Tuesday was town meeting day for many New Hampshire communities, with voters casting ballots in local elections on a bluebird day with unseasonably warm temperatures.
While the official business at hand included annual town and school budgets, zoning changes, the election of local officers, and other municipal matters, many voters had a lot more on their minds.
“The state of Exeter is okay,” said Paige Curtis, as she prepared to vote at Town Hall. “The state of the world? I kind of feel like I'm getting gut punched. And then there's a little positive, and then it happens again. So there's just a lot of crazy going on.”
Voters in several New Hampshire towns Tuesday said the recent global headlines — including the war in Iran and the rising cost of oil — were heavy on their minds, even as they weighed in on purely local matters.
“I’m not sure this was the best way to handle things,” Ward Byrne, a commercial fisherman who described himself as “conservative minded,” said of the U.S.’s decision to strike Iran last week.
Byrne, of Brentwood, said he was concerned about threats that the war might pose to the country — including the rising cost of oil, something he said he feels when he fills his boat’s gas tank these days.
Others said the turmoil across the world only made them focus more intently on issues closest to home on town meeting day.
“What's happening in Iran is very important, but you know, I think that the local elections are actually really important as well,” said Scott Smith of Exeter.
“That’s why we’re here. We have to say what we care about and what’s important to us, and if enough people do that, then that’s when the change happens."Christine Diggins of Exeter
Others brought a dose of optimism to their town meeting ballot.
Logan Elmore said he came out to vote in Brentwood to support the local schools and town library.
“I think if everybody focuses on their communities the way that they should, on a state and federal level things will hopefully get better,” Elmore said. “Who knows if that will happen? But, you know, you can hope.”
“People don't come to town elections anymore because they think it's not worth it,” said Fred DeCicco of Exeter. “But we think it's worth it because this is where change starts. When we realize that, and people get involved, we’ll change things.”
In Londonderry, where a full-day kindergarten program was on the ballot, many voters were ready to talk about local education.
Elizabeth Bachir turned out to the polls to hold a sign for her husband — a school board candidate — and to vote for full-day kindergarten, which she sees as essential for her young families.
"We have three kids, and we want them to have the education that we believe Londonderry has, and we want to maintain that,” she said. “We love raising our kids here, and I hope the education keeps up so we can stay here."
Brittney Bondi of Londonderry brought her kids to the polls: Her 19-year-old son was a first-time voter. She says the town needs to cut school spending. She voted against full-day kindergarten — something she said her family managed to do without.
“If I had to do it, and I had to figure it out, I feel like other people can do the same thing,” Bondi said.
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Dan Tuohy/NHPRWhat is town meeting in New Hampshire? How does voting work? Who gets to vote? Here is a guide to the process, including a primer on the difference between traditional and SB2 town meeting formats. -
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