On May 7, at our Annual Town Meeting, Holliston will have the chance to take an important step toward making our democracy more inclusive.
Residents will be asked to vote on whether to request permission from the state to allow permanent legal residents — people who live, work, pay taxes, and raise families here — to vote in local elections.
This change wouldn’t happen overnight. In fact, the vote at Town Meeting is simply to ask for the authority to have this conversation in the future. But it’s an essential first step toward recognizing that full participation in local life should mean having a voice in local decisions.
How We Got Here
This important conversation was sparked by Puja Gupta, a dedicated and engaged Holliston resident, who recognized a profound gap in our local democracy. Despite her deep roots in the community she discovered that the long and complex path to U.S. citizenship left her without a voice in local elections. Rather than accept this, Puja took action, launching the discussion around greater civic inclusion for all of Holliston’s residents.
With the support of Select Board Member Damon Dimmick, and backed by careful research and outreach, Puja helped bring forward a proposal for a home rule petition — the formal process towns use to ask the state for special permission to make local rules.
The idea is simple: Let the people who are living the experience of our town every day have a voice in shaping its future.
What This Vote Is — and What It Isn’t
- It is a request to ask the state for permission to allow permanent residents to vote only in municipal elections — like Select Board, School Committee, and Town Meeting.
- It is not about voting for state or federal offices like Governor or President.
- It is not a final decision to grant voting rights — that conversation would happen later, with another Town Meeting vote required.
- It is not about undocumented residents — it is about permanent legal residents who have lawfully built their lives in our community.
Why This Matters
At a time when it can take 15–20 years or more to move from legal residency to citizenship, many of our neighbors are living in civic limbo. They are part of our neighborhoods. They send their kids to our schools. They serve on our committees. They pay the same taxes we do — but they have no vote, no say, and no real power to influence the community they call home.
When only a small fraction of eligible voters show up at Town Meeting or at the ballot box — often less than 10% of registered voters — encouraging broader participation is not just the right thing to do. It’s essential for the health of our democracy.
Let’s Keep the Conversation Going
The decision on May 7 is not about changing voting rights immediately. It’s about deciding whether Holliston should seek the authority to consider local voting rights for permanent legal residents in the future.
At Diverse Holliston, we believe that open, informed conversations make our community stronger. We encourage all residents to learn about the issue, listen to different perspectives, and attend Town Meeting on May 7 to take part in this important discussion.
If you want a deeper understanding of the proposal and the thoughtful discussion behind it, we encourage you to watch this episode of “Just Thinking with Mary Greendale,” featuring Puja Gupta, Damon Dimmick, and State Representative James Arena-DeRosa.
Your voice matters — and so does your participation.
We hope to see you at Town Meeting.