[Amended 11-8-2005]
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 shall be held not less than four nor more than
eight weeks prior to the general election on a Tuesday chosen by the
Town Clerk, with the approval of the Town Council, so as not to conflict
with any civil or religious holiday. All Town elections shall be non-partisan
and no party mark, emblem or other designation shall appear on any
ballot used at a preliminary or general election for Town offices.
The order in which names of candidates appear on the ballot
for each office at the general election shall be determined by a drawing,
by lot, conducted by the Town Clerk, which shall be open to the public.
The territory of the Town shall be divided into four districts
so established as to consist of as nearly an equal number of inhabitants
in each district as is possible, in 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 otherwise 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 expressly provided in this Charter and authorized
by law, all Town elections shall be governed by the general 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 of 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, (4) revenue
loan orders, (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,
and (9) any proceedings providing for the submission or referral to
the voters at an election.
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 are hereby provided
for submission by petitions of voters.
If two or more measures passed at the same election contain
conflicting provisions, only the one receiving the greatest number
of affirmative votes shall take effect.