Petitions for Voter-Backed Articles

Petitions for Town Meeting Articles – Town of Morristown, VT

Citizens can ask to have an issue voted on at the Annual Town Meeting or a Special Town Meeting in two ways:

1. Ask the Selectboard or School Board to add an article to the meeting warning.

2. Submit a petition if the board decides not to include your article.

🗳️ Annual Town Meeting Petitions

• Who can petition: Any group of registered Morristown voters.

• Signatures required: At least 5% of registered voters.

  • For 2025, that’s about 215 signatures.

  • Check with the Town Clerk at (802) 888-6669 for the current number.

• Deadline: Petitions must be received by 4:00 PM on Thursday, January 15, 2026.

• Where to submit: Morristown Town Clerk’s Office

• Legal reference: 17 V.S.A. § 2642(a)(3)(A)

💰 Social Service Agency Appropriations

• Agencies requesting a new appropriation or a larger amount than last year must submit a petition following the rules in 17 V.S.A. § 2642.

• Agencies requesting the same or less than last year’s approved amount do not need a petition but must submit the Social Service Agency Appropriation Application by December 1 each year.

Resources:

• Social Service Agency Appropriation Policy

• Application Form

• Sample Petition

• Contact the Town Administration Office at (802) 888-5147 for details.

📅 Special Town Meeting Petitions

• When to submit: Anytime to the Town Clerk.

• Signatures required: 5% of registered voters.

• Once verified, the town must warn the meeting within 60 days.

  • 17 V.S.A. § 2643(a)

📋 Rules for All Petitions

Every petition must:

1. Include the petition language on every page where signatures are collected.
   (17 V.S.A. § 2642(a)(3)(C)(ii))

2. Include each voter’s printed name, signature, and street address.
   (17 V.S.A. § 2642(a)(3)(C)(iii))

3. Petitions may contain one or more proposed articles.
   (17 V.S.A. § 2642(a)(3)(C)(i))

⚖️ Types of Articles

Binding Articles

Must be placed on the warning if properly petitioned. Examples include:

• Changing the size of the Selectboard or School Board

• Creating special reserve funds

• Approving funding for equipment or improvements

Bonding Articles require 10% of voter signatures (not 5%) and must include:

• Purpose of the bond

• Estimated project cost

• Amount of bonds to be issued

• Exact wording of the article

(24 V.S.A. §§ 1755–1758)
→ Sample Petition for Binding Article

Non-Binding (Advisory) Articles

• The board may include advisory articles related to town business.

• The board is not required to warn articles unrelated to town business.
  → Sample Petition Language for Advisory Article

Frivolous or Illegal Articles

The board cannot include articles that:

• Instruct the board to take actions it is not legally allowed to take

• Attempt to override responsibilities given by state law

Examples:

• Directing the board to fire an employee

• Approving or adopting a local ordinance (the board can only do this)

🔁 Reconsidering a Voted Article

If you disagree with the outcome of a vote:

• You can file a petition signed by 5% of voters within 30 days of the vote.

• The board must hold a special meeting within 60 days to reconsider the article.

• Only one voter-backed reconsideration is allowed per article per year.

• The board itself may call additional reconsiderations (except for bonding votes).

(17 V.S.A. § 2661)
→ Sample Petition for Reconsideration

📞 Contact

Town Clerk’s Office
Morristown Municipal Building
Phone: (802) 888-6669

Town Administration Office
Phone: (802) 888-5147