Australian Ballot

Moral Case for the Australian Ballot

Adopting the Australian (secret) ballot is the right thing to do. A fair democracy must be inclusive and accessible to everyone—not just those who are able to attend a Representative Town Meeting (RTM) or Open Town Meeting (OTM) at a specific time and place.

Many members of our community are effectively excluded from those formats: seniors, people with disabilities, parents and caregivers, residents working demanding or hourly jobs, active service military personnel and neighbors for whom English is not a primary language. Their voices matter just as much as anyone else’s. A system that allows people to vote privately, at convenient times, ensures broader participation and protects the principle of equal representation.

Remove Barriers to Participation

Both Open Town Meeting and Representative Town Meeting create real barriers to participation. I hear five points that are based on flawed assumptions.

1) Some people are “more informed” and therefore better suited to take decisions away from others. That’s elitist and presumes individuals have not informed themselves or just plain know what is best for themselves and the community. Others claim that social media will influence the vote. Yet somehow the 150 elected RTM or self-appointed OTM are impervious to this? That is also elitist and gives your neighbors very little credit.

2) Decisions are better when made by groups. That claim needs evidence—especially when these groups deny thousands of residents the right to vote directly.

3) RTM or OTM deliberates on the budget. RTM does not, in fact, allow budget amendments. It is an up or down vote, with only plus or minus permitted.

4) RTM or OTM discussions will give “needed guidance” to the Selectboard if the budget is not passed.  Look what happened in 2025: The only thing clear from hours of discussion was “reduce the budget.” That’s not meaningful deliberation or guidance.

5) There is no chance to give input to the budget until RTM or OTM.   In 2025, the Selectboard held listening sessions and had more than 25 meetings.  You can attend in person or by Zoom, and you can email, write or call Selectboard members. 

6) Elected RTM members truly represent the population of Brattleboro.  At the May 25, 2025 RTM, the revised budget vote had 24 elected members absent, 11 abstained, 4 no’s. Absent and abstained represented 2,275 voters or nearly 25% of the voting population who were not represented. Point here is RTM does not represent but also that absent individuals had good excuses and the abstainees had good reason not to record their votes publicly alongside their names. Question is why wouldn’t we extend these courtesies to all registered voters so they can privately vote in the booth or absentee vote at the time of their choosing from the comfort of their kitchen tables?

Australian—secret--ballot fixes all of this. It’s private, accessible, and familiar. When we collected petition signatures, people signed eagerly once they understood this was simply a normal vote—one they could actually participate in. This including the aged, physically impaired, single working parents, and hourly-wage earners, non-English speakers … none of which could easily attend a 10-14 hour RTM or OTM.

If we’re serious about inclusivity, if we believe people deserve a direct say in their own futures, then the Australian ballot isn’t just an option. It’s the right choice.

In Support of Australian Ballot

The recent opinion pieces in The Brattleboro Reformer raise thoughtful points about participation and collaboration in local government. But they incorrectly assume that Australian ballot reduces voter influence or hands power to a few. That simply isn’t accurate.

First, Australian ballot means every registered voter in Brattleboro gets to cast a ballot on the budget and charter questions, not just the small subset who can attend or be elected to a meeting. It is the only system that ensures one person, one vote across the entire electorate rather than decision-making by attendance or representation.

Second, Australian ballot does not remove public debate or citizen input. Residents can still engage in Selectboard budget hearings, ask questions, attend forums, write letters, and participate in public deliberations before the vote. What changes is the final vote—it becomes accessible to those who cannot attend long meetings due to work, health, caregiving, or other commitments.

Third, in many Vermont towns that have moved budget votes to Australian ballot (especially with mailed ballots), turnout has increased significantly compared with floor-meeting participation. This shows that accessibility matters: when more residents have a real opportunity to participate, more residents do participate.

The goal of governance reform should be to expand, not limit, democratic participation. Australian ballot does that by making it easier for every voter to cast a private, informed vote on issues that affect their taxes, safety, and community services. It doesn’t silence debate—it simply ensures the entire community has a chance to participate in the decision.

Expand Participation. Strengthen Democracy.

In the past three years, 31 Vermont towns have moved from outdated Open Town Meeting formats to the Australian (secret) ballot. They did so for one clear reason: to broaden participation and make voting accessible to more residents.

Consider neighboring Marlboro. After transitioning from Open Town Meeting to Australian ballot, voter turnout reached 55.96% of registered voters in 2024 and 45.79% in 2025. Even at 45.79%, participation far exceeds what could ever fit into a single in-person meeting. The largest space Marlboro could use for an Open Town Meeting holds only about 15% of the town’s population—placing a hard physical cap on participation.

The same limitations apply in Brattleboro. The largest available venue, the Latchis Theatre, seats approximately 750 people—just 8% of an estimated 9,000 registered voters. No matter how engaged residents may be, an Open Town Meeting structurally excludes the vast majority.

If our goal is to widen participation and strengthen local democracy, the path is clear. The Australian ballot removes physical barriers, expands access, and ensures that more voices are heard.

Expanding participation should be our priority. The Australian ballot is a proven way to achieve it.