Newcastle board keeps secret ballots after resident survey; pledges more outreach

The Newcastle Select Board decided June 22 to continue using secret ballots for its annual‑meeting warrant after staff presented survey results collected at the town meeting.

Town Manager Kevin said about 350 residents returned short survey slips; roughly 268 respondents favored the secret‑ballot process for the 2026 annual meeting while about 89 opposed it, and roughly 263 supported continuing the practice going forward versus about 90 who said no. "It's about two‑thirds in favor," Kevin said while summarizing the tally.

Board members acknowledged the majority preference but also voiced concerns that secret ballots reduce the opportunity for in‑person deliberation. Select Board member Merl said some residents feel the town is losing a right to challenge the budget at annual meeting. Board members urged stronger public information in the run‑up to future votes so people know what each warrant item means.

Kevin proposed a set of improvements drawn from resident comments: clearer ballot instructions, targeted informational sessions before the vote and using the town's "Newcastle Next" outreach series and forthcoming website text‑message capability to reach people who do not typically attend town meeting. "We need to be sure we're thinking about how we communicate — explain what people are voting for," Kevin said.

The board did not reverse the method used this year; instead members agreed to continue secret ballots and to expand education and public forums to give residents more context and opportunities to ask questions before voting.