Opinion

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Brattleboro March 3rd Election Information

by Not Signed In | Politics

Below is some helpful information for the March 3rd Town Meeting and WSESD School Board Director Elections.

Absentee Ballots

Absentee ballots for these elections were mailed by request. Please make sure to follow the instructions provided with your ballot, including: 

Signing the certificate envelopeand ensuring your ballot/s are insidethe certificate envelope.
Using ablack pen to mark your ballot.
Do NOT use a markeras it can bleed through to the back of your ballot, requiring a replacement ballot.
WSESD you may vote in all town’s races for School Board.
Only vote for the number of seats available. Voting for more than the number indicated in that race will result in an overvote, and that vote will not be counted.

Let’s Meet

by fidel | Op/Ed

A Town Meeting–be it open (OTM) or representative (RTM)–provides a critical opportunity for citizens to check the Selectboard.

Over the past several years, the Selectboard has made decisions that have had a tremendous effect on our community—adopting the Downtown Safety Action Plan, creating a Town emergency medical service, eliminating funding for human services, choosing a new arrangement for solid waste collection, adopting a community conduct ordinance, and allocating federal COVID funds. Not to mention, in the last two years, substantial increases in spending and related tax increases. You may like or dislike some or all of these decisions but, without a Town Meeting, there is little recourse to reverse a Selectboard decision and no avenue for publicly debating it.

iBrattleboro Selectboard Candidate Interview – Randall “Randy” Blodgett

by cgrotke | Politics
randall blodgett

Randall “Randy” Blodgett is running for a one year seat on the Brattleboro Selectboard.

Introduce yourself. Who are you and what would you say are your qualifications for the job?

I hold a Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts with a concentration in Marketing from Albright College. My career has consistently focused on finance, entrepreneurship, and business development.

I began my professional career with New York Life Insurance Company, where I earned licenses in life, health, and securities. I later founded and operated a successful photography studio for 22 years, while also consulting within the studio industry on finance and marketing strategy.

Peter Elwell Support for In-Person Town Meeting

by jakitony | Op/Ed

Here is a statement supporting Town meeting by Peter Elwell, our former Town Manager. He does not post on social media and wanted his view to be known.

February 9, 2026

Please vote to save in-person town meeting in Brattleboro. We have the rare privilege of coming together as a community to discuss and address the major challenges and opportunities facing our town. Voluntarily surrendering that privilege would be a shame.

iBrattleboro Selectboard Candidate Interview – Deena Chadwick

by cgrotke | Politics
deena chadwick

Deena Chadwick is running for a one-year seat on the Brattleboro Selectboard.

What would you say are your qualifications for the job?

My name is Deena Chadwick, and I’m a third-generation Vermonter and longtime Brattleboro resident. I’ve lived in a number of neighborhoods in Brattleboro, as well as in Vernon and briefly in Guilford. I graduated from BUHS in 1993 and raised my two children here; they both attended Green Street School and BUHS and are now in their early 20s.

For the past 31 years, I’ve worked as a hairstylist in Brattleboro—17 years at Whitman’s Hair Salon, over 14 years running my own business, and the last 8 years as a co-owner of a cooperative hair salon. I also previously co-owned a downtown cycling studio. Over the last decade, I’ve been involved in rehabbing older homes and turning them into business spaces and affordable housing.

Stronger Unity in the Community!

by GS | Op/Ed

My strong belief in the following candidates: “What’s going to differentiate them from the other 1-year candidates is that Nell Mayo and Isaac Evans-Frantz are working for the benefit of our entire community — not just the business community or property owners. Their ability to differentiate themselves — as candidates with experience serving Brattleboro who bring positive energy and a neighborly spirit in the context of disastrous policy — this is what’s going to win the election and bring our community’s future to a more equitable, sustainable, and prosperous and safe unified town for us and generations of our young planting the seed of hope for a brighter future and bring a Stabilized balance of Peace, Fair Justice for all and a Economical and Equitable Unity in Brattleboro’s Community in a already divided unstable society across the country!

Vote for Nell Mayo and Isaac Evans-Frantz on March 3, 2026!

by hsbrattleboro | Op/Ed

Over the past year, I have been immensely impressed with the leadership of Isaac Evans-Frantz on the Selectboard. Isaac has shown willingness to listen to the community and has demonstrated his ability to integrate perspectives from the public into his decisions. Even when Isaac and I might see things from different perspectives, I trust that he is putting the community first in his work on the Selectboard. Whether that is committing to fiscal responsibility when our tax rates continue to rise each year, collaborating with members of the community by meeting them where they are – especially neighbors who are often forgotten or not listened to, or raising community concerns at the Selectboard table, Isaac has proven that he is a candidate who will listen to the people he represents while making decisions for this town. He is always available and responsive when I have questions or concerns, and he not only makes me feel heard, but actually listens and considers my perspective.

Is The Fox Watching the Hen House, Salivating With Our Tax Dollars, and Does This Affect Our Property Taxes?

by Cris Ericson | Op/Ed

Like any other homeowner in Vermont, I dread property taxes going up. With pain, I look online at real estate in other states southward, and estimate how fast higher and more frequent humidity and heat, and an attack of strange insect bites could kill me. Don’t forget the air conditioning bill for many more months than you would use one in Vermont. I don’t even have an air conditioner,

I have a cool basement.

Your Vote Your Decision – Australian Ballot

by JohnKennedy | Op/Ed

Voting for Australian (Secret) Ballot on March 3rd is a vote for including all Brattleboro voters in All decision-making.

Many voters cannot attend a Town Meeting or Representative Town Meeting.

Healthcare workers, hospitality industry workers, first-responders at the fire stations, shut-in seniors, or myriad others working at jobs where taking time off is not an option.

But every voter can cast their vote in person or by mail in the comfort of their own home.  Yet they can’t vote on the most important issue on the ballot.  Why?  Because in Brattleboro the Budget can only be voted on by Representative Town Meeting.

Brattleboro Selectboard Candidates

by cgrotke | Politics

The latest slate of candidates for Brattleboro Selectboard has been finalized.

For the 3 year seat, Amanda Ellis-Thurber, Ken Fay, and current Chair Elizabeth “Liz” McLoughlin are hoping they will get your vote for the single available seat.

Deliberation – A Virtue of Town Meeting

by RobertOeser | Op/Ed

Recently, I stumbled upon some inadvertent endorsements for a Town Meeting style of governance I thought I would share. These are excerpts from several podcasts: The first is entitled “I Drove To The Worst Place In Vermont. This Is What I Saw” (Spoiler alert: it’s not that bad) https://bit.ly/4nzDwEn

In this clip, a question is raised about the values unique to Vermont. While acknowledging the rise in polarization in the country generally, the podcaster zeroes in on “old school Vermont,” where everyone at Town Meeting argues with each other, but then has lunch and talks about what unites them.

My Vote To Lower Brattleboro’s Property Taxes

by IsaacEF | Op/Ed

At Thursday’s Brattleboro Selectboard meeting, I joined Amanda Thurber in voting against the proposed 27 million dollar budget because Brattleboro municipal taxes have far outpaced wage growth. At selectboard meetings, in the street, and Thursday at the Senior Center, I kept hearing, “Enough.”

We need to stick up for everyday folks who are working for a living, trying to save for the future, and wanting to give their children a better future.

Why Is President Trump Threatening To Use The Insurrection Act?

by Cris Ericson | Politics

There are a hundred news reports this morning, January 15, 2026, about President Trump Threatening to use the Insurrection Act. The allegations come from an alleged Truth Social post.

I don’t use Truth Social, my cellphone number was permanently banned. (Applause!) But this is going around, apparently President Trump is threatening to use the Insurrection Act.

The protests against ICE Immigration raids have escalated into destructive behaviour by protesters as evidenced last night in “LIVE” coverage by independent journalists I follow on Youtube.

We Need to Responsibly Lower Brattleboro’s Municipal Taxes

by IsaacEF | Op/Ed

The Brattleboro Selectboard, where I’ve served as clerk since last spring, has repeatedly committed to prioritize fiscal responsibility. Now the rubber meets the road — We have an opportunity to align our actions with our words.

The selectboard has tough decisions to make. At our meeting Tuesday night we prioritized honest budgeting for a more realistic picture of expected revenue and expenses. We restored funding for critical infrastructure for our bridges, retaining walls and bicycles. And we unanimously passed my motion to restore the finance director position. If we can stick with these decisions, we will set the town up for better financial health and stability.

Town of Brattleboro Petition for a Charter Amendment Second Public Hearing

by Not Signed In | Politics

The Town of Brattleboro has received two petitions signed by 5% of the legal voters of the Town of Brattleboro to amend the Town Charter as follows:

Petition #1:
Article 1: Shall Brattleboro discontinue the representative form of annual meeting?

Article 2: In the event that the vote on Article 1 is in the affirmative, shall Brattleboro vote by Australian ballot at any annual or special Town meeting on the following:

It’s Murder

by RDavis | Op/Ed

The outrage never ends. Just when you hope Trump will be reined in and not be allowed to bolster his cred as dictator, he tells the world to go **** themselves. It seems like the worst possible situation is now unfolding in the Caribbean and Pacific as the U.S. military kills people wantonly.

The U.S. is killing what they believe are drug dealers, without proof. They are targeting boats that they think are carrying drugs. Why is no one in the international community outraged about this illegal activity? Where are the international organizations such as the International Criminal Court? Why is no one trying to stop Trump’s murderous rampage as he pushes the U.S. closer to a war with Venezuela? The whole situation makes me physically sick because I feel so helpless to stop the killing.

Snow Job Congress Is Pulling On Us – 501(c)(4)

by Cris Ericson | Op/Ed

CRIS ERICSON’s TAX REVOLT
alternate title: VERMONT TAX REVOLUTIONARY SNOW JOB CONGRESS IS PULLING ON US

I finally found the specific statute that I believe is the cause of the rich getting richer, and Bernie Sanders claiming he doesn’t take corporate donations!

How many times has U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, and other politicians,said that they do not take political campaign contributions from corporations?

Brattleboro 2026 Annual Town Meeting Election Calendar

by Not Signed In | Politics

Thursday, January 15 Last day (5:00 P. M.) to file petition requesting that an article be placed on the Warning for Annual Town Meeting and Unified School District (47 days preceding election).  Approx. 469 (5%) signatures of registered Brattleboro voters required.  17 VSA 2642 

Thursday, January 22 First day to post Warning for Annual Town Meeting and Unified School District (not more than 40 days preceding election)  17 VSA 2641 (a)