September 16, 2020 in Local News, Local Government and Civic Engagement

It's Fall Town Meeting Season! Town Meeting + Town Election Info for Cape Cod

Fall Town Meeting season is here and - with many towns making up for lost time due to COVID-related postponements and cancellations - there are lots of updates to share! Some towns proceeded with holding their Annual Town Meetings and local elections in the spring/early summer, as is customary. Others postponed their Annual Town Meeting or combined it with the "special" Town Meeting format typically seen in the fall season.

To help you keep track, we've updated our quick and easy reference graphics and provided a comprehensive list of Town Meeting and Town Election info by town. Each listing includes website links where you can find additional info, like your Town Meeting warrant (agenda).*

Know before you go. Many towns have chosen to hold their meetings outdoors with specific social distancing or health guidelines in place to protect attendees - be sure to check the rules for your town before you go.

Mail-in vs. in-person voting. For Town Elections, most towns continue to encourage voting by mail, and some have automatically mailed ballots, bypassing the typical request process required for mail-in voting. To find out more about mail-in ballots, contact your Town Clerk.

Why do we share information on Town Meeting and elections? Because participating in your Town Meeting and voting in your town election are two of the most effective ways to have your voice heard on issues that impact your daily life, right here on the Cape.

If you're new to Town Meeting, or want to learn more, check out our Intro to Town Meeting slide deck, or the very informative Citizen's Guide to Town Meeting, created by the Office of the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth.

*Note that we are doing our best to keep these details up to date, but you should always consider the Town Clerk's office for your town to be the most accurate and current source of information on meetings and elections. Many towns have this information online, or you can find out more through a quick call to your Town Hall.

Barnstable

Note: Barnstable has a Council-Town Manager form of government, and therefore does not hold a Citizens' Town Meeting.

Bourne

Town Election: Held Tuesday, June 23; no fall election

Town Meeting: Monday, November 16 @ 7 PM | Location TBA

For More Info: https://www.townofbourne.com/calendar/upcoming

Brewster

Town Election: Held in June; no fall election

Town Meeting: Saturday, September 12

For More Info: https://www.brewster-ma.gov/

Chatham

Town Election: Held in June; no fall election information available

Town Meeting: Annual Meeting held in June; no fall meeting information available

For More Info: https://www.chatham-ma.gov/town-meeting

Dennis

Town Election: Held in June; no fall election

Town Meeting: Saturday, October 3 @ 10 AM | Nathaniel H. Wixon School, 901 Rte 134

For More Info: https://www.town.dennis.ma.us/town-clerk/pages/town-meeting-information

Eastham

Town Election: Tuesday, October 6

Town Meeting: Saturday, September 26 @ 10 AM | Nauset Regional High School Football Field

For More Info: https://www.eastham-ma.gov/town-clerk/pages/town-meeting-minutes-warrants

Falmouth

Town Election: Held in May; no fall election information available

Town Meeting: Monday, November 16 | Time and location TBA
Note: Falmouth has a representative or "closed" form of Town Meeting, whereby only elected voter representatives attend

For More Info: http://www.falmouthmass.us/472...