Petitions

How to Submit Article Petitions for Hingham Open Town Meeting

  1. Download the Citizen Petition Form (PDF) or obtain Petitioner's Form from the Assistant Town Administrator in the Select Board's office.
  2. Complete the form and obtain the required number of registered voters' signatures. Petitions for Articles for Annual Open Town Meeting must include at least 10 signatures. Petitions submitted for Special Town Meeting must include 100 certifiable signatures. (It is prudent to obtain more than the required amount.)
    Deadlines for Submissions (Petitions can be filed as early as September):
    • October 1: Street Acceptance
    • December 1: Zoning Articles
    • January 20: All General Warrant Articles
  3. Return the petition form to the Select Board's Office. The Select Board will forward the signatures to the Town Clerk for signature verification. All Articles submitted by Petitioners to the Select Board will be included in the Town Warrant.
  4. The Select Board's Office will contact the Petitioner regarding the date and time the Petitioner's Article will be heard by the Select Board.
  5. After the Select Board's hearing, the Advisory Committee will notify the Petitioner regarding the date and time that the Advisory Committee will review the Petitioner's Article.

Guidelines for Articles Submitted for Open Town Meeting

Drafted by the League of Women Voters

The following questions are provided to assist you in writing your Article for the Town meeting. Answering these questions will help to prepare you for presenting your Article to the Select Board and the Advisory Committee.

  • What are the specific goals or ends this Article is intended to achieve? How is the adoption of this Article in the "best interest of the Town"?
  • Which Town By-Laws, regulations, or policies, if any, currently address the subject of the Article? How would the adoption of this Article change or affect them?
  • How would the proposed Article work if adopted? Which Town boards or departments, if any, would be responsible for its implementation? What would be enforcement mechanisms, if any?
  • How would the Article's adoption affect the Town financially or otherwise (including quality of life, Town character etc.)?