2014 Town Meeting & Election Results

10,790 Registered Voters

51 New Voters

2,331 Ballots Cast

Town and School Voting: Tuesday, March 11, 2014, 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Talbot Gym, 30 Linden Street

Town Deliberative Session was Saturday, February 1, 2014, 9:00 a.m. at the Exeter High School Auditorium, 1 Blue Hawk Drive

NOTE: For the complete 2014 schedule, click on the attachment under "supporting documents" below.

Exeter operates under an "SB2" form of government, falling under RSA 40:13.  The Town budget and warrant articles are discussed and debated during a deliberative session.  This session is similar to a Town Meeting except warrant articles are not approved at the meeting.  The deliberative session of the Town is generally held at the Exeter Area High School at 1 Blue Hawk Drive, on the first Saturday in February.  The second session of Town Meeting, also known as the Town Election, occurs the second Tuesday in March of each year.  At this election, all warrant articles are voted on by the Town.

The Town Warrant that is presented to the deliberative session is prepared by the Select Board.  Each warrant article is recommended or not recommended by the Select Board except where New Hampshire law says otherwise.  Each year, the warrant is published on the Town's website after being finalized by the Select Board.  The Town Warrant is the key document that explains all Town proposed spending and activity for the upcoming year.  The deliberative session and the town election occur once each year.

Citizens also enjoy the right of free petition under the SB2 system.  Citizens may put any warrant article onto the warrant by obtaining 25 signatures of registered voters.  Citizen petitions are due at the close of business on the second Tuesday in January of each year.  If citizen petitions request funds, they are recommended or not recommended by the Select Board.  Most citizen petitions are advisory in nature, however those that request money, and some other petitions are considered binding.  The Town's legal counsel reviews all citizen petitions submitted for potential legal issues.

The Town Meeting is one of oldest forms of democratic participation in America. Originating in New England during the initial founding of the colonies, the Town Meeting has called for a gathering of citizens to decided the important issues in front of the Town. However much has changed about the Town Meeting process since the founding of Exeter. In most cases, Town Meetings were held much more frequently, once a month or even more often as needed. Annual meetings did not begin in New England until the mid 17th Century.