Citizen Petitions

A petition article is an article brought to Town Meeting for discussion and possible action by a citizen (rather than by a Board or Committee of the Town). Any voter may bring a petition article on any topic that is relevant to action by the Bourne voters at open town meeting, the town's legislative body. The Annual Town Meeting is held on the first Monday in May each year (Bourne Bylaw Article 1.1, Section 1.1.1). 

• Annual Town Meeting: an article may be included in the Annual Town Meeting Warrant by petition of 10 or more registered voters
• Special Town Meeting: an article may be included in any scheduled Special Town Meeting Warrant by petition of 100 or more registered voters
  • A Special Town Meeting may be called at any time upon request in writing, of two hundred or more registered voters. 

Petitions for submission of a Citizen's Article may be obtained from the Town Administrator's Office or printed (click here). Please note that the actual petition form must be printed double sided. Signatures must be written on the same page as the petition. If the petition is lengthy and leaves insufficient space for the necessary signatures on one page, the petition must be copied on each additional page required for the remaining signatures. 

All completed petitions shall be returned to the Town Administrator's Office no later than the deadline established by the Select Board. Any questions please reach out to the Town Administrator's Office at 508-759-0600 x1503