By John Swinconeck, Contributing Writer
Westborough – Westborough Town Meeting members will get another free opportunity at using electronic voting in March, to decide whether they want to fund electronic voting in future meetings.
The Board of Selectmen voted 5-0 during its Jan. 14 meeting to recommend that an article be placed on the March warrant to fund the use of electronic voting.
Selectman Denny Drewry said Town Meeting members would be more likely to vote their conscience, because voting electronically can be done more privately than a show of hands or by a standing vote.
Members often do not like voting in opposition of their neighbors, he said.
“Nothing is as important as our right to vote,” Drewry said. “To vote privately–that's something we should cherish. I think it's the right thing to do.”
Outgoing Town Meeting Moderator Joseph Harrington told selectmen that an electronic voting system may cost the town up to $50,000 annually.
Town Meeting members had their first crack at a demonstration using electronic voting “clickers” from Option Technologies in October, said Harrington. At the end of that meeting, members voted to authorize the town to move forward with the adoption of electronic voting for the main, annual spring meeting.
Option Technologies has offered to provide another free demonstration of electronic voting for Town Meeting members in March, said Harrington.