Town Meeting

About

Town Meeting is a group of 149 elected residents who meet each year on the 3rd Monday in May to vote on various matters related to the operations of the Town, including appropriating the annual budget and making changes to zoning and other by-laws. Additional sessions of Town Meetings, known as Special Town Meetings, can be called at other times during the year if necessary. Town Meeting Members are elected by precinct for three-year terms. There are eight precincts, with eighteen Town Meeting Members in each Precinct. Six Members are elected or re-elected each year. The five selectmen also serve as Town Meeting Members.

Serving as a Town Meeting Member

Serving as a Town Meeting Member is an excellent way to help shape the future of Danvers.  Those interested in running for a Town Meeting seat may obtain nomination papers in the Town Clerk's Office and sign the nomination book on or after February 1st prior to the May Annual Town Election.  Your nomination sheet must contain a minimum of 10 registered voters who live within your precinct to have your name placed on the ballot.  

An unexpired seat may open between election cycles for various reasons (resignation, moving out of town, etc.) Current Town Meeting Members or the Moderator may request a “caucus” be held prior to a Town or Special Town Meeting if there are vacant seats. In the event of a caucus, the Town Clerk will provide notification of caucus details to the current members of Precincts that have vacancies. Any interested registered voter that lives in the Precinct with the vacancy can appear at the caucus and give a short presentation about themselves and why they feel they would be the best candidate to fill the vacancy until the next Annual Town Election. After all candidates present to the Precinct Members, they will vote by secret ballot to select the new member. The newly elected member would complete the nomination acceptance document and could participate in any Town or Special Town Meeting held until the next election, where they must run to maintain their seat.

Town Moderator

The Moderator is elected for a one-year term and is paid a modest salary.  The Moderator is the presiding officer of the Town Meeting and appoints the Finance Committee members and other special committees created by the Town Meeting.  The Moderator calls the meeting to order at the designated time, determines that a quorum is present, and announces the results of all voting.  The Moderator’s duty is to conduct the transaction of the Town’s business in an orderly manner, and in such a way that the will of the assembled Town Meeting members is clearly expressed.  The Town Moderator has complete authority over all matters of rules, procedure, regulation, and the preservation of decorum, including the power to remove (after warning) any disorderly or unruly person.  The Moderator’s rulings on the procedure are final, subject only to State Law and the Town Bylaws; there is no appeal.  The Moderator does not engage in any debate, does not vote, and must be impartial in all matters at the Town Meeting.(Massachusetts General Law s C. 39 § 15 & 17) To maintain impartiality, the Moderator does not volunteer information on procedural strategy; however, he may be consulted concerning procedures before the meeting and during recess or adjournment.  The Town Moderator is Patricia C. Fraizer

Please contact the Town Clerk, or call 978-777-0001, ext. 3046, with any questions you may have.