Elections and City Meetings

V.S.A. tit. 24 Appendix, ch. 1, subch. 2

in effect

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 1, § 201 Application of general laws

201. Application of general laws Provisions of the laws of the State of Vermont, relating to the qualifications of elections, the manner of voting, the duties of electing officers, and all other particulars respective to the preparation for, conducting, and management of elections, so far as they may be applicable, shall govern all municipal elections, and all general and special meetings, except as otherwise provided in this charter.

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 1, § 202 Time of elections and meetings

202. Time of elections and meetings (a) The annual City meeting of the City for the election of officers, the voting of budgets, and any other business included in the warnings for the meeting, shall be held on the second Tuesday in May, unless otherwise legally warned by the Council. (b) The election of officers and the voting on all questions shall be by the Australian ballot system. The ballot boxes shall be open for 12 consecutive hours at times to be determined and warned by the Board of Civil Authority. (c) The warning for annual and special City meetings shall, by separate articles, specifically indicate the business to be transacted, including the offices and the questions to be voted upon. The warning also shall contain any legally binding article or articles requested by 10 percent of the registered voters of the City. Petitions requesting that an article or articles be placed on the warning shall be filed with the City Clerk on or before the filing deadline set forth in 17 V.S.A. § 2642(a)(3). Amended 2005, No. M-7, § 4; 2007, No. M-5, § 2; 2017, No. M-10, § 2, eff. May 30, 2017; 2025, No. M-1, § 2, eff. May 1, 2025.

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 1, § 203 Special City meetings

203. Special City meetings Special City meetings shall be called in the manner provided by the laws of the State, and the voting on all questions shall be by the Australian ballot system. Amended 2025, No. M-1, § 2, eff. May 1, 2025.

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 1, § 204 Polling places

204. Polling places All annual and special elections and meetings shall be held at a central polling place in the City to be designated by the Council and which location is to be set forth in the warning. The conduct of said elections and meetings shall conform where applicable to requirements as set forth in 17 V.S.A. §§ 2640-2667. Amended 2013, No. M-5, § 2, eff. May 13, 2013.

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 1, § 206 Vacancies

206. Vacancies (a) In case of vacancy of any elected municipal City officer, except a councilor, occasioned by death, removal from the City, resignation, or inability to serve, such vacancy, unless herein otherwise provided, shall be filled by appointment by the City Council until the next annual election. In such case, nomination may be made by any member for the Council. (b) In case of a vacancy of any councilor, occasioned by death, removal from the ward, resignation, or inability to serve, such vacancy, unless herein otherwise provided, shall be filled by election at a caucus of the legal voters of the ward in which the vacancy occurs, duly warned, until the next annual election. In such case, nomination may be made by any legal voter from the ward in which the vacancy occurs. (c) [Repealed.] Amended 2007, No. M-5, § 3; 2013, No. M-5, § 2, eff. May 13, 2013; 2025, No. M-1, § 2, eff. May 1, 2025.

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 1, § 207 Voting on request of the City Manager

207. Voting on request of the City Manager (a) Annually, on the second Tuesday in May, the legal voters of the City shall meet to vote on the requests of the City Manager. (b) If, at the annual meeting, the voters disapprove the request of the City Manager, the Mayor, or in his or her absence or disability, the City Clerk, shall warn a general meeting of the legal voters to consider the article disapproved by the voters and to authorize a specific sum of money therefor. The meeting shall be in accordance with 17 V.S.A. §§ 2630–2689 and shall be held at the same location as the previous meeting with the polls open for the same hours as the previous meeting. If the voters continue to disapprove any portion of the request, similar meetings shall be held in the same manner. (c) When the legal voters have authorized a specific sum for the request of the City Manager, the City Council shall set the tax rate necessary to raise the specific sum(s) so voted. (d) [Repealed.] Amended 2005, No. M-7, § 5; 2007, No. M-5, § 5; 2013, No. M-5, § 2, eff. May 13, 2013; 2025, No. M-1, § 2, eff. May 1, 2025.

Source: Vermont General Assembly (legislature.vermont.gov)URL: https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/chapter/24APPENDIX/001Fetched: 10/21/2026