Two things this week got me thinking about the familiar question in some of our small towns: Is an issue better decided at the polls or an open town meeting? I’d go with the polls, but just barely. 

The first thing was Phil DiVece’s Salt ’n Spar column on Wiscasset’s 1981 open town meeting that ran almost eight hours. While that length might sound like a reason to opt for the polls, there is, as DiVece conveys, something special and important about residents gathering and chewing over items, including where their tax money goes. 

People in Wiscasset and other Midcoast towns have pointed out, correctly, an open town meeting can make some of the voting better educated. Every budget season, we see towns trying to keep residents apprised with announcements via email, web, etc., and  Zoom, YouTube, or other remote access to workshops and meetings. That’s all good, and we cover a lot of those, too, but if a resident has family, job and other priorities, and requires sleep, then viewing, attending, or reading up on town business might not always be part of their day or even week. We hope it is, though, as some if not all the issues, budgets and other proposals affect everyone in one way or another.

Those committee volunteers and other residents up on the issues contribute informed comments in an open town meeting. You don’t get that in a voting booth or an absentee ballot envelope.

But with that booth or voting absentee, you do get numbers (read: participation). Would you rather have a year’s budget decided by the 50, 80, or even 200 who can get to town meeting, or the several hundred who have all day to get to the polls or, ahead of time, when they had time, voted absentee.

Again, I’d hitch my hopes as a taxpayer on a vote more residents had a hand in, despite all that’s lost for want of an open town meeting. As town officials sometimes note, the issues do get public hearings. Those often get fewer people and a lot fewer comments than in town meeting, however. 

The other thing that reminded me of the polls versus open meeting question was the argument several Alna residents have made about how the discussion on the town meeting floor this Saturday will help voters, however many show up, decide a proposed mining ordinance. When a controversial topic voters face happens to be a lot to try to grasp and ferret out what’s best, the quality an open meeting adds to the decision may be the exception, where a meeting is better.

Week’s positive parting thought: However your town does it, have your say: Vote. And thank veterans of long ago up to present day for your being able to.