1976-03-01-TE-Warrant-and-1976-03-22-ATM-Warrant

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- 28 - ARTICLE 78. To see if the Town will vote to instruct the Selectmen to petition the General Court for legislation to amend the provisions of Chapter 215 of the Acts of 1929, as amended by Chapter 442 of the Acts of 1956 and Chapter 18 of the Acts of 1959 which relate to the filling of vacancies in the total number of Town Meeting Members from any precinct in the event there is no defeated candidate available, by striking out Section 7 and inserting in place thereof a new Section 7 in substantially the following form: Section 7: Any vacancy in the full number of Town Meeting Members from any precinct, whether arising from a failure of the registered voters thereof to elect, or from any other cause, shall be filled until the next annual election by the selection by the Town Clerk of the person who received the highest number of votes as a defeated candidate for the office of Town Meeting Member in the preceding election or the previous year's election, in order, in the precinct where the vacancy occurs, and the Town Clerk shall promptly notify such person of his election as Town Meeting Member. If for any reason such person cannot or does not accept such office, the next highest in recorded vote of the defeated candidates in that precinct shall be similarly selected. In the event of a tie vote of those who received the highest votes as such defeated candi- dates, the Town Clerk shall call a special meeting of the Town Meeting Members from the precinct where the vacancy occurs, for the purpose of so filling the vacancy from among those having the tie votes and shall cause to be mailed to every such Town Meeting Member, not less than seven days before the time set for the meeting, a notice specifying the object, time and place of the meeting. In the event no defeated candidate is available candidates shall be nominated by nomination papers signed by not less than ten voters of the precinct in which the candidate resides, and filed with the Town Clerk at least eight days prior to a special meeting of the Town Meeting Members from the precinct where the vacancy occurs called by the Town Clerk for the purpose of so filling the vacancy. The Town Clerk shall cause to be mailed to every such Town Meeting Member, not less than seven days before the time set for the meeting, a notice specifying the object, time and place of the meeting. At the said meeting a majority of the members from such precinct shall constitute a quorum, and they shall elect from their own number a chairman and a clerk. The choice to fill any vacancy shall be by written ballot and a majority of the votes cast shall be required for a choice. The chairman and clerk shall count the ballots and shall make a certificate of the choice and forthwith file the same with the Town Clerk, together with a written acceptance by the member or members so chosen who shall thereupon be deemed elected and qualified a Town Meeting Member or Members, subject to the right of all the Town Meeting Members to judge of the election and qualifications of the members as set forth in Section 3. or to take any other action relative thereto. (Inserted at the request of ten or more registered voters)