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ELECTION ALERT · ON THE BALLOT MAY 19
35 Signatures. The Select Board Said Yes.
March 24, 2026 | Yarmouth Select Board Meeting | Ballot Question 4
The Yarmouth Select Board voted 4-1 to place a non-binding “Equal Rights for Yarmouth Residents” question on the May 19 ballot. Only Tracy Post voted no.
The petition was filed under MGL c.53 §18A — a state law that requires only 35 signatures and four days’ public notice to force a non-binding question onto the ballot. That means 35 people — roughly 0.15% of the electorate — can put a political question in front of 22,842 registered voters with almost no public scrutiny.
“A binding question requires 2,265 signatures — 10% of registered voters. This petition needed 35. The Select Board had every right to reject it and demand real community support. Instead, four members handed 35 petitioners the same platform that should require the backing of thousands.”
Yarmouth’s own Town Administrator confirmed it. In a written response to the YRTC on March 20 — CC’d to every Select Board member — Robert Whritenour stated the petition “does appear to be directly related” to the sanctuary-style human rights resolution that was previously defeated. Same fight, different mechanism. Every board member knew before they voted.
The question’s vague “equal rights” language could serve as a stepping stone toward sanctuary-style policies — and passage sends a political signal that activists will use to push further policy changes in Yarmouth.
By the Numbers
35 signatures to place a non-binding question
2,265 signatures required for a binding question
22,842 registered voters in Yarmouth
4–1 Select Board vote to place it on the ballot
Read the full story: timeline, legal context, and full question text →