The Town of Plymouth

Plymouth's town government is made up of a Legislative branch, which consists of the Representative Town Meeting and an Executive branch composed of the Select Board, the Town Manager and the Planning Board. Additionally, there are a variety of citizen-led Boards and Committees which also help keep the town running smoothly. All elected positions in Plymouth are non-partisan.

The Town Charter provides a detailed overview of town government and can be viewed here.

Plymouth sends out regular email notifications with important town related information. To sign up for these emails, click here. Read more detail below.

The Legislative Branch - Representative Town Meeting

The town is divided into 18 precincts. Each precinct elects 9 Town Meeting Representatives, for 162 total, each serving a three-year term. Town Meeting occurs once in the Spring and once in the Fall, where Reps vote on the town budget and any changes to the town by-laws. Special Town Meetings can also be called.

The Town Moderator is the presiding officer of Town Meeting and serves a three-year term.

You can find a current list of Town Meeting Representatives here. Polling locations and a link to a map of Plymouth's 18 precinct's can be found here.

Which is YOUR precinct?

Two things are probably true: you don’t know what precinct you are in, or why? The first is easy to figure out: go here, put in your address and, bingo, your precinct pops up. The second, the why, is a bit more complex, but worth understanding.

First, Massachusetts state law requires ‘towns’ to divide themselves into voting precincts that are roughly equal in population, about the same size geographically, and generally have no more than 4,000 residents in each (as of the last state census). So, the population determines the number of precincts, and now there are 18 in Plymouth.

Plymouth’s charter, its ‘constitution’ of sorts, requires residents to elect 9 Town Meeting Members per precinct, resulting in a total of 162 Town Meeting members that serve as the community’s legislature.

If Plymouth's population increases by the 2030 Census, we could end up with more precincts. If the population declines, the town could reduce the number of precincts.

Take note: in our Representative Town Meeting form of government, each Town Meeting Member represents just over 425 residents—a high level of local representation especially compared with other forms of municipal government. But do you know who your precinct’s elected Town Meeting Members are? You should. When you vote in the local election three of those 9 Town Meeting Members from your precinct are up for re-election every year. Look them up, here!

The COPC!

Every precinct has 9 elected Town Meeting Members (TMM), and those TMM choose a chair for their precinct, who then is automatically a member of the COPC – the Committee of Precinct Chairs. The COPC is a relatively new committee, meant to serve as a liaison between Town Meeting – the legislature of the town - and the executive branch of town government, the Select Board. The COPC also serves as the voice of the town’s legislature, during the long periods when Town Meeting is not in session.

The Select Board

The Select Board is the "Executive Branch" of town government: A five-member board elected to rotating three-year terms. The Select Board is the policy-making board for the town, handling duties like setting local rules, managing licenses, and calling town meetings. The Select Board also sets policy, strategic direction, and fiscal guidelines, and appoints key personnel like the town manager, department administrators, and town counsel. The board calls annual and special town meetings, prepares and signs the official town meeting warrant (the list of articles to be voted on) and makes appointments to various local boards, committees, and commissions. The Board also acts as the local licensing authority for food service establishments, approves liquor licenses, and oversees public ways as road commissioners.

Local Boards and Committees

There are over 50 boards and committees, largely comprised of volunteers, that support Plymouth's Town Meeting form of government. Among the most important are:

the Planning Board (5 elected members),
the Zoning Board of Appeals (5 appointed members),
the Advisory & Finance Committee (15 appointed members),
the Board of Health (5 appointed members),
the School Committee (7 appointed members),
the Conservation Commission (7 appointed members),
the Open Space Committee (9 appointed members),
the Building Committee (9 appointed members),
the Climate Action Net Zero Committee or CANZ (11 appointed seats).

For information on these various committee refer to the Town Charter, available here.

The Plymouth County Democratic League

The Plymouth County Democratic League (PCDL) is “dedicated to fostering and advancing the ideals and values of the Democratic Party throughout Plymouth County.” They are the county level organization for democrats. For more information, visit here.

The Plymouth County Commissioners

The county commissioners oversee county services such as the Register of Deeds and the Sheriff's department. Their role for the County is equivalent to what the Select Board does at the Town level. Learn more about County level operations here.

Running for Representative Town Meeting

Every year, three Town Meeting Reps from every Precinct are up for election. These elections take place the third Saturday of May.

Potential candidates must be registered voters in Plymouth and must obtain the nomination papers from the Town Clerk's office. Nomination papers must be filled with at least 10 signatures from registered voters from the precinct in which the candidate resides. The completed nomination papers must then be filed with the Town Clerk's office by the deadline set by the town.

The Executive Branch - The Select Board & Town Manager

The current members of The Select Board are:

Deb Iaquinto, Chair
Kevin Canty
David Golden
Richard J. Quintal Jr.
William Keohan

Derek Brindisi is Plymouth's Town Manager.

How To Get On A Board Or Committee

Elected Committee positions are on the town election ballot each May.

Appointed Committee positions are filled in early Summer, after the annual town elections.

Letters of interest must be submitted to the appointing body - either the Town Moderator or the Board of Select Board. Vacancies are also posted throughout the year and can be filled on a rolling basis by interested candidates.

00days 00h 00m 00s until Primary polls open Sept 1st