What to know about New Hampshire’s 2026 Town Meeting Day

New Hampshire’s 2026 Town Meeting Day takes place on March 10. Here’s everything you need to know.

New Hampshire’s Town Meeting Day is a tradition hundreds of years in the making. The idea originated in Dorchester, Massachusetts, during the 1630s. Back then, men attended meetings to vote on the best way to distribute land and set boundaries between farms. New Hampshire adopted the practice shortly after, choosing to hold the designated meeting day in March ahead of sowing season.

Granite Staters attending these initial gatherings ate town meeting cake, settled disputes, and worked with moderators to make sure everything was settled squarely by the day’s end. Some of these aspects have changed over the years, though baking sweet treats for the big day—like this election cake—is still a well-practiced custom.

Nowadays, our 221 towns and 13 cities gather on the second Tuesday in March to participate in local elections, discuss warrant articles (a term that refers to that day’s agenda, like which budgets will be covered), and generally find ways to better our communities. The actual format of the day varies from one place to the next. Some cities and towns will hold traditional meetings at the town or city hall, whereas others may engage in more of an informal process at a local gym or community center. As an example, Newmarket is holding elections at its town hall for budgets and conservation initiatives, among others.

NOTE: Town meetings are always open to the public, but only registered voters can participate in debates and in the actual voting done on that day. If you aren’t currently registered to vote, click here and follow the steps outlined on that page to complete the required forms prior to March 10.

What is the purpose of town meetings?

Town Meeting Day is primarily held for two reasons: To discuss and vote on town business (i.e. warrant articles, budget, community projects), and to elect or reelect town officers. The way these are conducted depends on whether the town/city is holding a Senate Bill 2 (SB2) or a traditional town meeting.

For SB2 meetings, a deliberative session is held first, during which time voters talk about and make amendments (when possible, as some cannot be changed if they’re designated by New Hampshire law) to the warrant articles that appear on their official ballots. A final vote on these warrant articles takes place on election day through official secret ballots—they will not be voted on during the March 10 session.

At traditional town meetings, warrant articles are voted on in an unofficial yes-no secret ballot and are approved by public vote. Before this happens, a moderator will oversee voter discussion of the day’s agenda and help ensure their questions are being answered and amendments are recorded properly ahead of the final vote. Town officers are then voted on via official secret ballots distributed on election day during regularly scheduled polling hours.

When & where New Hampshire’s town meetings take place

Most town meetings are scheduled for the second Tuesday in March, which would be March 10 this year. Some areas hold theirs on the second Tuesday in April or the second Tuesday in May. Basically, it’s up to the town/city to decide when the business session will take place. In some instances, Town Meeting Day is scheduled within two weeks of an upcoming election day when school and town elections are held. When that happens, the area’s select board is legally required to post a warrant 14 days in advance of the town meeting to ensure the public knows the time and location for the session.

All of that is a roundabout way of saying that the best and easiest way to find information for your specific city/town is to Google “[town/city name] Town Meeting Day 2026.” Most places have an official town or city website that lists relevant information, including the exact date, time, and location. It will also indicate whether it’ll be a traditional town meeting or an SB2. For further information on Town Meeting Day, including what role moderators play, please click here.