Town meeting

Form of direct democracy for cities or towns A town meeting in Huntington, Vermont Part of the Politics seriesCommon forms of local government Executive and legislature separate Mayor–council Council–manager Executive and legislature fusedCity commission Direct democratic forms Town meeting Representative town meeting Politics portalvte Town meeting, also known as an open town meeting, is a form of local government in which eligible town residents can directly participate in an assembly which determines the governance of their town. Unlike representative town meeting where only elected representatives can participate in the governing assembly, any town voter may participate in an open town meeting. This form is distinct from town hall meetings held by elected officials to communicate with their constituents, which have no decision-making power. At a town meeting, attendees determine the ordinances or rules of the town, its boards and commissions, elected and appointed positions, capital investments, expenditures, budgets, and local taxation, as well as the manner and frequency of future town meetings. Because towns self-govern and maintain their autonomy, town meetings vary fro