How Does Vermont Government Work? Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos

How Does Vermont Government Work?

Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos

Cities and Towns

Town Meeting DayFirst Tuesday in March (usually)

First Town meeting was held in Bennington in 1762!


Town Meeting

What did they talk about at Town Meeting in 1762?


Town Meeting

Should farmers let their pigs run free?How much firewood should each town member contribute to heat the town and school?


What kinds of things do you think are talked about today at

Town Meeting?


Property TaxesSchool Taxes

Snow plowingRoad repairs

LibraryBuses

Fire TrucksSchool Books


Town Governance((Who’s in charge?)Who’s in charge?)

Selectboard

Schoolboard

Town Clerk

Treasurer


What Do They Do?

Selectboard- small groups of people who run

the town– in cities they are called the City Council

Schoolboard- small groups of people who

make important decisions about the schools

Town Clerk- keeps the records of the town and

runs elections

Treasurer- pays the bills and keep track of the

town and school district’s money


How Do They Decide?


VOTE!!!

Floor Vote

Australian Ballot


Town MeetingGetting Started!

Warning!

Advertise!

Where, When and What!


The Day of Town Meeting

Moderator- runs the meeting

Discussion- of the topic to be voted on

Vote- Floor or Australian Ballot?


What if you can’t get to Town Meeting?

Absentee BallotsMail- in

Delivered by election Workers


Questions?


State Government

Where is the State’s Capital?


Montpelier!


What is the State Bird?


Hermit Thrush


What is the State beverage?



Some other fun facts and history of Vermont


1777- The first state constitution to outlaw slavery

1791- The first state to join the original 13 colonies in the union!

1846- The first postage stamp to be printed was in Brattleboro!

1909- The first Boy Scout Club is formed in Barre!

1955- Consuelo Northrop Bailey becomes the first woman in the nation to be elected lieutenant governor

1968- The SECOND state to outlaw Billboards!


What other cool and important things has Vermont done since

then?


How do we make State law in Vermont?

How does our government work?


Three Branches of Government


Balance of Power!Executive- The head of the executive branch decides whether to veto bills passed by the legislature. Who is that person right now?

Legislative- 150 members of the House and 30 members of the Senate. They pass laws and decide how to spend our tax dollars

Judicial- The Vermont Supreme Court is located in Montpelier and there are courthouses all across the State


How A Bill Becomes a Law!


A Great (or not so great)

idea!


1.Idea (citizen or lawmaker)

2.Lawmaker 3.Support4.Draft the Bill5.Introduce the Bill6.Pass the Bill7.Veto or Signature



QUESTIONS?


Jim CondosSecretary of State

Documents

How Does Vermont Government Work? Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos