At the upcoming Town Meeting in March, Sunderland residents will vote on whether future town matters should be decided through the Australian Ballot system rather than by floor vote. This proposal comes after several years of low voter turnout at Town Meetings.
If approved, the change would shift decision-making from in-person discussions to a secret ballot process. Despite the proposal to move voting to the ballot box, the decision itself will be made by a traditional floor vote at the meeting.
**Why this matters**
The move aims to increase voter participation by allowing residents to cast their votes privately and potentially at multiple locations. This could lead to broader community involvement and more representative outcomes in town decisions.