Deb Carney chews out Crocodile Dan

Carney blasts Council’s use of secret ballot

Comments presented to the Town Council on April 8 by Deb Carney

Editor’s Note: former Town Council President Deborah Carney has filed an Open Meetings Act complaint with the RI Attorney General for their use of a secret ballot to appoint CCA minion Donna Chambers to the Chariho School Committee. Click here for detail. Click here to read the complaint.

During the March council meeting, at the suggestion of [Councilor Dan] Slattery, the council took a secret vote by writing names on pieces of paper and handing them to the town clerk.  This secret vote was referred to as an “Australian Ballot”. 

Encyclopedia Britannica defines Australian ballot as follows, “Australian Ballot, also called secret ballot, the system of voting in which voters mark their choices in privacy or designate their choices by some other secret means.”

Two days after this secret vote was taken at a public meeting, Mr. Slattery testified before the House Judiciary Committee and made the following statement, “Open and transparent government starts with open and transparent elections.”

Contrary to this statement, taking a secret vote at a public meeting is not open government.  Taking a secret vote at a public meeting is not transparent government.

This is the second time a Town Council under the leadership of Mr. Gentz has taken a secret vote at a public meeting.  In the interest of true open and transparent government I ask that you stop voting by Australian ballot.  Stop taking secret votes.