reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
17 V.S.A. § 2651f
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 17 - Elections|Chapter 55 - Local Elections|§ 2651f. Municipal treasurer; appointment; removal

§ 2651f. Municipal treasurer; appointment; removal|(a)(1) A municipality may vote at an annual meeting to authorize the legislative body to appoint the municipal treasurer.  (2) A treasurer so appointed may be removed by the legislative body for just cause after notice and hearing.   (b) A vote to authorize the legislative body to appoint the treasurer shall remain in effect until rescinded by the majority vote of the registered voters present and voting at an annual or special meeting, duly warned for that purpose.(c) The term of office of a treasurer in office on the date a municipality votes to allow the legislative body to appoint a treasurer shall expire 45 calendar days after the vote or on the date upon which the legislative body appoints a treasurer under this section, whichever occurs first, unless a petition for reconsideration or rescission is filed in accordance with section 2661 of this title.(d) The authority to authorize the legislative body to appoint the treasurer as provided in this section shall extend to all municipalities except those that have a charter that specifically provides for the election or appointment of the office of municipal treasurer. (Added 2017, No. 27, § 3, eff. May 10, amended 2017; 2017, No. 130 (Adj. Sess.), § 6.)
17 V.S.A. § 2652
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 17 - Elections|Chapter 55 - Local Elections|§ 2652. Road and water commissioners

§ 2652. Road and water commissioners|The selectboard may and, when requested by at least five percent of the legal voters of a town at least 47 days prior to the annual town meeting, it shall insert in the warning for the annual town meeting an article on the question of whether the town shall elect a road commissioner or commissioners, or water commissioners, as provided in section 2651 of this chapter. (Added 1977, No. 269 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; amended 2017, No. 50, § 51.)
17 V.S.A. § 2653
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 17 - Elections|Chapter 55 - Local Elections|§ 2653. Acceptance of office

§ 2653. Acceptance of office|A person present at the meeting electing him or her to municipal office shall be treated as accepting, unless he or she declines before the meeting is adjourned. When not present, he or she shall be served as soon as possible with a written notice, signed by the clerk and served by the constable. (Added 1977, No. 269 (Adj. Sess.), § 1.)
17 V.S.A. § 2654
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 17 - Elections|Chapter 55 - Local Elections|§ 2654. Refusal to serve

§ 2654. Refusal to serve|A person may refuse to accept election or appointment to any municipal office. (Added 1977, No. 269 (Adj. Sess.), § 1.)
17 V.S.A. § 2655
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 17 - Elections|Chapter 55 - Local Elections|§ 2655. Time of meeting

§ 2655. Time of meeting|Annual municipal business meetings shall begin at the time set by the legislative body, unless the municipality has voted otherwise at a preceding meeting. (Added 1977, No. 269 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; amended 1979, No. 200 (Adj. Sess.), § 101.)
17 V.S.A. § 2656
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 17 - Elections|Chapter 55 - Local Elections|§ 2656. Qualification and registration of voters

§ 2656. Qualification and registration of voters|Regardless of the type of voting used, the qualifications to vote in any municipal election shall be as provided in chapter 43 of this title and all municipalities shall revise and post checklists as provided in chapter 43 of this title prior to any municipal meeting at which there will be voting. The presiding officer shall follow reasonable and necessary procedures to ensure that persons who are not voters of the town do not vote. (Added 1977, No. 269 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; amended 1979, No. 200 (Adj. Sess.), § 102.)
17 V.S.A. § 2657
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 17 - Elections|Chapter 55 - Local Elections|§ 2657. Moderator

§ 2657. Moderator|A municipal meeting shall be called to order by the moderator, or in his or her absence by a selectboard member who shall preside until a moderator pro tempore is chosen. (Added 1977, No. 269 (Adj. Sess.), § 1.)
17 V.S.A. § 2658
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 17 - Elections|Chapter 55 - Local Elections|§ 2658. Duties

§ 2658. Duties|The moderator shall be the presiding officer of municipal meetings, shall decide questions of order and shall make public declaration of votes taken, except in elections using the Australian ballot system. When a vote declared by him or her is immediately questioned by one voter, he or she shall divide the meeting, and if requested by seven voters, shall cause the vote to be taken by paper ballot, unless the town has provided some other procedure in such cases. Robert's Rules or some other rules of order shall govern all municipal meetings, except in elections using the Australian ballot system. (Added 1977, No. 269 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; amended 1979, No. 200 (Adj. Sess.), § 103; 1981, No. 239 (Adj. Sess.), § 23.)
17 V.S.A. § 2659
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 17 - Elections|Chapter 55 - Local Elections|§ 2659. Preservation of order

§ 2659. Preservation of order|The moderator shall preserve order in the conduct of business and in debate. If a person, after notice, is persistently disorderly and refuses to withdraw from the meeting, the moderator may cause him or her to be removed, calling upon the constable or other person for that purpose. A person who so refuses to withdraw when ordered so to do shall be fined not more than $200.00. (Added 1977, No. 269 (Adj. Sess.), § 1.)
17 V.S.A. § 2660
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 17 - Elections|Chapter 55 - Local Elections|§ 2660. Conduct of election

§ 2660. Conduct of election|(a) When voting is at a floor meeting by paper ballot, the polls shall be kept open a reasonable time and reasonable notice shall be given before they close.(b) When election is by ballot, a majority of all votes cast for any office shall be required for an election, unless otherwise provided by law; provided that when there is but one nominee for an office, unless objection is made, the legal voters may vote to instruct the town clerk to cast one ballot for such nominee and upon such ballot being cast he or she shall be declared elected.(c) If no person has obtained a majority by the end of the third vote, the moderator shall announce that the person receiving the least number of votes in the last vote and in each succeeding vote shall no longer be a candidate, and the voting shall continue until a candidate receives a majority.(d) The article entitled "other business" shall not be used for taking binding municipal action, and the moderator shall so rule. (Added 1977, No. 260 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; amended 1979, No. 200 (Adj. Sess.), § 104; 2013, No. 161 (Adj. Sess.), § 49.)
17 V.S.A. § 2662
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 17 - Elections|Chapter 55 - Local Elections|§ 2662. Validation of municipal meetings

§ 2662. Validation of municipal meetings|When any of the requirements as to notice or warning of an annual or special municipal meeting have been omitted or not complied with, the omission or noncompliance, if the meeting and the business transacted at it is otherwise legal and within the scope of the municipal powers, may be corrected and legalized by vote at a regular meeting or special meeting of the municipality called and duly warned for that purpose. The question to be voted upon shall substantially be, "Shall the action taken at the meeting of this town (or city, village or district) held on (state date) in spite of the fact that (state the error or omission), and any act or action of the municipal officers or agents pursuant thereto be readopted, ratified, and confirmed." Errors or omissions in the conduct of an original meeting that are not the result of an unlawful notice or warning or noncompliance within the scope of the warning may be cured by a resolution of the legislative body of the municipality by a vote of two-thirds of all its members at a regular meeting or a special meeting called for that purpose, stating that the defect was the result of oversight, inadvertence, or mistake. When an error or omission of this nature has been thus corrected by resolution, all business within the terms of the action of the qualified voters shall be as valid as if the requirements had been initially complied with, condition, however, that the original action thereby corrected by the legislative body was in compliance with the legal exercise of its corporate powers. (Added 1977, No. 269 (Adj. Sess.), § 1.)
17 V.S.A. § 2663
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 17 - Elections|Chapter 55 - Local Elections|§ 2663. Certificate of vote

§ 2663. Certificate of vote|Whenever an act of the General Assembly by its provisions takes effect only when accepted by vote of a municipality, the clerk of the municipality shall certify within 10 days to the Secretary of State the result of such vote. (Added 1977, No. 269 (Adj. Sess.), § 1.)
17 V.S.A. § 2664
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 17 - Elections|Chapter 55 - Local Elections|§ 2664. Budget

§ 2664. Budget|At its annual meeting, a town shall vote such sums of money as it deems necessary for the interest of its inhabitants and for the prosecution and defense of the common rights. It shall express in its vote the specific amounts, or the rate on a dollar of the grand list, to be appropriated for laying out and repairing highways and for other necessary town expenses. If a town votes specific amounts in lieu of a rate on a dollar of the grand list, the selectboard shall, after the grand list book has been computed and lodged in the office of the town clerk, set the tax rate necessary to raise the specific amounts voted. The selectboard may apply for grants and may accept and expend grants or gifts above those that are approved in the town budget. The selectboard shall include, in its annual report, a description of all grants or gifts accepted during the year and associated expenditures. (Added 1977, No. 269 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; amended 2007, No. 121 (Adj. Sess.), § 12; 2015, No. 30, § 25, eff. May 26, 2015.)
17 V.S.A. § 2665
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 17 - Elections|Chapter 55 - Local Elections|§ 2665. Notification to Secretary of State

§ 2665. Notification to Secretary of State|The town clerk shall file with the Secretary of State a list of the names and addresses of the selectboard members elected and shall notify the Secretary of State of any changes in the list as filed. (Added 1979, No. 200 (Adj. Sess.), § 106.)
17 V.S.A. § 2666
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 17 - Elections|Chapter 55 - Local Elections|§ 2666. Improper influence

§ 2666. Improper influence|Neither the warning, the notice, the official voter information cards, nor the ballot itself shall include any opinion or comment by any town body or officer or other person on any matter to be voted on. (Added 1979, No. 200 (Adj. Sess.), § 107.)
17 V.S.A. § 2667
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 17 - Elections|Chapter 55 - Local Elections|§ 2667. Access to annual meeting

§ 2667. Access to annual meeting|The legislative body of the municipality shall take reasonable measures to ensure that voters who are elders or have a disability may conveniently attend annual or special meetings; provided, however, that such measures need not be taken if doing so would impose undue hardship on the town. Measures may include location of meetings on the ground floor of buildings or providing ramps or other devices for access to meetings. In municipal elections using the Australian ballot system of voting, subsection 2502(b) of this title shall apply. For the purposes of this section, the legislative body shall have full jurisdiction on the day of the municipal meeting over the premises at which the town meeting is to be held. (Added 1983, No. 90, § 2, eff. April 29, 1983; amended 2013, No. 96 (Adj. Sess.), § 85.)
17 V.S.A. § 2681a
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 17 - Elections|Chapter 55 - Local Elections|§ 2681a. Local election ballots

§ 2681a. Local election ballots|(a) Ballots for local officers and local public questions shall be prepared at town expense, under the direction of the town clerk, not later than 20 days before the local election. These ballots may be any color and the printing shall be black; in other respects, they shall conform as nearly as may be practicable to the form of the consolidated ballot in chapter 51, subchapter 2 of this title, except as otherwise provided in this section.(b)(1) On the local election ballot, the candidate's name shall appear as provided in his or her consent form.  (2) The board of civil authority may vote to list a street address for each candidate, or the town of residence of each candidate, or no residence at all for each candidate.   (c) No political party or other designation shall be listed unless the municipal charter provides for such listing, the town has voted at an earlier election to provide such a listing or, in the absence of previous consideration of the question by the town, the legislative body decides to permit listing. If political party or other designations are permitted, no candidate shall use the name of a political party whose certificate of organization has been filed properly with the Secretary of State unless the candidate has been endorsed by a legally called town caucus of that political party for the office in question. In any event, the candidate must still file the petition and consent form required by section 2681 of this title.(d) The names of candidates for the same office, but for different terms of service, shall be arranged in groups according to the length of their respective terms.(e) Public questions shall be written in the form of a question, with boxes indicating a choice of "yes" and "no" directly under or to the right side of the public question. No public question shall pass unless a majority of the votes, excluding blank and overvotes, is cast in favor of the proposition. (Added 1979, No. 200 (Adj. Sess.), § 110; amended 1989, No. 211 (Adj. Sess.), § 6; 2007, No. 54, § 12; 2013, No. 161 (Adj. Sess.), § 52; 2017, No. 50, § 56.)
17 V.S.A. § 2682
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 17 - Elections|Chapter 55 - Local Elections|§ 2682. Process of voting; appointments

§ 2682. Process of voting; appointments|(a) Election expenses shall be assumed by the municipality.(b) Returns shall be filed with the town clerk.(c) In a municipal election controlled by this subchapter, the person receiving the greatest number of votes for an office shall be declared elected to that office and a certificate of election need not be issued.(d) In the event no person files a petition for an office that is to be filled at the annual or special meeting of a municipality, and if no person is otherwise elected to fill the office, a majority of the legislative body of the municipality may appoint a voter of the municipality to fill the office until the next annual meeting.(e) [Repealed.](f) When the same number of persons are nominated for any town office as there are positions to be filled, the presiding officer may declare the whole slate of candidates elected without making individual tallies, provided each person on the slate has more votes than the largest number of write-in votes for any one write-in candidate. (Added 1977, No. 269 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; amended 1979, No. 200 (Adj. Sess.), § 111; 2007, No. 54, § 14; 2013, No. 161 (Adj. Sess.), § 53.)
17 V.S.A. § 2682a
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 17 - Elections|Chapter 55 - Local Elections|§ 2682a. Write-in candidates

§ 2682a. Write-in candidates|Notwithstanding the provisions of section 2682 of this subchapter, in order to be elected, a write-in candidate shall receive at least 30 votes or the votes of one percent of the registered voters in the municipality, whichever is less. (Added 2013, No. 161 (Adj. Sess.), § 54.)
17 V.S.A. § 2682b
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 17 - Elections|Chapter 55 - Local Elections|§ 2682b. Tie votes for local office

§ 2682b. Tie votes for local office|If there is a tie vote for any office, the legislative body or, in its stead, the municipal clerk shall within seven days warn a runoff election to be held not less than 15 days nor more than 22 days after the warning. The only candidates in the runoff election shall be those who were tied in the original election. However, if one of the candidates that are tied withdraws his or her candidacy within five days after the election, the town clerk shall certify the other tied candidate as the winner, and there shall be no runoff election. (Added 2013, No. 161 (Adj. Sess.), § 55.)
17 V.S.A. § 2683
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 17 - Elections|Chapter 55 - Local Elections|§ 2683. Request for a recount; candidates

§ 2683. Request for a recount; candidates|(a) A candidate for local office may request a recount by filing a request in writing with the municipal clerk within 10 days after the election.(b) If the difference between the number of votes cast for a winning candidate and the number of votes cast for a losing candidate is five percent or less of the total votes cast for all the candidates for an office, divided by the number of persons to be elected, that losing candidate shall have the right to have the votes for that office recounted. (Added 1977, No. 269 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; amended 1979, No. 200 (Adj. Sess.), § 112; 2013, No. 161 (Adj. Sess.), § 56; 2017, No. 50, § 57.)
17 V.S.A. § 2684
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 17 - Elections|Chapter 55 - Local Elections|§ 2684. Time and place of recount; notice

§ 2684. Time and place of recount; notice|The clerk shall fix the time and place for a recount for not less than two nor more than five days from the time the petition is received, and shall promptly notify the opposing candidates and the board of civil authority. (Added 1977, No. 269 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; amended 1979, No. 200 (Adj. Sess.), § 113.)
17 V.S.A. § 2685
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 17 - Elections|Chapter 55 - Local Elections|§ 2685. Conduct of recount

§ 2685. Conduct of recount|(a)(1) Except as provided in subdivision (2) of this subsection, at the time and place specified by the clerk, the board of civil authority shall break the seal, open the ballot container, and recount the votes pursuant to the procedure set forth in section 2685a of this subchapter and otherwise in the same manner as the votes were counted on the day of the election.  (2) When the ballot for the office is printed on index stock and configured to be readable by vote tabulator, the town clerk and board of civil authority shall conduct the recount by vote tabulator, pursuant to the procedure set forth in chapter 51, subchapter 9 of this title to the greatest extent practicable, if:  (A) the candidate who petitions for a recount requests that it be conducted by vote tabulator; (B) the board of civil authority, at a meeting held not less than 60 days prior to a local election and warned pursuant to 24 V.S.A. § 801, has voted to require the municipality for which it is elected to use vote tabulators in subsequent recounts; or (C) the municipality has voted to use vote tabulators in subsequent recounts pursuant to a meeting warned for the purpose.    (b) The petitioner, the opposing candidates, and their designated representatives may inspect the ballots and observe the recount under the guidance of the board.(c) The board shall certify the result to the town clerk, who shall declare the result.(d) After the recount, the board shall seal the ballots and other materials back in the containers and the town clerk shall safely store them as provided in section 2590 of this title. (Added 1977, No. 269 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; amended 1979, No. 200 (Adj. Sess.), § 114; 2009, No. 40, § 4a; 2013, No. 161 (Adj. Sess.), § 57; 2015, No. 30, § 28, eff. May 26, 2015; 2017, No. 50, § 58.)
17 V.S.A. § 2685a
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 17 - Elections|Chapter 55 - Local Elections|§ 2685a. Procedure for recount

§ 2685a. Procedure for recount|(a) Storage of ballots; assignment of duties.  (1) The town clerk shall store all ballots, still in their sealed containers, in his or her vault until the day of the recount. (2)(A) The town clerk shall supervise the recount.  (B) If the town clerk is unavailable or is a candidate for the office subject to the recount, the board of civil authority shall appoint a voter of the municipality to perform the duties of the town clerk under this section.  (3)(A) The board of civil authority shall appoint a sufficient number of impartial assistant election officers to perform appropriate tasks to conduct the recount.  (B) Each assistant election officer shall be appointed and sworn as set forth in section 2454 of this title.  (4), (5) [Repealed.]   (b) Preparation for recount.  (1) Before the recount begins, the town clerk shall explain the recount procedures that are to be followed and shall answer questions relating to such procedures. (2) The election officials shall recount the contents of one container before another container is opened and shall recount the contents of all the containers relating to one polling place before moving to those of another polling place.   (c), (d) [Repealed.](e) Ballot review.  (1) If the election officials examining a particular ballot do not agree on how the vote on that ballot should be counted, all of the board of civil authority members present shall review the vote, and the vote shall be counted as agreed upon by a majority of those board of civil authority members. (2) A write-in vote for a preprinted candidate shall be counted as a vote for that candidate.   (f), (g) [Repealed.](h) Other rules for conducting the recount.  (1) The town clerk shall preserve order. If a person, after notice, is persistently disorderly and refuses to withdraw from the premises, the town clerk may cause the person to be removed from the premises. (2) The town clerk shall designate an area within which the recount shall take place. Persons who are not board of civil authority members or appointed impartial election officers shall be permitted to view a recount in progress, but persons not authorized by the town clerk shall not be permitted within the area designated by the town clerk.   (i) After the recount.  (1)(A) Except as provided in subdivision (B) of this subdivision (1), if the recount results in a tie, a runoff election shall be conducted in accordance with section 2682b of this chapter.  (B) If the recount confirms a tie as to any public question, a new election shall not be held, and the question shall be certified not to have passed.  (2) [Repealed.]  (Added 2013, No. 161 (Adj. Sess.), § 58; amended 2017, No. 50, § 59.)
17 V.S.A. § 2686
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 17 - Elections|Chapter 55 - Local Elections|§ 2686. Declaration of result

§ 2686. Declaration of result|If the recount shows that a person other than the one declared elected upon the original canvass of votes has the number of votes required by law for election to office, that person shall be declared elected and shall be entitled to the office. (Added 1977, No. 269 (Adj. Sess.), § 1.)
17 V.S.A. § 2687
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 17 - Elections|Chapter 55 - Local Elections|§ 2687. Appeal to Superior Court

§ 2687. Appeal to Superior Court|Within five days after the declaration of the clerk, an aggrieved candidate may appeal to the Superior Court by giving a written notice to that effect to the other candidates who appeared before the board of civil authority. The original of the notice shall be filed with the county clerk. No entry fee shall be charged in these matters. The Superior Court shall immediately issue an order directing the town clerk to transmit to the county clerk all ballots, papers, and records affecting the appeal, and fixing a time for hearing in open court or before a referee not later than five days from the making of the order. The order shall be served upon the town clerk and all other candidates who have appeared before the board. A reference may be ordered upon any or all questions. At the time and place so fixed, the matter shall be summarily heard and determined and the costs taxed as in other civil actions. (Added 1977, No. 269 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; amended 1985, No. 198 (Adj. Sess.), § 13.)