Town Meeting Day is Tuesday, March 2, 2027
161 days away — here's how to prepare.
What Is Town Meeting Day?
Every first Tuesday in March, all 251 Vermont municipalities hold their annual town meeting. It's the day Vermonters vote on local budgets, elect town officials, and decide policy questions that directly affect their community. This guide covers how to prepare and participate — for how town meeting works as an institution, see our companion guide.
Learn how town meeting works →How to Prepare
Register to vote
Make sure you're registered to vote in your Vermont town. Vermont allows same-day voter registration — you can register at your polling place on Town Meeting Day itself.
Your Rights at Town Meeting
Right to speak
At floor meetings, any registered voter can speak on any article. You don't need permission — just raise your hand when the moderator opens the floor.
Right to vote
Every registered voter gets one vote on every article. Votes are by voice, show of hands, or paper ballot if the result is contested.
Right to amend
At floor meetings, voters can propose amendments to articles from the floor. This is one of the most powerful features of direct democracy — you can change the proposal, not just accept or reject it.
Right to information
The annual report and warning must be made available to all voters before the meeting. You have the right to ask questions about any budget line item or warrant article.
What to Expect
If you're attending a floor meeting for the first time, here's what to expect: the meeting is run by an elected moderator who calls each article in order. Discussion happens before every vote. Meetings can last anywhere from 30 minutes in small towns to several hours in larger ones. Some towns provide potluck dinners.
If your town uses Australian ballot, voting works like a regular election — you go to the polls during voting hours and fill out a ballot. Some towns hold an informational meeting the night before to discuss the warrant articles.
Review the 2026 Ballot Archive
Look back at Town Meeting Day 2026 official-warning questions and meeting formats while you prepare for the next annual meeting.
Open the Archive