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Do you have a voice? Yes.
If you have seen the votes by council and wanted a vote at the polls... here it is.
Your vote, your voice!
Townspeople absolutely have the right for a vote. Disclaimer: IANAL I am not a lawyer. This is not advice.
If you remember my mother, Masayo Wilbur, who served in Literacy Volunteers at Otis Library in the 80s, she went on to be a court clerk in Maricopa County, Arizona serving all desks by the end of her career at Phoenix, Mesa, Scottsdale and Tempe courts. In addition to spending 30 years around the judicial district, I completed a couple courses at Harvard's Berkman Center for Internet and Society, contributing to case MPAA v 2600. Some of this stuff makes sense to me. :)
First, I will include a statement from ct.gov https://www.cga.ct.gov/2003/rpt/2003-R-0104.htm for reference.
You asked how a citizen can initiate a referendum on a local issue.
Depending on whether a town has a charter or not, citizens can petition to hold a special town meeting on a question or referendum. Then they can petition to have the question or referendum decided with a vote at the polls. Petition forms are available in the town clerk's office.
- According to this, the petition forms are available at the town clerk's office. I believe this is called a referenda petition.
In non-charter towns that must follow the statutes with respect to holding a special town meeting on a local town issue, the question or referendum can be brought up at a special town meeting if 20 people petition for it. They must be eligible to vote in town meetings: either registered voters in the town or owners of property valued at $1,000 or more who are at least 18 years old (CGS §§ 7-1 and 7-6).
- Irrelevant. Norwich has a charter.
A town can adopt an ordinance that requires more signatures to petition for a special town meeting where citizens can vote on a referendum or question (CGS § 7-2). Under such an ordinance, if 50 people who are qualified to vote at town meetings petition for a referendum, the board of selectmen must convene a town meeting within 21 days.
The town meeting can be adjourned to a later date for a vote by paper ballot or machine between the hours of noon and 8 p.m. The town's legislative body can authorize polls to open as early as 6 a.m.
At least 10% of the qualified voters or 200, whichever is less, can sign a petition asking for the so-called adjourned town meeting, or the board of selectmen can decide to conduct the vote this way (CGS §§ 7-7 and 7-9b).
