Keep the secret ballot alive

To the Editor;
Dover-Foxcroft’s Charter Revision Commission would like all town voters to believe their proposed changes to the charter are offered as a way of “streamlining” the voting process for the annual town budget. They say they’ve modeled the change that more closely duplicates the way school budgets are determined.

If the proposed revisions are approved at the Municipal Election in June we, the voters, will essentially lose our ability to vote by secret ballot. That’s right, the secret ballot will virtually disappear leaving voters only the single option of reviewing and voting on the individual Budget Articles in “open”town meeting.

Some of us remember well the town meetings when tempers ran hot, contentious issues were rarely settled to everyone’s satisfaction and the “rubber stamp” was freely exercised. To return to days long ago and that type of meeting is folly. The proposed revision almost guarantees further erosion of confidence in our town government and it assures the continued propagation of adversarial relationships. Dover already has the reputation of being a “them and us” community. Taking away the ability to vote by secret ballot fails to alter that long-standing philosophical divide. Given that the desire to compromise or even change the “old ways” of doing things makes one wonder: Why would a hand-picked commission desire to perpetuate a seemingly irreconcilable divide?

Last time, we checked, the State of Maine is a home rule state and, though quite permissive in its approach to politics, there is no room for an oligarchy. The desires of the people should be honored and the secret ballot, delineating and defining each tax-supported article permits the voter a choice in how his/her tax support of town services is apportioned and administered. The Charter Revision Commission may think their deliberations and conclusions will be beneficial to the town, but removing the ability to vote all budget-related warrant articles by secret ballot at the municipal election in June all but eliminates the people’s voice.

Could this be considered an unintended consequence, or is there a more nefarious purpose? For instance, further centralized power vested in the hands of a few, or perhaps it is a deliberate effort to minimize transparency and further reduce the need for accountability? Call it what you will, but there is one way you can thwart this “obvious” take-away from the citizens: simply vote no to the charter revision. It’s Article 8 on the June ballot.

Adopting the secret-ballot method of voting by a large majority of the voters years ago reflected a very clear democratic process. That’s true home rule in its best sense. Don’t let the desires/agenda of a few abolish an already established right/privilege. It’s time to bury contentious issues of the past, not resurrect them.

Vote no to the charter revision and keep the secret ballot.
Don Benjamin
Dover-Foxcroft