>>>> *From:* Lincoln <[email protected]> on behalf of Sara >>>>>>> Mattes <[email protected]> >>>>>>> *Sent:* Monday, December 11, 2023 8:22:46 PM >>>>>>> *To:* Garrick Niemiec <[email protected]> >>>>>>> *Cc:* Lincoln Talk <[email protected]> >>>>>>> *Subject:* Re: [LincolnTalk] Wow 800 Lincoln folk vote at STM >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Most towns do NOT do this. >>>>>>> Laws which govern Open Town Meeting towns are the determining >>>>>>> factors. >>>>>>> Perhaps all who want to come up with some new concepts should get >>>>>>> together, like LRHA, and research and propose to the town. >>>>>>> That would be really instructive and constructive. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> March will have a ballot, in addition to the TM vote -to approve the >>>>>>> $$ for the Community Center. >>>>>>> One could skip TM and simply vote at the ballot box the following >>>>>>> Monday. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Again, I urge all who are interested in this issue to form a study >>>>>>> group and see what options are available. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> ------ >>>>>>> Sara Mattes >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> On Dec 11, 2023, at 8:09 PM, Garrick Niemiec < >>>>>>> [email protected]> wrote: >>>>>>> >>>>>>> I couldn't disagree more...we need to make voting accessable...time >>>>>>> for change Sara.. time for change now. Let us vote electronically...all >>>>>>> of >>>>>>> us remotely. C'mon most towns do it now. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> New comers including my family all recognize this! >>>>>>> >>>>>>> The system is sooo antiquated. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Join us now before the march town meeting fails us again! Again and >>>>>>> again and again! >>>>>>> >>>>>>> As a good friend said at STM we are not spending our money wisely! >>>>>>> You know that...a school project for 30M turns into 100 M. Driven by >>>>>>> current Lincoln politics including selects. Yikes! >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Now RLF is bankrupt? What's going on here. We're in a tailspin. >>>>>>> Any ideas? >>>>>>> >>>>>>> On Mon, Dec 11, 2023, 6:53 PM Sara Mattes <[email protected]> >>>>>>> wrote: >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Garrick, >>>>>>> Town Meeting is open to all who care enough to attend. >>>>>>> It not a drive-by! >>>>>>> When people make noise about wanting a secret ballot at a ballot >>>>>>> box, there is no evidence that indicates a huge leap in participation! >>>>>>> I don’t like the way thing unfolded or the (predictable) outcome, >>>>>>> but it was not because voting was not available tall. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> ------ >>>>>>> Sara Mattes >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> On Dec 11, 2023, at 5:53 PM, Garrick Niemiec < >>>>>>> [email protected]> wrote: >>>>>>> >>>>>>> 5000 are registered voters...this is NOT the Lincoln way!!! >>>>>>> -- >>>>>>> The LincolnTalk mailing list. >>>>>>> To post, send mail to [email protected]. >>>>>>> Browse the archives at >>>>>>> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/. >>>>>>> Change your subscription settings at >>>>>>> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> -- >>>>> The LincolnTalk mailing list. >>>>> To post, send mail to [email protected]. >>>>> Browse the archives at >>>>> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/. >>>>> Change your subscription settings at >>>>> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. >>>>> >>>>> -- >>>> The LincolnTalk mailing list. >>>> To post, send mail to [email protected]. >>>> Browse the archives at >>>> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/. >>>> Change your subscription settings at >>>> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. >>>> >>>> -- >>> The LincolnTalk mailing list. >>> To post, send mail to [email protected]. >>> Browse the archives at >>> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/. >>> Change your subscription settings at >>> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. >> >> >>> >>> -- >> The LincolnTalk mailing list. >> To post, send mail to [email protected]. >> Browse the archives at >> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/. >> Change your subscription settings at >> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. >> >> -- >> The LincolnTalk mailing list. >> To post, send mail to [email protected]. >> Browse the archives at >> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/. >> Change your subscription settings at >> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. >> >> -- > The LincolnTalk mailing list. > To post, send mail to [email protected]. > Browse the archives at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/ > . > Change your subscription settings at > https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. > >
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