Civic Engagement

Daily Buzz | Local Election Ballot is Beginning to Take Shape; Contested Races Expected

And, snow cleanup is underway amid a two-hour BPS delay

Nicci Kadilak

Jan 29, 2024 — 3 min read

Good Morning, Burlington!

There will be a two-hour delay for Burlington Public schools today. Buses will run as usual, just two hours later. Hopefully this will allow cleanup crews to get the roads cleared to improve safety for pedestrians, buses, and cars.

Local Election Ballot is Beginning to Take Shape; Contested Races Expected

With just over two more weeks to take out nomination papers and return them with 50 signatures (or 10 for Town Meeting seats), the ballot is beginning to fill in*. There are candidates for every office from Town Moderator to Recreation Commission to Town Meeting, but not all seats have enough candidates for a contested race. Town-wide, all eyes are on the Select Board and School Committee races, each of which have one more candidate than the number of seats available.

After Town Meeting, as expected, the lower half of the ballot started filling up. Currently Precincts 4 and 5 have six candidates for the six available seats, while Precinct 6 has eight. There are still open seats in Precincts 1, 2, 3, and 7, and of course if you live in precinct 4, 5, or 6, you can still take out papers and run for one of those seats. Contested elections make things interesting and are a sign of a government where citizens want to get involved and represent their constituents.

If you’ve ever thought about getting involved in local government, Town Meeting is a good place to start. The 126-member body approves the town’s operating and capital budget as well as changes or additions to the bylaws that govern the town. They meet three times per year—in January, May, and September—and members can join subcommittees commensurate with their interests and availability. Learn more at the Buzz Profile on Town Meeting.

Local Government

Profile | Town Meeting

Nicci Kadilak • Mar 8, 2022

We’ve already talked about why Burlington is considered a town and not a city, and that is owed to our Town Meeting style of government. But what is Town Meeting, and how does it work? What is Town Meeting? Massachusetts has two different Town Meeting structures - open, where anyone can come and vote, and representative, where anyone can come but only ele…

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*Note: The above assumes everyone who has taken out papers will return them, which might be mildly optimistic.

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Today in Burlington

Municipal Meetings and Community Events

8:00 AM - Planning Sub Sculpture Park will discuss the MOA status, the 2024 fundraiser and call to artists, reflect on the Civic Expo, and more. Join us! (Virtual)
6:00 PM - Burlington Youth and Family Services - An agency update/director’s report, and new initiatives are the main topics for tonight’s meeting. (33 Center Street, Room 112)
7:00-8:15 PM - Virtual Trivia Night - How to beat the Monday blues? End the day with a challenging but fun game with some friends, from the comfort of your home! All ages are welcome, but the content is geared toward adults. Don’t forget to register your team. What team name will you use? Tag #BurlingtonBuzz on social media and let us know what your team name is! (Virtual; Register)