Claude "Sonny" Patten (3-6 P

To the editor,

To all Belmont voters: Official Ballot Voting means democracy for everyone.

Vote YES to RSA 40:13 on March 9 if you want all future school district voting to be by official ballot If you don’t vote at all, someone else will decide what’s right for you.

Official Ballot Vote:

— Everyone can vote on all school warrant articles with all day voting, and absentee ballots.

— A written ballot and voting booths. All amendments are added before voting starts. No late night surprises and reconsiderations.

— Increases local control, everyone gets to vote on all local school issues.

— Everyone gets to vote on the budget. If it passes, that’s great. If majorities reject it, then the school board can amend the budget and you can vote on it again.

Legally, the ballot bill is NH law RSA40:13, popularly known as Senate Bill 2 (SB-2). NH had official ballot voting up until 1979 when the law was changed.

Vote NO to RSA 40:13 on March 9tif you want to continue school district voting as we do now.

How We Vote Now:

— Limits voting on most articles only to those who can attend meetings.

— Most voting is done in public, in a crowded auditorium by raising your hand. Counting votes accurately is very difficult.

— Encourages minority control, only some people get a chance to vote.

— Only a few vote on the budget. You have voters sit for hours on end and wait until eleven o’clock or midnight for the budget to come up for a vote.

In 1996, 63 N.H. towns adopted SB-2. Now, more than 50-percent of N.H.’s population exercises the right to the Secret Ballot.

A 60-percent majority is required for Passage of RSA 40:13. “Vote yes SB2”

CAST YOUR VOTE FOR DEMOCRACY!

Claude "Sonny" Patten

Belmont