what do you need to do to help pass sb2?
- YOU MUST attend the Annual School meeting on March 15th at 9am at the Hopkinton Middle High School gym and vote "Yes" on SB2.
- YOU MUST attend the Annual Town meeting on March 20th at 6pm at the Hopkinton Middle High School gym and vote "Yes" on SB2.
- Pass SB2 this year so next year ALL voting goes on the ballot for Election Day, giving ALL voters full access to voting at the polls from 7am-7pm or by absentee ballot - WHILE we are voting for elected offices and zoning.
Important note: At last year’s annual School District meeting, approximately 52% of voters who attended the meeting voted for SB2—just shy of the 60% needed to pass! Your vote is important!
Important note: SB2 can be rescinded in the same way it is proposed and passed. 1) A group of 25+ citizens (via petition warrant article); 2) A public hearing; and 3) A vote of 3/5 majority (60%). See the Helpful Resources - Downloads section below for additional details.
SB2 Makes Voting Accessible to ALL Hopkinton Residents
Registered voters in Hopkinton already have the right to vote on local budgets and warrant articles but only if they attend the annual School District and Town Meetings in March. SB2 makes this right to vote more accessible to all registered voters.
Under SB2, the process consists of two sessions. The first is the Deliberative Session (formerly the annual meeting), where voters discuss and amend warrant articles. The second takes place on Election Day, when residents vote at the polls from 7am-7pm while also electing local officials and deciding on zoning amendments. Under SB2, registered voters may also vote by absentee ballots.
Why does sb2 exist?
In 1995, Senate Bill 2 (SB2) was sponsored by Senator Sheila Roberge (R) and was passed by super majorities in the Senate (16-8) and the House (236-106).
SB2 is a democratic system established by the New Hampshire Legislature to ensure that a large segment of voters, who struggle to participate due to the demands of modern life, still have a voice. These demands make it difficult for people to attend traditional annual meetings because of scheduling conflicts and the lengthy duration of the meetings. Under SB2, voting on School District and Town budgets and warrant articles takes place on Election Day at the polls from 7am-7pm while we are voting for local officials and zoning amendments. Under SB2, registered voters may also vote by absentee ballot.
There are 80 NH schools/districts and 72 towns/municipalities utilizing SB2 to conduct their business.
DELIBERATIVE SESSIONs
Under SB2, the first step or session consists of the Deliberative Session (replacing the annual meeting). At the Deliberative Sessions, the budget and all warrant articles are considered. There will be opportunities for explanation, discussion and amendment to each article. The conclusion of each article will result in voting to either:
- Add the article to the ballot in its original form for Election Day, or
- Add the article to the ballot as amended during the Deliberative Session for Election Day.
Second Step: On Election Day, voters will decide whether to pass or not pass each article.
- This gives residents time between the Deliberative Sessions and Election Day to educate themselves and get answers to questions. NOTE: Many towns send out voting guides to assist in voter education and a sample ballot with all warrant articles will be available before Election Day for voters to review.
- This also makes voting more accessible for ALL registered voters and includes voting at the polls from 7am-7pm during the town and school district elections, with the added convenience of absentee ballots for those unable to attend in person. This year, Election Day is on March 11th.
The Deliberative Sessions are held in early February replacing the annual meetings. This year the annual meetings are being held on March 15th (School District) and March 20th (Town).
In addition, under SB2 operating budgets have a proposed and default budget that are placed on the ballot for voting. Voters can vote for the proposed budget or the default budget. For more information on default budgets, see "Understanding Default Budgets Under SB2" in the Helpful Resources section below.