FAQs: Town Meeting & Voting

When do we vote on the project?

• NEXT SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1st – Special Town Meeting
• MONDAY, DECEMBER 3rd – Ballot Vote

How long does the Town Meeting Last?

There is no definitive answer to that question, but here is what we DO know:

• 8:00am – Check in begins outside the Auditorium. PLEASE CHECK IN EARLY, even if you need to drop off a child, go pick up a friend, etc.
  • All voters must check in outside the Auditorium, but you can vote from either the Auditorium or the Reed Gym.  If you would like to speak, you must come to the Auditorium.
• 9:00am – Town Meeting presentations will begin promptly!
• 10:30am – Discussion begins. It can be expected to last at least 1 1/2 to 2 hours, but this is Town Meeting, so it is unpredictable!
• Whenever the Meeting votes, there will be a 10-minute break to ensure that people are seated and the volunteers who do the counting are in place. THEN THE DOORS WILL CLOSE – YOU MUST BE IN THE AUDITORIUM OR IN THE REED GYM IF YOU WANT TO BE COUNTED!
• Although there may be a voice vote, it is most likely to be a standing vote.

Can I bring my children to Town Meeting?

YES! They are welcome anywhere – and if you think your child needs some running room, the back half of the Reed Gym will have open space for play. The front half of the Gym will be set up with chairs for when it’s voting time.

How many votes are needed? 

• There must be a 2/3 majority for the project to pass at Town Meeting.
• There must be a simple majority for the project to pass at the ballot.
• Both votes are required if the project is to move forward.

Do we still have a ballot vote on Monday if the project doesn’t pass at Town Meeting?

• YES! Both votes are happening, and each vote has a “shelf life.”
• For any capital project (fire truck or school) it does not matter whether a town meeting vote or a ballot vote comes first.
• If one vote passes and one fails, there is a limited time during which to call another Town Meeting/Ballot vote (whichever was not successful the first time.)

I can’t be at Town Meeting on Saturday, can I vote absentee?

NO. You must be present to vote at any Town Meeting.

I can’t make it to the polls on Monday, can I vote absentee?

YES! Absentee ballots are now available at the Town Clerk’s office.

Just for fun…What do temporary classrooms look like?

Click here to see the temporary classrooms our Hanscom K-3 students are currently using while the new Hanscom Primary School is being finished. (The Lincoln Public Schools District includes the Lincoln School and the Hanscom Primary and Middle Schools on Hanscom Air Force Base.)