The regular town election shall be held on the first Tuesday
following the first Monday in November in each odd-numbered year.
A preliminary election for the purpose of nominating mayoral
candidates shall be held on the third Tuesday in September in every
other odd-numbered year, but the town clerk may, with the approval
of the town council, reschedule this election to the fourth Tuesday
to avoid a conflict with any civil or religious holiday. Whenever
a special election to fill a vacancy in the office of mayor is to
be held, a preliminary election shall be conducted 35 days preceding
the date established for the special election.
All elections for town offices shall be non-partisan and election
ballots shall be printed without any party mark, emblem, or other
designation whatsoever.
The order in which names of candidates appear on the ballot
for each office shall be determined by a drawing, by lot, conducted
by the town clerk. The town clerk shall give public notice of the
time and place of the drawing, and the drawing shall be open to the
public.
The territory of the town shall be divided into 6 districts
so established as to consist of as nearly an equal number of inhabitants
as it is possible to achieve based on compact and contiguous territory,
bounded insofar as possible by the center line of known streets or
ways or by other well defined limits. Each such district shall be
composed of voting precincts established in accordance with general
laws. The town council shall from time to time, but at least once
in each 10 years, review such districts to insure their uniformity
in number of inhabitants.
Except as otherwise expressly provided in this charter and authorized
by law, all town elections shall be governed by the laws of the commonwealth
relating to the right to vote, the registration of voters, the nomination
of candidates, the conduct of preliminary, general and special elections,
the submission of charters, charter amendments and other propositions
to the voters, the counting of votes, the recounting of votes, and
the determination of results.
None of the following shall be subject to the initiative or
the referendum procedures:
(1) proceedings relating to the internal organization or operation of
the town council or the school committee;
(2) an emergency measure adopted in conformity with the charter;
(3) the town budget or the school committee budget as a whole;
(5) any appropriation for the payment of the town's debt or debt service;
(6) an appropriation of funds to implement a collective bargaining agreement;
(7) proceedings relating to the election, appointment, removal, discharge,
employment, promotion, transfer, demotion, or other personnel action;
(8) any proceedings repealing or rescinding a measure or part thereof
which is protested by referendum procedures;
(9) any proceedings providing for the submission or referral to the voters
at an election; and
(10)
memorial resolutions and other votes constituting ordinary,
routine matters not suitable as the subject of a referendum petition.
The town council may of its own motion, and shall at the request
of the school committee if a measure originates with that body and
pertains to affairs under its jurisdiction, submit to the voters at
any regular town election for adoption or rejection any measure in
the same manner and with the same force and effect as is hereby provided
for submission by petitions of voters.
If 2 or more measures passed at the same election contain conflicting
provisions, only the 1 receiving the greatest number of affirmative
votes shall take effect.