TRURO — The rescheduled special town meeting will be postponed again, according to an Oct. 30 press release from the town. It is now set for Thursday, Nov. 16 at 5:30 p.m. at Truro Central School.
On Oct. 21, the original date for the meeting, it was postponed to Nov. 2 after more than 60 voter registration challenges were submitted. The board of registrars deemed all of them worthy of hearings.
The meeting warrant includes articles related to the development of the Walsh property and the construction of a new DPW facility.
According to the release, on Nov. 2 Town Moderator Paul Wisotzky will continue the meeting again “in order to allow for the pending voter registration challenges to be heard and resolved.”
The release further states that voters are welcome to attend on Nov. 2, but “the Moderator will only open the meeting and continue it for up to another 14 days pursuant to GL. c.39, §10. There will be no check-in for voters and the Town Moderator will not be taking any motions, questions or undertaking any of the business on the special town meeting warrant.”
The voter challenges were filed after an email sent to the board of the Truro Part-Time Resident Taxpayers Association (TPRTA) by vice president Regan McCarthy was made public. The email included instructions for switching one’s voter registration.
In a letter to the TPRTA, Town Clerk Elisabeth Verde wrote, “The email that you sent to your members advised them that they could register to vote in Truro even if it is not their primary domicile. This is not correct.” McCarthy’s email also advised members that they could temporarily change their registration to Truro, then switch it back to another town.
“Capriciously changing your registration between municipalities is not appropriate and frankly, is not right,” Verde wrote. “In fact, it does a disservice to the community that someone should be voting in.”
Of the 67 challenged voters, nine were no longer registered in Truro as of a voter roll dated Oct. 27.
The challenged registrants who remain on the voter roll will be served summonses at the physical addresses listed in their registration documents, according to an FAQ list created by the town. “If the voter is not personally available to receive the summons, the summons will be left at the voter’s indicated residence,” the document says. “The summons may also be requested by calling the Town Clerk’s office.”
According to the FAQ list, at the hearings, “The complainant and the subject of the complaint will be examined under oath and the Board of Registrars will receive any evidence that may be offered.” The four registrars will then vote on the registrant’s eligibility. In the case of a 2-2 vote, the challenged voter will remain registered in Truro.
The hearing must be scheduled within 2 to 14 days of the summons being issued.
