Guide to Filing a Citizen Petition for Belmont Town Meeting Action

Citizen petitions let residents place articles (proposals) on the Warrant (legal agenda of Town Meeting)  so that Town Meeting can vote on them. Here’s what you need to know to get started:

1. Understand What You Are Trying to Accomplish

Know exactly what it is that you are trying to accomplish and whether a citizen petition for Town Meeting is appropriate. Town Meeting has authority over:

• The Town’s Annual Operating Budget
• Salaries of local elected officials (Select Board, Moderator, Town Clerk) 
• Changes to General Bylaws or Zoning By-laws
• Local acceptance of State Laws that allow for local option,
• Non-binding Resolutions that are advisory (e.g., the 2009 non-binding resolution on the Climate Action Plan, the 2019 non-binding resolution on the Right to Repair and the 2015 non-binding resolution on Solar Policy).
• The Select Board determines the agenda for Town Meeting by placing articles on the Warrant. Citizens may add an article through a citizen petition, but petitions should be within Town Meeting’s authority (if there is a question, citizens should ask someone such as the Moderator, the Select Board, or the Town Administrator if a potential petition is within the authority of Town meeting).

If your concern does not involve Town Meeting — for example, urging the Select Board to consider placing a stop sign, asking the library to extend hours, or showing general community support on an issue — you may still collect signatures and submit them to the appropriate board or officials. However, that kind of petition is outside the scope of this Guide. 

This Guide focuses only on citizen petitions that bring matters before Town Meeting for a vote — such as proposing a new Bylaw, amending an existing one, asking for a non-binding resolution, or changing the budget or local officials’ salaries.

2. Who Can File a Citizen Petition?

Any registered voter in Belmont can file a citizen petition on behalf of Belmont residents. Only registered voters of Belmont may sign the petition.

3. What Is a Warrant Article?

A Warrant Article is a proposal for the Town Meeting to consider. It can be about anything within the Town’s authority—like spending money, changing Bylaws, or local acceptance of an optional State Law. It can also be a non-binding article that seeks to express the opinion of Town Meeting on a matter through a vote.

4. Ask Yourself First – Is a Citizen Petition Necessary?

Citizen petitions always will require time and labor by Town staff/committees, not to mention Town Meeting itself. Before proceeding with a citizen petition, some things to consider include:

• Please begin the petition process early to leave sufficient time for Town staff/committee review. 
• As a reasonable courtesy, petitioners should first meet with the Select Board (a single member or the full Board), appropriate Town department, or Town committee that has jurisdiction over the issue in order to seek feedback, advice and support. They may agree that the issue needs to be addressed, and will assist or support your efforts to go to Town Meeting. Alternatively, it may be an operational issue identifying an  improvement and they will work to make the changes without the need for a petition or action by Town Meeting. If the Board, department or Committee does not support your petition, they will still be required to analyze the impacts and offer an evaluation and opinion to Town Meeting.

5. When Do You Want Town Meeting to Take Action on the Article?

There are two types of Town Meetings:

• Annual Town Meeting – happens every spring (per our General Bylaws, begins the fifth Monday of April, if there is one; if not, the first Monday of May).
• Special Town Meeting – happens only if the Select Board calls one, or if residents request it.

The number of signatures you need depends on which type of Town Meeting and the timing.

6. Signatures Needed, Timing, and Process

Pay attention to the signature requirements. If there is an open Warrant, you need just 10 signatures for the Annual Town Meeting and 100 for the next called Special Town Meeting. *If you collect 200 or more signatures because you want to show that your proposal has support, under state law you may be requiring a Special Town Meeting within 45 days, whether that is your intention or not.*

7. What Do You Need to Submit?

• Your proposed title and language of your article (clear and concise—often begins “To see if the Town will…”).
• A petition form with the required number of valid signatures. Download a copy of the form here Guide to Filing a Citizen Petition for Belmont Town Meeting Action Guide to Filing a Citizen Petition for Belmont Town Meeting Action Guide to Filing a Citizen Petition for Belmont Town Meeting Action Guide to Filing a Citizen Petition for Belmont Town Meeting Action Guide to Filing a Citizen Petition for Belmont Town Meeting Action Guide to Filing a Citizen Petition for Belmont Town Meeting Action Guide to Filing a Citizen Petition for Belmont Town Meeting Action Guide to Filing a Citizen Petition for Belmont Town Meeting Action Guide to Filing a Citizen Petition for Belmont Town Meeting Action or use your own form that includes all of the fields on the available form.
• The signatures, names and addresses of all signers, who must be registered Belmont voters.
• The name and contact information for the primary sponsor of the petition.
• Not required, but helpful, is a one paragraph summary describing what you are trying to accomplish with your petition.

8. Where and When Do You File It?

File your petition with the Town Clerk's Office while the Warrant is open to accept articles. The deadline/close of the Warrant for each Town Meeting is announced by the Select Board. Your petition must contain at least the required minimum number of signatures of registered voters of Belmont to be filed.  Once the Warrant has been closed, additional citizen petition articles will not be accepted for that Town Meeting. 

It's a good idea to contact the Town Clerk’s Office or Town Administrator's Office early to:

• Get help with wording
• Confirm the deadline
• Make sure your petition is valid

9. What Should You Expect When Your Petition is Filed?

• The Town Clerk will issue a receipt for your petition and certify each signature and let you know how many signatures were certified to meet the minimum requirement.
• If your petition’s certified signatures exceed the legal minimum, the Select Board must place it on the Warrant. 
• Contact members of the Select Board or the Town Administrator to see if the Town may be willing to partner with you on your article. 
• You will be notified when Town Meeting will take up your article and you’ll be contacted by the Moderator who will set the limits on your presentation, number of slides, time allotted, etc.
• You or someone you choose to represent the petitioners will need to present the article at Town Meeting and answer questions from Town Meeting Members.
• Town Meeting will discuss, may amend, and will vote on the motion for your article.

10. Need Help?

You can:

• Contact the Town Clerk for forms and deadlines and Town Meeting procedures
• Contact the Moderator for guidance on how to present at Town Meeting 
• Ask the Moderator, a Select Board Member, the Bylaw Review Committee, Town Administrator, a Town Meeting Member or a relevant Committee Chair for help to refine your article

Quick Tips:

• Be clear about your expectations and whether a citizen petition is the right approach for what you would like to accomplish.
• Start early to give yourself time to collect signatures and get help with wording.
• Make sure signatures are legible and ask people who are signing if they are registered to vote in Belmont.
• Remember that petitions are public documents—anyone can see what you've filed.