I want to be informed when I vote on town issues in March, what can I do? (11/19/2023)

Being an informed voted is an important civic duty.  That task can be challenging when voters receive a ballot with 32 (or more!) articles with a broad range of topics.  Below is a list of ways to be informed on issues that will appear on the town ballot.

• Voter Guide
  • The voter guide is a designed to provide background and details to allow voters to make informed decisions on ballot initiatives.  See the 2023 Voter Guide to see a sample of this resource. 
• Warrant Webpage
  • Many warrant articles are year(s) in the making and there is a tremendous amount of backup information available.  The warrant webpage summarizes each warrant article (similar to the voter guide) and provides links to review recordings of public meetings, historical documents, and other resources to understand the question before voters.  See the 2023 Warrant Webpage to see a sample of this resource.
• Budget Binder Webpage
  • Oftentimes, the most significant warrant article on the town ballot is the operating budget.  This budget provides funding for ten departments to deliver services to residents.  The budget binder webpage provides a fully electronic version of the annual budget binder with historical documents, narrative documents, and summaries to understand where every dollar in the operating budget is spent.  See the 2024 Budget Binder Webpage to see a sample of this resource. 
• Attend Deliberative Session
  • Barrington's Town Meeting is split into two sessions, a deliberative session and a ballot session.  The deliberative session is an important step of the process where each warrant article is discussed/deliberated and potentially changed.  The town deliberative session is generally on the last Saturday in January or the first Saturday in February at 9:00am at the middle school.  See the 2023 Deliberative Session video recording to see a sample of this resource.  
• Attend the Budget/Warrant Public Hearing
  • Ahead of the annual deliberative session, the Select Board holds a public hearing as a final review and opportunity to change the warrant articles.  This public hearing is generally at a Select Board meeting in early January at 6:30pm at the Town Hall.  See the 2023 Budget/Warrant Public hearing video recording to see a sample of this resource.
• Contact the Select Board
  • The Select Board members are your elected representatives for municipal business.  They stand ready and willing to discuss issues of municipal importance with residents.  Find the current members and there contact information here: www.barrington.nh.gov/office-select-board-select-board.