Live updates: Vermonters vote local on Town Meeting Day 2025
Town Meeting Day is an election day for local entities 鈥� that's your town government, your local school district, and sometimes other institutions like water districts.
It's one of Vermont鈥檚 most cherished traditions.
Find answers to your questions in our Town Meeting Day guide, and check back here for results, stories and photos.
Three Rutland County communities support school closure idea
Yesterday, voters in the three-town western Rutland County school district of Quarry Valley overwhelmingly approved a non-binding article endorsing the possibility of closing a school.
The district operates three separate single-town high schools in Proctor, West Rutland and Poultney.
Superintendent Christopher Sell said the school board didn't have a particular school in mind when its members put the item on the ballot, but wanted to survey community sentiment on the subject.
Results show 471 residents voted to encourage the school board to explore closure and 365 voted against.
School budgets overwhelmingly pass
School officials exhaled with relief on Wednesday as they took stock of this year鈥檚 Town Meeting Day results, which saw over 90% of spending plans win voter approval.
Budgets passed in at least 101 districts on Tuesday, according to preliminary data compiled by the state鈥檚 superintendent and school boards associations, and failed in just nine districts, many of which typically have trouble passing budgets.
Voters decide on Middle East resolutions
Thetford, Plainfield, Newfane, and voters adopted advisory pledges supporting the Palestinian people and opposing "Israel's Apartheid regime, settler colonialism, and military occupation," according to the .
Newfane added language supporting "the right for both sides to exist, with freedom from oppression, with freedom from threat of annihilation from the other and the self determination in peace," .
voters rejected the statement with 1,181 votes opposed and 887 votes in favor.
The measure also was rejected in , with 392 votes opposed and 162 in favor.
Royalton rejects flood plain and river corridor regulations
Voters in Royalton voted down a measure to adopt new restrictions on development in flood plains and river corridors on Tuesday.
The regulations would have banned new development in the 500-year flood plain and imposed new restrictions on new development in river corridors.
River corridors are the area where a river is likely to move and change its course over the years, which is where much of the most erosive and dangerous flooding happens in the state.
The state is in the midst of writing the first ever statewide regulations on new construction in river corridors, which are due to go into effect in 2028.
According to preliminary results, residents rejected the measure by a vote of 390 to 193, with 13 undervotes.
Robert Gray, Jr. won the competitive race for a three-year select board seat and Larry Trottier won a two-year seat after running unopposed.
Voters give mixed response to local option taxes
Many communities considered additional 1% local taxes this year. Here are some of the results:
- Hartford: 1% sales tax , 848-699
- Marlboro: 1% sales, meals, alcoholic beverages and rooms tax , 214-107
- Middlebury: the planned expiration of the 1% sales, rooms, meals and alcohol tax, 900-238
- Montpelier: 1% sales tax passed, 1,705-588
- Royalton: 1% meals, alcohol and rooms tax failed after a ballot vote ended in a tie
- Springfield: 1% rooms and meals tax , 786-525
- Whitingham: 1% rooms, meals and alcoholic beverages tax
Bennington voters reject local voting expansions
Bennington voters declined to extend voting rights to 16- and 17-year-olds and non-U.S. citizens with legal residency, according to
The youth voting provision failed with 1,418 votes against and 724 votes in favor.
The noncitizen voting proposal had more support but failed with 1,419 votes against and 1,077 in favor.
Non-U.S. citizens are allowed to vote locally in Burlington, Winooski and Montpelier.
Brattleboro is the only Vermont town that allows 16- and 17-year-olds to vote in local elections.
In other charter changes, voters endorsed a short-term rental tax, a provision allowing the select board to remove the town manager, and a change in responsibilities for the community policing advisory board.
In a crowded race for three select board seats, Jim Sullivan, Jackie Matts and Tom Haley were the top vote-getters.
Infrastructure bonds pass in many communities
Voters across Vermont approved millions of dollars for local infrastructure projects this Town Meeting Day.
Killington voters approved a $11.2 million bond to pay for the next phase of an effort to build the community鈥檚 first-ever municipal water system. The ballot item passed with 225 voting in favor, and 106 voting against it, .
Chester residents overwhelmingly voted in favor of a $2.9 million bond to replace a force main, gravity main and pump station. , 400 voted in favor of the measure and 53 voted against it. The town also passed a ballot item approving a $1.1 million bond to buy a solar array.
In Middlebury, residents on several water infrastructure projects. The largest bond is $49.5 million to upgrade the town鈥檚 wastewater treatment facility and pump station.
St. Johnsbury voters approved a $2.8 million bond to fund improvements to the town鈥檚 public water supply system. That measure passed with 856 votes in favor, and 266 against, according to the .
In St. Albans City, voters approved a roughly $4 million project to build a storage tank underneath Houghton Park that town officials say will help prevent combined sewage overflows on Lower Weldon Street. According to the , 498 people voted in favor of the bond, and 178 voted against it.
Burlington voters approved a $152 million bond to upgrade the city鈥檚 wastewater and stormwater systems.The bond passed with 80 percent of the vote, according to official results.
Queen City residents also approved a $20 million bond for drinking water upgrades, including improvements to the city鈥檚 reservoir, pump station, and treatment plant.
In South Hero, residents voted 397 to 280 in favor of a $2.8 million bond to build a new town hall.
Rutland Mayor Michael Doenges reelected, $3.8 million bond approved
Rutland Mayor Michael Doenges has won reelection.
He beat former city clerk and Board of Aldermen member Henry Heck with about 56% of the vote in Tuesday's Town Meeting Day election.
"We ran this campaign on affordability, public safety and growth, and all three of those things are directly interlocked and we need to continue on that path," Doenges said, "And we heard loud and clear that the voters in Rutland are excited about that."
The 44-year-old incumbent was first elected in 2023 and touted growing housing in the city as a priority, along with making Rutland a more welcoming, thriving and exciting place to live.
Beyond the mayor's race, Rutland voters resoundingly approved their school and municipal budgets and green-lit a $3.8 million capital improvement bond to be paid for by the city鈥檚 new 1% sales tax. The money will be used to repair and improve municipal buildings, the city鈥檚 water infrastructure, as well as roads and sidewalks.
More: Rutland Mayor Michael Doenges reelected to second term
Champlain Valley school budget passes
Voters in Hinesburg, Williston, Shelburne, Charlotte and St. George have approved the $102.7 million budget for the Champlain Valley School District with about 70% in favor, .
The district took steps to keep spending down this year by cutting nearly 39 positions.
The budget is expected to result in a property tax decrease.
Georgia school budget fails
Voters in Georgia rejected the school budget with 348 votes in favor and 378 votes opposed, according to .
The budget was to result in a tax rate increase of about 7.5%, and the school district said a large cost pressure this year was a greater number of high school students to tuition.
ATV issue splits Highgate, Fletcher
Highgate voters for allowing all-terrain vehicles on town roads on Tuesday. The non-binding article advising the select board to allow ATVs passed 270-219.
But in Fletcher, voters the idea, disapproving of ATV road use with 159 votes in favor and 242 opposed.
The question of where ATVs should be allowed has proven controversial in some parts of the state, leading to heated debate about where the vehicles should operate.
Proponents of the sport say it draws out-of-state visitors to rural communities, where they purchase meals and spend money at local businesses. They say with good local regulations and enforcement, the ATV riders can have minimal impact on other recreational users and residents.
Opponents say some riders behave recklessly by speeding or ignoring traffic laws and create a noise nuisance in places they value for their quiet and tranquility. They raise questions about increased wear on local roads and whether small towns 鈥� especially those without local police forces 鈥� have the ability to enforce the rules they propagate.
More from 开云体育: Vermont towns weigh ATV use on public roads at town meeting
Burlington ballot items pass, Democrats will have majority
Burlington voters approved all the measures on the Town Meeting Day ballot, including a $152 million bond to upgrade the city鈥檚 wastewater and stormwater systems.
The wastewater and stormwater bond passed with 80.7% of the vote, . The city plans to upgrade its wastewater plant, and warned that the current infrastructure was likely to fail in the next three years. Queen City residents also approved a $20 million bond for drinking water upgrades, including improvements to the city鈥檚 reservoir, pump station, and treatment plant.
The city estimates both bonds will raise water and sewer bills by as much as 89% between 2025 and 2030.
Burlington voters also approved the city鈥檚 school budget and a $20 million bond for capital improvements.
Three charter changes also passed on Tuesday: One gives the city council authority to determine how much notice landlords must give before terminating leases, another eliminates the need for the Legislature to approve the city council鈥檚 redistricting, and the third would ban guns in bars. All three charter changes would need approval from the state Legislature and governor before taking effect.
And Burlington Democrats will have a majority on the City Council after winning three seats Tuesday.
Democrat Allie Schacter beat Progressive Kathy Olwell in the East District, and Democrat Ranjit 鈥淏uddy鈥� Singh beat Progressive Jennifer Monroe Zakaras in the South District.
In the North District, Mark Barlow, who ran as a Democrat after previously running as an independent, fended off a last-minute from former city councilor Ali Dieng.
Progressives kept a seat in the Central District where Melo Grant, the incumbent, ran unopposed. Democrats will hold seven of the 12 seats on the city council when the new members are sworn in next month.
Fairfax rejects school budget by 7 votes
Fairfax voters have disapproved of the proposed school budget by a vote of 524-531, according to
The school district the budget would have increased the homestead property tax rate by about 10.7%.
Hinesburg, Fairfax reject cannabis sales
Hinesburg rejected a measure that would have allowed cannabis retailers in town by a margin of just six votes, according to .
The vote was 620 in favor and 626 opposed.
also rejected cannabis sales, and by a greater margin 鈥� 425 in favor and 601 opposed.
voters decided to stop granting licenses to new cannabis retailers, effectively capping the number of retailers in town, by a vote of 114-77.
Middlebury approves wastewater treatment upgrades
Middlebury residents voted in favor of every article on their ballots this Town Meeting Day 鈥� that includes several water infrastructure bonds.
The largest is for a bond of up to $49.5 million to upgrade the town鈥檚 wastewater treatment facility.
Voters also approved two smaller bonds: one to upgrade a pump station that currently causes wastewater discharges, and another to improve a stormwater treatment system site.
Residents also approved an article to continue the town's 1% local option tax.
Colchester passes all ballot items
Colchester voters gave the green light to the school budget and all other ballot items, .
Paul Pecor won a contested select board race against three opponents, and Nicolas Longo prevailed in a school board contest.
South Burlington passes school, city budgets
South Burlington voters approved their city and school budgets, according to
The school budget is expected to lead to a of 8.1%, according to the district.
Voters approved the school budget by a narrower margin than the city budget, with about 51.4% in favor.
Winooski passes all articles
Winooski's school budget passed, 701-283, according to
All other items passed, including the city budget. A non-binding article advising the mayor and City Council to adopt a pledge supporting the people of Palestine and working "to end all support to Israel's apartheid regime, settler colonialism, and military occupation" passed 655-252.
In a tight school board race, Emily Bowers appeared to have won with just a five-vote margin over Kate Stattel, according to unofficial results.
Polls are closed
All Vermont polling places closed at 7 p.m. Stay with us throughout the evening for results from ballot voting.
Royalton considers flood plain regulations
Royalton voters weighed a proposal Tuesday to effectively ban new development in the 500-year flood plain and impose new restrictions on development in river corridors.
The White River flows through the heart of each of the villages that comprise the town, and town officials say the community is seeing more and more costs every year due to flood damage.
Human-caused climate change is bringing more frequent and severe floods to Vermont, which presents challenges for towns with historic structures and existing homes that lie in their way.
If it passes, the new bylaw would largely ban new construction in the 500-year flood plain and require extra permits for property improvements landowners make there.
It would also restrict construction in the river corridor, which is the swath of land surrounding a river or stream where it鈥檚 likely to change its course over the centuries. Flooding there can be especially dangerous, and it鈥檚 the place where buildings are most likely to be swept away.
The rule would allow for new development in the river corridor if it creates more density in places that are already very developed, like village centers. However, new buildings would have to undergo a rigorous permitting and review process.
The state is in the process of designing its own regulations on river corridors, but those rules won鈥檛 go into effect until 2028.
Stewart Ketcham voted in favor of the new regulations Tuesday. He sees them as an opportunity for Royalton to hold onto some local control over how it deals with flooding.
鈥淢y opinion is that the state is going to come out and mandate something in a couple of years, so if we don鈥檛 decide now, we鈥檙e going to be subject to the state鈥檚 decision,鈥� he said.
Bob Gray was vying for a select board seat, and said he opposes the resolution over concerns about how it might exacerbate the unaffordability of housing in town.
鈥淭oday, it鈥檚 pretty much unaffordable for people that have grown up and lived here,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 think the zoning bylaws that they presented are really restrictive to people, and there鈥檚 also a lot of people that are going to be in the floodplain.鈥�
The town voted on the rules Tuesday by Australian ballot.
Plainfield voters signal support for housing project on higher ground
Plainfield residents today voted to establish a reserve fund with an eye toward building more housing.
Selectboard member Dan Fingas says the town was devastated by flooding last summer, so officials are considering adding 40 or so housing lots to higher ground on the east side of the village.
But the project has been controversial, with nearby residents worried about the influx of properties.
Fingas says the reserve fund doesn't include any money, so today's vote was a way to gauge community interest.
"We know that folks in Plainfield want more housing and want more options after the flood," Fingas said. "It's really easy to say we want housing. It's a lot harder to find places for the housing. This gives us one of the places we should be looking at for housing."
Plainfield voters approved the measure 130 to 30.
Middlesex town moderator: 'Government is us'
On Vermont Edition Tuesday, Middlesex town moderator Susan Clark discussed the times when Vermont towns voted on national and international issues that extended far beyond the purview of local budgets.
Clark described how during town meeting, citizens become the legislative branch for local issues. "We're not electing other people to govern for us," she said. "We are that body."
Proctor, West Rutland, and Poultney take voters' temperature on school closure
In the three-town western Rutland County school district of Quarry Valley, voters on Tuesday weighed in on a non-binding article about school closure.
Superintendent Christopher Sell said the school board didn't have a particular school in mind when its members put the item on the ballot, but wanted to survey community sentiment on the subject. The district operates three separate single-town high schools in Proctor, West Rutland, and Poultney.
At the polls, 83-year-old Proctor resident and used car dealer Dan Kearney said his two sons went to Proctor schools and benefited from the small school environment.
"I went to a regional school in New Jersey. There was 300 kids in my graduating class in 1960. It's very hard to be anybody with 300 students in your class," he said.
Still, he wonders whether a school that graduates about 20 kids a year is sustainable.
"This is an expensive building for 20 students. I don't know what the answer is. Taxes are going up, people can't afford it. We'll see," he said.
For Proctor High senior Obadiah Tate, who also cast his ballot Tuesday, no small school should close. He thinks they鈥檙e more supportive and better able to foster community.
鈥淚 like going to a small school. I think it's important for students with special needs,鈥� he said.
Wastewater items draw big turnout in Montgomery
Montgomery saw lively interest in items related to supporting the town's proposed wastewater system.
"This is the largest turnout we've seen in ages," said Charlie Hancock, chair of the Montgomery Select Board.
Tosca Smith, a former select board member and codirector of the Heart Full Kitchen in the basement of the town hall, was splitting her time between the meeting upstairs and the kitchen downstairs.
She was concerned that due to the numbers she had not prepared enough turkey, gravy, biscuits, and cake for the free luncheon afterwards.
"I've been coming to town meeting in Montgomery for 28 years and I've never seen one this big," Tosca said.
All three of the wastewater-related items passed.
Jay voters approve higher spending, with some reservation
Voters in Jay approved everything for town meeting, including funding for the select board, the Jay Volunteer Fire Department and local roads.
More than 40 residents turned out for the 1.5-hour meeting, which was held in the auditorium of the Jay-Westfield Joint Elementary School.
Town Clerk Lynnette Deaette said turnout today was just above average.
Some voters were dismayed with the increases they were being asked to shoulder, including a $43,000 increase in the select board鈥檚 budget from 2024.
Select Board Chair Dave Sanders said they worked hard to keep funding level, but health care benefits drove up costs.
鈥淓verybody that receives health care benefits, or pays for health care benefits, knows that they went up dramatically,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 no different for the town and municipal employees.鈥�
The volunteer fire department asked for a significant funding boost 鈥� from $82,175 approved last year to $99,434 this year. Sanders said a significant portion of the gear the department uses is nearing the end of its life and must be replaced. The department is trying to spread out the costs over multiple years.
鈥淚f we鈥檙e going to maintain a local fire department, then we鈥檙e going to have to fund it,鈥� Sanders said.
Voters also approved $525,804 for roads, an increase.
Selectboard member Tara Morse told attendees the increase was tied to having to source sand and gravel from a supplier in Coventry. That鈥檚 because the local gravel pit was washed out by flooding.
鈥淚t鈥檚 $8 a yard more,鈥� Morse said. 鈥淏ut we still have to surface our roads.鈥�
Jay uses about 5,000 yards of gravel and sand a year to maintain its roads.
Voters did not approve a proposed amendment to cut the amount of proposed funding for the Rand Memorial Library by $250. In 2024, $1,500 was appropriated by voters. This year, funding was proposed at $1,750. Voters shot down an attempt to keep the funding level.
Jay resident Lindsey Wight said she was not surprised to see affordability concerns come up.
鈥淓verybody's worried about how we're going to keep living in this beautiful but expensive state, and just worrying about how we can keep our school numbers up, keep our family friendly nature up, make sure that we have the assets that we're used to, but also be able to buy our groceries, and it's definitely going to continue, I think, to be a concern,鈥� she said.
Wight said 鈥� in addition to getting to see neighbors and enjoy an after-meeting potluck 鈥� town meeting offers a place for the community to make their voices heard.
鈥淚 love this tradition,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 think town meeting鈥檚 a wonderful chance to get to express those concerns and have moderated dialog about it.鈥�
Royalton rejects 1% local tax
Voters in Royalton voted down a measure to create a new local 1% tax on sales of meals, alcohol and rooms on Tuesday.
The item inspired a vigorous floor debate, with business owners saying the tax would hurt them and their local customers, and other residents arguing it would largely affect visitors from out-of-town.
Eunice Gavin said she worried the tax on meals, rooms and alcohol would open the door to other local sales taxes. She owns Royal Auto, which wouldn鈥檛 be affected by the current proposal, but expressed concern for her fellow business owners.
鈥淒on鈥檛 think that the economic business of these small communities in Vermont isn鈥檛 suffering now 鈥� they are,鈥� Gavin said. 鈥淣one of us know what鈥檚 going to happen in the future and I just think this would be really detrimental and needs more analysis of the benefits to the town.鈥�
Aaron Slater said he was happy to support the tax. He said he sees Royalton struggling to make the transition from being an agricultural community to one where the economy is less centered on farming.
鈥淲e have a lot of visitors who come in, who are really here to see this beautiful place鈥� and they don鈥檛 necessarily pay their share to support that,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nything we can do to have them help pay their share for what they鈥檙e getting out of visiting here I think is great.鈥�
Other residents called for the item to be tabled until next year. Another thanked the select board for looking for creative ways to raise revenue that don鈥檛 involve raising property taxes.
The ballot measure failed after a paper ballot vote ended in a tie. The tax required a two-thirds majority to pass.
Voters in at least a dozen towns are weighing local option taxes this town meeting, after the Legislature made the process easier last year.
More from 开云体育: Why so many towns are considering adding local taxes this Town Meeting Day
Lyndon sticks with in-person voting
After , Lyndon residents were back in-person today 鈥� and one of the biggest decisions was whether to stay that way.
Voters considered, and rejected, a proposal to switch voting to Australian ballot.
"Democracy was never meant to be convenient. If we keep ceding our ability to come here as a group and come here and debate, that troubles me deeply," said former state Sen. Joe Benning, also a former town moderator.
Years ago, Carol Fisher pushed for the school budget to be voted on by Australian ballot in Lydon. But this year, she said it was important for the rest of the votes to be made on the floor.
"I'm here because the town needs more people to show up and speak their minds," Fisher said, "and I think people need to be educated as to where the money is going."
Also up for debate was a budget that included expenses related to flooding this past summer 鈥� paying volunteer firefighters who were responding to calls, repairing highway damage and funding cleanup.
Expenses also included swift water rescue equipment for the fire department along with rope, lighting, air tanks, hoses and nozzles.
Select Board Member Christian Thompson said the town is not looking at more short-term funding.
"The federal grant route is a more palatable option for our town, especially when you鈥檙e talking about projects in the hundreds of thousands of millions of dollars to do," Thompson said. "We鈥檙e not prepared to increase tax burden on folks."
The budget passed unanimously by a floor vote.
Bradford skate park plan moves forward
Voters in Bradford endorsed a plan for the town to build a skate park in an area that鈥檚 now mostly crabgrass with 120 votes in favor and 50 against.
During a town meeting vote on Saturday, residents also agreed for Bradford to apply , which would include a walking path and a court with a basketball hoop. There鈥檚 no other skate park .
鈥淭he nearest place is a half an hour to the south, or 40 minutes to the west or 35 minutes to the north,鈥� said Jean Carlan, chair of the town鈥檚 parks and recreation commission.
The town parks and recreation commission installed a mini ramp this fall, and it鈥檚 already been a popular.
鈥淎s soon as we got there, it was a magnet for kids,鈥� Carlan said. After the vote this weekend, she got a letter from a neighbor.
鈥淗er five-year-old had written us a note that said, 鈥楾hank you, we can鈥檛 wait for the skate park. Thank you Bradford.鈥欌��
The town still needs a federal grant to cover construction costs, projected to run close to $700,000. They鈥檒l find out whether that comes through later this year. Then, construction could begin as soon as fall of 2026.
What we're watching this Town Meeting Day
It's time for some old-fashioned democracy.
The town meeting tradition brings people together in the same room or at the voting booth to decide on a host of local issues, from school budgets and town road repairs to select board and mayoral candidates.
This year, school districts are presenting restrained budgets that in some cases require some challenging cuts.
We're seeing a wave of towns considering an extra 1% local option tax on certain transactions, and some municipalities are considering taking on debt for significant wastewater and water projects.
In other trends: A few towns will decide whether to allow . Wilmington, meanwhile, has had cannabis retailers for two years and will vote on stopping any future licenses.
And some communities will be considering a non-binding resolution that, among other things, would pledge that town to work "to end all support to Israel鈥檚 Apartheid regime, settler colonialism, and military occupation."
Finally, several communities will weigh in on the use of ATVs on town roads.
Health insurance: Where's all the money going?
As you listen to any presentation about your town or school district budget, you'll probably hear something like this: The cost of employee health insurance is rising faster than anything else.
Health insurance rates are high in Vermont, and every time they rise, they eat up more money that could be used for other services 鈥� forcing cuts just to keep the status quo.
It just didn't make sense for Rosie Krueger, a former Montpelier city councilor, so she submitted a question to Brave Little State:
"Why are health insurance premiums increasing so much faster than inflation, and where is all that money going?"
In a public voting round, this question won in a landslide. Reporter Josh Crane dug in.
Give it a listen, and you'll understand why your local officials might be tied up in knots over health insurance.
Get your bingo card for Town Meeting Day
Before you head out to your town meeting, print or download our bingo card.
Let us know how you did on social media by tagging 开云体育.
Rockingham, Bellows Falls and Saxtons River agree on fire department consolidation
The town of Rockingham and the villages of Bellows Falls and Saxtons River will consolidate their three fire departments into one.
Residents voted on the issue during Rockingham鈥檚 Town Meeting Day, which was held on Saturday this year.
Rockingham Town Manager Scott Pickup said the merger will hopefully save the town and villages money and improve communication among first responders.
鈥淎ll three departments have wonderful members, great traditions,鈥� he said on Vermont Edition, 鈥渂ut we have a lot of duplication. It was really an effort by our citizens to take a look and say, can we do this better?鈥�
Critics of the consolidation were wary of changing the existing structure, and some volunteer emergency responders said they might resign.
Still, residents voted in favor of the merger 191 to 103.
Bennington will decide on expanding voting access
Bennington residents Tuesday on whether to enfranchise two groups in local elections: 16- and 17-year-olds, and non-U.S. citizens with legal residency.
The push to expand voting rights arose from community conversations, according to Jackie Matts, the chair of Bennington鈥檚 charter review committee.
On Vermont Edition Monday, she noted that Bennington is a refugee resettlement site.
鈥淲e find that [refugee families] have a strong stake in the community and incentives to participate in our local affairs,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey live and work here. They pay taxes. They follow the same ordinances that the rest of the people in town follow, and so it seems that they should have the ability to make some informed choices about who leads them.鈥�
Non-U.S. citizens are already allowed to vote locally in Burlington, Winooski and Montpelier.
In Burlington, part-time city employees from New American communities are working to raise awareness about voting rights through one-on-one conversations.
鈥淎s exciting as this opportunity can be, people can be afraid of casting their vote,鈥� said Katherine Schad, Burlington鈥檚 chief administrative officer, on Vermont Edition. 鈥淲e have certainly found that kind of the personal touch and being able to answer specific questions, kind of in a one-on-one format has worked really well. We've done some door knocking campaigns.鈥�
Currently Brattleboro is the only Vermont town that allows 16- and 17-year-olds to vote in local elections.