Updated (5/10/25 4:35 pm): I received a question from a reader that I assume others have as well — Is Tuesday’s ballot question now irrelevant?
Here’s why I believe that voting on Tuesday’s ballot measure is still important for all Southborough voters.
Very soon, Town and school officials will have to decide what steps to take now that the vote failed at Special Town Meeting. The results from the Town election are bound to play a role in that discussion.
If the majority of ballot voters approve a debt exclusion for the project, one of two required approvals will have been met. The Select Board could decide that if they take another shot at another Special Town Meeting (with communications geared at overcoming objections/concerns they heard today or improving turnout of supporters) they could win 2/3 approval and move forward with the project. (The over 1,100 voters who showed up today was a big turnout, but still just a fraction of Southborough’s over 7,000 voters.)
So for those who support this project, a Yes at the ballot improves your hopes of keeping the possibility alive.
Technically, if the ballot fails, the board could still decide to pursue both another TM and another ballot question. But how close the ballot decision is and low/high the turnout is will likely be part of their consideration.
So for those who oppose the project, a large turnout and strong No vote would be the best way to convince officials that repeating Town Meetings and ballot questions won’t work. And the sooner they decide that, the sooner their work on what other path to take can begin.
So either way you are leaning, there is good reason to carve out a little time on Tuesday (far less than voters committed to today) and weigh in on the question. Make clear to Town officials where you stand on the project. Besides, it’s the Annual Town Election and there are candidates on that ballot!
Click here for the details on voting (and the candidates).
For those who didn’t attend the meeting today and still haven’t made up their minds, click here to read more about the project. You can also watch the Special Town Meeting with the presentation (and a counter-presentation), questions and answers, and voters’ comments here.
I will post more details in the future, but the quick update is — the meeting took over three hours and ended without the required supermajority vote of support.
Reminder, there is still a ballot question as part of the Annual Town Election this Tuesday. For details on that, click here.
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