One of the most important reasons to move away from town meeting is the problem of open voting. This is nothing new and has been addressed in this country by the implementation of representative democracies at all levels of government. This system provides for elections at secure polls where people can vote in secret. The basic debate is expressed in this Wikipedia article on the Ballot Act of 1872:

The principle of a secret ballot had long been campaigned for by radicals such as the Chartists. The 1867 Reform Act enfranchised the skilled working class in borough constituencies and it was felt that, due to their economic circumstances, these voters would be much more susceptible to bribery, intimidation and blackmail. The radical John Bright expressed concerns that tenants would face the threat of eviction were they to vote against the wishes of their landlord.

Many within the establishment had opposed the introduction of a secret ballot. They felt that pressure from patrons on tenants was legitimate and that a secret ballot was simply unmanly and cowardly. Lord Russell voiced his opposition to the creation of a culture of secrecy in elections which he believed should be public affairs. He saw it as 'an obvious prelude from household to universal suffrage'.

The alert reader might look this up and find the Ballot Act of 1872 was in the United Kingdom (our parent country and the source or our town meeting form of government). I suggest to also look up Secret Ballot in Wikipedia where is says:

The secret ballot is a voting method in which a voter's choices in an election or a referendum are confidential. The key aim is to ensure the voter records a sincere choice by forestalling attempts to influence the voter by intimidation or bribery.

The system is one means of achieving the goal of political privacy. Secret ballots are suitable for many different voting systems.

The most basic form may be blank pieces of paper, upon which each voter writes only their choice. Without revealing their vote to anyone, the voters place the ballots into a sealed box, which is emptied later for counting.

One of the most common forms in the modern world provides for pre-printed ballot papers with the name of the candidates or questions and respective checkboxes. Provisions are made at the polling place for the voter to record their preferences in secret. The ballots are specifically designed to eliminate bias and to prevent anyone from linking voter to ballot. This system is also known as the Australian ballot, because it originated in Australia during the 1850s. In the United States, it is also known as the Massachusetts ballot since Massachusetts was the first U.S. state to use the secret ballot.

Since the state of Massachusetts was the first state to use the secret ballot we should be proud to move to regular elections rather than open town meeting votes. Pay attention to the arguments made in favor of open voting at town meeting and you will hear the same voices from England leading up to the Ballot Act. They will say “a secret ballot was simply unmanly and cowardly” (I have already seen that argument made in the blogs). They will say “pressure from patrons on tenants was legitimate.” Listen and you will hear the voices of Lord Russell and his concern that universal suffrage was going to ruin his quality of life. Don’t let the Lords of Wareham prevent us from obtaining what the rest of the free world has enjoyed since the 1850’s. Let’s adopt the same form of government Massachusetts created at the state level: representative democracy.

Town meeting on Monday (May 10) at 7:00 pm is the first step. If you are a registered voter in Wareham you should be there because your vote for representative democracy will be a huge change. Be part of history and help put “Article 25” in the history books as the time where “We the People” claimed our constitutional rights and made it clear there will be no “Lords” in Wareham. See you at the Wareham High School auditorium.