How do I learn more about the procedures at Town Meeting?
 Our procedures are described in the manual Town Meeting Time¹,  supplemented by Article 3 of the Town By-Laws. Copies of Town Meeting Time are available in the Morse Institute Library or, for purchase, from the Massachusetts Moderators Association. Copies of the By-Laws can be obtained from the town clerk.

When may I speak at Town Meeting?
 You may speak only after seeking the floor and having been recognized by the moderator (§62). You seek recognition to speak by raising your hand when another speaker has finished. From among those seeking recognition, the moderator chooses the next speaker and also takes note of others who are seeking the floor. 

It is not necessary to jump to your feet immediately after the previous speaker concludes in order to be recognized. However, on some occasions, especially when you may be the only person seeking recognition and the moderator does not notice you, you should also call out "Mr. (Madam) Moderator." When you are recognized, always wait for the microphone. As a courtesy to others, identify yourself by name and precinct.

Who may use the speaker's podium?
 Any speaker may use the podium, and all speakers providing information to Town Meeting members are encouraged to do so. If you plan to speak from the podium, please move to a seat near the podium when the question is before Town Meeting, and seek recognition to speak. Afterwards, return to your usual seat for the vote.

Three of us want to be recognized to speak in a definite order so that we can coordinate our presentations to Town Meeting members. What should we do?
 You should contact the moderator in advance and make your request. The moderator will attempt to recognize speakers in a way that is most conducive to providing information to Town Meeting members, often calling upon speakers in the order requested and alternating between proponents and opponents.

What types of "speeches" are permitted at Town Meeting?
 When there is no other motion under consideration, you may offer a main motion or resolution. When there is a motion under consideration, you may speak on the merits of the motion or make a request to the moderator for answers to specific questions relating to the motion; you may offer amendments or other types of secondary motions (§23). You may also call to the moderator's attention a point of personal privilege (§57) or point of order (§47), even interrupting another speaker to do so.

Are there any restrictions on making motions?
 Yes. A motion should be offered immediately after you are recognized to speak (not after some preliminary remarks). In addition, a motion should only be offered if it ranks higher than the motion that is pending (§23), although there are a few exceptions to this general statement.

What is meant by the rank of motions?
 The rank of motions is simply a convenient way to explain when it makes parliamentary sense to consider the various types of motions in order to expedite the business of Town Meeting (§23, 38; By-Laws, Art 3, Sec 6).

 You should not be reluctant to offer a secondary motion (the three types being subsidiary, incidental, and privileged motions) because you are unsure of the rank of the motions. If it seems appropriate to you to consider such a motion at this time, it probably is the right time. If not, then at least the moderator will be informed that you wish to be recognized to offer the motion, and he can call upon you when it is appropriate to do so (§6).

Am I limited in what I may say during debate?
 Yes. You are limited to providing information that will help Town Meeting members decide how to vote on the motion immediately before them (§40). You should always indicate what position you want members to support and then explain reasons or facts for that position. In essence, your right to speak is balanced by the right of Town Meeting members as a whole to listen only to what is pertinent to the question under consideration.

May I yield my time to speak on an issue to another speaker?
 No (§62).

What type of debate is out of place at Town Meeting?
 Debate intended to incite applause or other demonstrations or to impugn the character of another is not permitted. In fact, because of the potential for abuse, you should not refer to another person by name, but rather use a phrase such as "a previous speaker" (§62).

What should I do if I want to make a main motion or offer an amendment to another motion that I expect will be made?
 The best advice is to begin the process in advance of Town Meeting. Ask the Finance Committee for their support. Seek guidance on proper wording of motions from the moderator or town counsel (§15). You are required to provide the moderator with a written copy of the motion in advance of its consideration by Town Meeting (By-Laws, Art 3, Sec 2). In the case of amendments that you may possibly wish to offer, provide the advance copy. You decide later when the main motion is before Town Meeting if you do indeed want to offer the amendment.

What should I do if I want to make a main motion, but someone else has made one first and it is not what I want?
 This is a situation that arises frequently, and there is not one simple answer. If you support the purpose of the main motion, but desire changes to what is proposed, the recommended course of action is to offer one or more amendments. In this situation, the main motion is temporarily put aside, while attention focuses on the amendment. After a vote on the amendment, the main motion (now amended, perhaps) again becomes the immediately pending question (§40).
 If you oppose the purpose of the main motion, you should speak in opposition to it, explain your position, and state the motion you want Town Meeting to consider. In this situation, the first main motion must be defeated before your proposed main motion can become the immediately pending question and be voted upon (§30).

Are there any procedures at Town Meeting that differ from those described in Town Meeting Time?
 Yes. The procedures allow the first motion made under an article to be a negative main motion either to refer the subject matter of the article to a committee or to indefinitely postpone consideration of the subject matter (§23). However, our custom does not require that the negative main motion be defeated before a motion for positive action can be introduced (§30). Instead, the positive main motion is accepted, and the earlier negative motion is henceforth regarded as a subsidiary motion (§38). The motions essentially represent the positive and negative sides of the same question; therefore, they are debated concurrently. Following debate, the moderator calls for the vote on the subsidiary motion first; and, if lost, on the positive main motion immediately thereafter.

Are there any special cases in the situation described above?
 Yes. If the subsidiary motion is to refer to committee and if an amendment is also offered, the moderator will call for discussion only on the amendment and the referral motion. After these are disposed of, the main motion is again open for full discussion and additional amendments. 

What does the expression "IP" mean?
 "IP" means "indefinite postponement."  As used at Town Meeting, a main or subsidiary motion to indefinitely postpone really has lost its original parliamentary purpose. The original purpose was to allow an early vote to stop considering a question that the majority of the assembly had no desire to act upon (§39). The IP motion was intended to speed up the process. Today at Town Meeting, it doesn't speed up the process; it simply appears to give Town Meeting members another way to vote no  on a question.

 When a positive main motion and a subsidiary IP motion are pending, the IP motion will be voted on first. If the IP motion is approved, then no vote is taken on the main motion, and Town Meeting usually proceeds immediately to the next warrant article.

 Note that if you are in favor of the main motion, you will want to vote against the IP motion.

What does it mean to "move the previous question"?
 The motion for the previous question is a parliamentary technique for asking Town Meeting members whether or not they want to stop debate and vote on the question immediately (§44). A two-thirds vote is required to pass this motion. Use of this motion is not allowed when three or more people who have not yet spoken on the question still desire to speak (By-Laws,  Art 3, Sec 12).

How many methods of voting are used at Town Meeting?
 There are four methods of voting: (1) show-of-hands vote estimated by the moderator;    (2) show-of-hands vote counted by tellers (called counted vote); (3) roll-call vote; (4) vote by secret ballot. The last two methods are only used if Town Meeting requests their use by a motion and vote (one-third vote is sufficient for roll-call; two-thirds vote, for secret ballot) (By-Laws,    Art 3, Sec 4, 6). Any such motion is out of order if the show-of-hands vote has already taken place.

What is the usual practice?
 The usual practice is for the moderator to call for a show-of-hands vote first. If the show-of-hands vote appears close, the moderator will call for a counted vote. Also, if seven members request that a show-of-hands vote be confirmed by an exact count, the moderator will call for a counted vote (§67).
 For a counted vote, two tellers make an independent determination of the count in their assigned section of the auditorium. Often, their counts may differ by one or two votes. If such differences have no impact on the overall result, the moderator simply selects the smaller Yes value and the larger No value as representative. However, if such differences do impact the overall result, the tellers will recount the vote row-by-row to eliminate any differences.

 At all times, but especially during a counted vote, as Town Meeting members, you have the responsibility to insure the integrity of the voting process. If you become aware of non-members sitting in the area reserved for Town Meeting members or if you observe any other actions that could interfere with the voting process or affect the accuracy of the count, you should immediately raise a point of order so that the moderator is made aware of the problem. Do this before the moderator declares the result of the vote.

 Note that the following policy will be strictly enforced. Tellers will be instructed to count your vote only if you are sitting in the area for Town Meeting members. Standing in the back or in the aisles close to the area is not acceptable. An exception is made only for those who choose to sit in the area immediately behind the last row of seats reserved for Town Meeting members, provided they have informed the check-in clerks that they will be sitting there.

May I vote on a matter in which I may have some monetary interest?
 Yes, you may vote on all matters (§64). However, you may not enter into the debate unless you first declare the nature of your interest in the matter (By-Laws, Art 3, Sec 8).

What should I do if I arrive late for Town Meeting?
 If you arrive late after the check-in clerks have entered the meeting themselves, you should make it a point to inform the town clerk at the conclusion of the meeting that you have been present for most of the meeting. The town clerk will add your name to the list of Town Meeting members present at the meeting.

When do I take my oath of office as Town Meeting member?
 At the beginning of each session of Town Meeting, the moderator administers the oath of office to newly elected or appointed Town Meeting members. Town Meeting members are expected to take an oath to perform their duties. If any member does not, then in accordance with the charter, the town clerk declares that the office is vacant.

 The town clerk assumes that all recently elected or appointed members who sign in as present at a meeting following their election or appointment do in fact take the oath of office when the opportunity is provided. If you arrive late and miss the oath-taking, you may still perform your duties. However, at the conclusion of the meeting, you should inform the town clerk that you need to take the oath of office. Either the moderator or the town clerk will administer the oath at that time.