And so we march into one of New Hampshire’s favorite seasons: town meeting.
It’s a time after the dead of winter and tucked in before mud season arrives — though some dirt may still fly in a political debate at a town hall or local gymnasium.
When is town meeting?
March 10 is the big day for most town meetings this year. But there are some exceptions.
If you live in an SB2 town (read about that below), you have two dates to think about. We recommend that you check with your town for the dates, locations and times, including polling hours and meeting locations.
What are town meetings for?
Held annually, town meetings are when voters decide municipal budgets and a host of other town business, including things like buying a new fire truck, paving roads, town hall repairs, contracts for town and school employees, and zoning amendments.
And don’t forget: Town meeting day is also when you elect local town and school officials.
Some call it direct democracy in its purest state. You can trace town meeting roots back to colonial America.
How do town meetings work?
Prior to the annual town meeting, the town select board posts an official public agenda, known as a warrant.
The warrant is the official public notice that outlines the date, location and time of the election, the local officers to be elected, and the warrant articles to be considered and voted on. (What does a warrant look like? See examples of town warrants for Alton, Bedford, Charlestown, Hampton, and Wilmot.)
One big item of the warrant is a town’s proposed budget, which appears as a warrant article.
The budget is drafted by a town’s budget committee, or the select board (not all towns have a budget committee). A public hearing on the proposed budget is held prior to the annual meeting.
Besides the budget, other warrant articles may feature policy priorities or separate appropriations – large and small.
Residents can also submit their own petitions for consideration. These are known as petition articles, and require at least 25 signatures. They can vary greatly in scope and subject, and may not involve appropriations.
In most towns, the town’s select board and budget committee leave a note at the end of each warrant article, stating whether or not they recommend it.
Reminder: Check your town’s warrant, because your town may have multiple meetings scheduled on separate dates to conduct all of their municipal business.
Traditional or SB2: Which one is your town?
Town meetings fall into one of two categories: traditional or SB2.
Let’s start with the traditional town meeting.
A traditional town meeting typically takes place on a single day, which is the same day as you vote for elected officials, as outlined by Secretary of State David Scanlan’s town meeting guide.
Voters convene to consider the warrant, ask questions, and argue for or against warrant articles. Under the direction of the town moderator, they may propose amendments to articles.
Then, the articles are decided by a voice vote or hand count (voters typically raise a card in the air for the moderator to gauge which side prevailed), or by an unofficial yes-no secret ballot.
Voters choose town officers by an official secret ballot during polling hours on election day.
The other form of town meeting is SB2, or Senate Bill 2, which is the name of the bill in 1995 that established this "official ballot" form of town meeting in New Hampshire.
SB2 towns break the process up into two days.
First, there is the deliberative session, where warrant articles are discussed — and possibly amended — before they are printed on an official ballot. This year, deliberative sessions were held in late January or early February.
See the timeline for SB2 towns and schools annual meeting (March 2026). Here’s a list of SB2 towns and school districts – check with your town hall for questions about the format in your community.
There is no final vote taken during the deliberative session. Instead, on election day, residents vote in secret on that final, official ballot. Town and school candidates are also on that ballot.
SB2 towns also deal with budget votes slightly differently than traditional towns. If voters reject the proposed budget on the ballot, a default budget takes effect, which is basically the previous year’s budget.
Who are the key players at town meeting?
In both meeting formats, an elected town moderator presides over the town meeting and town election. They set the rules. The moderator wields great authority, although voters can overrule the moderator by a simple majority.
Other key players: The voters. Town meetings rely on public participation, Secretary of State David Scanlan notes. “Ultimately, the best way to learn about town meetings is to see them in action.”
How to vote in your town election:
You can register to vote in the town election if you are at least 18, a U.S. citizen, and a resident of the town. The New Hampshire Secretary of State has more information, including an explanation of what kind of documents are required to prove your eligibility.
If you need to register for the first time or update your registration, don’t worry: You can take care of that at the polls on town meeting day.
Voters may also choose to vote by absentee ballot, including if they are out of town on election day, have an illness or physical disability, or have a caretaker commitment for a child or adult. Read more from the Secretary of State about absentee ballots and how to request one.
Steeped in history, and snacks. Also, why March?
Town meetings began in New England in the 17th and 18th century. March became the go-to month to account for the needs of farmers.
As Secretary of State David Scanlan shares in his official guide: “Land boundaries were established, disputes arising from loose animals destroying gardens and fields were settled, and town meeting cake was consumed. While all towns had and still have town moderators, several towns had other interesting roles, such as hog reeve – someone to keep the town’s swine under control – or pound keeper – someone to watch over the enclosure where loose animals were kept.”
Some of these roles still exist, but are ceremonial in nature. When former Gov. John H. Sununu and former First Lady Nancy Sununu moved to Hampton Falls in 2007, they were made honorary Hog Reeves at the town’s deliberative session that year.
