Via Community News Service, a University of Vermont journalism internship, in partnership with Vermont Public
In Huntington, Town Meeting Day included cinnamon rolls, private ballots and basketball hoops.
And voters wrestled with questions ranging from how to fund the local highway department to ensuring their constitutional rights.
Listen to what some locals (and one state senator) had to say about the civic tradition.
Joe Perella, Huntington resident: I’ve lived in Huntington 25 years. Town Meeting is, in my opinion, the purest form of democracy, as flawed as it can be.
Matt Mcgrath, Huntington resident: People in this country, there’s not a ton of opportunities to be directly participating in decisions that affect your lives, and so I’m excited to be here to participate in that here in our town.
Ethan Mower, Huntington resident: It is a great time to see neighbors that you wouldn’t normally see. We don’t have a lot of opportunities to come and connect in large groups, so I think that’s a big part of that.
Ruth Hardy, state senator: I think especially right now, when things are so scary in the world and our country, the ability to come and eat together and practice civic engagement and democracy together is something people are really craving.
Clinton “Yogi” Alger, Huntington resident: So we get together, and then we can bicker back and forth and then settle it out. And I think it’s good.
Ruth Hardy: Huntington always has a packed house. It’s really amazing the level of civic engagement in this town, and so it’s an impressive town meeting. And I really love to be here, and it’s usually very friendly and engaged.
Joe Perella: It’s very satisfying. Everybody has a chance to speak and an opportunity to be heard and express yourself as a fundamental tenant of what it means to be American.