Secret ballot is good for voters
www.citizen.com March 22, 2008
Editor, TheCitizen: I am writing in response to Kim Dubuque's letter to the editor on March 20. She stated that in all the years that she has been attending the town meetings in Moultonboro, the use of petitions for paper ballots were 'used on very rare occasions'. This year's meeting had 8 petitions for secret ballots that 'were signed by 5 to 10 people. This turned what is usually a timely process into a marathon.' She went further to state that this turned her civic duty into 'a lengthy and arduous affair for no apparent reason.'
Well Kim, I'm sorry that you found the right of the people to vote in secrecy such a burden. The law allows for secret ballots when 5 registered voters present at the town meeting sign a petition and request it for any article item. That is precisely what happened on Saturday. It was not the intent of those that signed the petitions (I signed two of them) to 'disrupt what is usually a timely and smoothly flowing process' or as some would say a vocal rubber stamp. What the requests for secret ballot clearly indicate, is that not all people prefer their vote to be known by any or everyone else. Some people are easily intimidated by others and may feel swayed or pressured into voting in a particular way.
This year's agenda had some very contentious issues at hand, as was evidenced by the heated discussion that occurred. Point in fact: there was a very vocal group that petitioned article 9 (funding for an architectural and engineering study for the Community Center) with 300 signatures. The reality is that less than 200 signatures were valid and only 198 voted for this article during town meeting. Hmmm... I would remind the writer that SB2 while not achieving a super majority, was a clear majority winner (56%) so obviously many people want a secret ballot. There was a recent editorial in the Citizen that stated this very fact. It's not the tax that is too much, it's the spending!!! This is one of the reasons that article 9 was voted down.
We need to focus on our needs not our wants. And if that means that we take extra time to vote in a secret ballot, then so be it! Some people have been ridiculed by some of our selectmen for not having the 'courage' to speak out at the town meetings. I don't think that is fair or proper to say such things. If I am going to be publicly ridiculed then I wouldn't want to speak out. In fact, I wouldn't want to go to the meeting. Then guess what? My vote wouldn't count. But by utilizing the right to petition for a secret ballot, those who have felt intimidated or ridiculed would have their vote counted. This year, every vote counted.
I can assure you that many people, including myself, did in fact do their research and made a 'sound decision'. I can also assure you that you have not heard the end of SB2!
Linda Punturieri
Moultonboro
Editor, TheCitizen: I am writing in response to Kim Dubuque's letter to the editor on March 20. She stated that in all the years that she has been attending the town meetings in Moultonboro, the use of petitions for paper ballots were 'used on very rare occasions'. This year's meeting had 8 petitions for secret ballots that 'were signed by 5 to 10 people. This turned what is usually a timely process into a marathon.' She went further to state that this turned her civic duty into 'a lengthy and arduous affair for no apparent reason.'
Well Kim, I'm sorry that you found the right of the people to vote in secrecy such a burden. The law allows for secret ballots when 5 registered voters present at the town meeting sign a petition and request it for any article item. That is precisely what happened on Saturday. It was not the intent of those that signed the petitions (I signed two of them) to 'disrupt what is usually a timely and smoothly flowing process' or as some would say a vocal rubber stamp. What the requests for secret ballot clearly indicate, is that not all people prefer their vote to be known by any or everyone else. Some people are easily intimidated by others and may feel swayed or pressured into voting in a particular way.
This year's agenda had some very contentious issues at hand, as was evidenced by the heated discussion that occurred. Point in fact: there was a very vocal group that petitioned article 9 (funding for an architectural and engineering study for the Community Center) with 300 signatures. The reality is that less than 200 signatures were valid and only 198 voted for this article during town meeting. Hmmm... I would remind the writer that SB2 while not achieving a super majority, was a clear majority winner (56%) so obviously many people want a secret ballot. There was a recent editorial in the Citizen that stated this very fact. It's not the tax that is too much, it's the spending!!! This is one of the reasons that article 9 was voted down.
We need to focus on our needs not our wants. And if that means that we take extra time to vote in a secret ballot, then so be it! Some people have been ridiculed by some of our selectmen for not having the 'courage' to speak out at the town meetings. I don't think that is fair or proper to say such things. If I am going to be publicly ridiculed then I wouldn't want to speak out. In fact, I wouldn't want to go to the meeting. Then guess what? My vote wouldn't count. But by utilizing the right to petition for a secret ballot, those who have felt intimidated or ridiculed would have their vote counted. This year, every vote counted.
I can assure you that many people, including myself, did in fact do their research and made a 'sound decision'. I can also assure you that you have not heard the end of SB2!
Linda Punturieri
Moultonboro
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