This March you can look forward to the following schedule:

Little Town Meeting on Tuesday, March 3 at 6:00 pm– Meet the candidates, discuss zoning amendments and other articles on the ballot for all-day voting

School District Meeting on Thursday, March 5 – Discuss and vote on the School Budget

Town Election Day on Tuesday March 10 – polls open from 7am to 7pm for voting on town officers, zoning amendments, and specific types of warrant articles

Town Business Meeting on Saturday, March 14 – Discuss and vote on the Town Budget and many, many warrant articles. Find out who the Lyme Citizen of the Year is.

Please stay tuned for more information between now and then on subjects like filing to run for office and the dates of budget hearings that help shape the budgets (Town and School) you will vote on in March.

Thanks for your time – now and in March,

Mark Schiffman, Town Moderator

Emily Shepard, Town Clerk

If anyone is curious to see the results of the recent survey of Lyme citizens, you can find that here: https://www.lymenh.gov/home/news/results-survey-about-town-meeting

Again, thank you to everyone who responded to the survey. We were really pleased to hear from SO many people. And we heard both from people who regularly attend Town Meeting and people who never have or seldom can. If you look at the survey results, you will see those presented collectively as well as parsed into those categories. Many other people reached out to me or Emily to share their thoughts outside the survey. And as I noted, we also asked about this at Town Meeting last year.

As we guessed, there is no magical time or date that would work perfectly for everyone, but we really want to thank everyone who shared the sentiment that they wanted the meeting time to work for as many people as possible.

Here are some quick bullets on what we found out

• For people who frequently attend town meeting, 9 am on the second Tuesday in March works just fine.
• But the vast majority of those people are also very willing to come another day/time.
• Meetings during the workday are a big issue for many people – for some, meeting between 9-5 during the week is almost impossible.
• Meetings at night can run up against dinner time, family time, and/or driving dark hours, the last of which is a concern for older residents who don’t stay up late or drive at night.
• A meeting on a weekend is a concern for some, particularly as it can conflict with planned activities and other commitments, especially for families with children participating in sports.
• A meeting in the late afternoon/early evening did not seem to solve the problems/challenges for enough people.
• Some people would really like the Town Meeting and School District Meeting to be back-to-back, but when we surveyed people, we found that given the actual logistics of making that happen, and how much time people would need to commit, it might have an overall negative effect on attendance – driving down the attendance at one meeting or the other vs. pumping up the attendance at both. But perhaps this could come back on the table in the future.

As a result of all these inputs and running some comparisons regarding which options gained more people and which seemed to lower expected attendance – for both the whole group responding and the sub-classifications noted above, Emily Shepard and I proposed to the Selectboard that for this year, we try the Business Meeting on a Saturday morning, if possible wrapping in Little Town Meeting.

Personally, I can say that if you had asked me before this process started, that was not the answer I expected to end up with, but after this survey, talking to people, and reviewing advantages and disadvantages, it very much seems to be the best choice for this coming year.

Meeting on Saturday morning not only received the most positive/likely responses, but also has some additional advantages over the “traditional” meeting timing.

So, will this make everyone happy? Of course not, but for those for whom this is not a first choice, we appreciate your flexibility, and for those who indicated this option remove previous conflicts, we hope you will put it on your calendar and plan to be there. Between now and then, we’ll have more information to share and hope to work with community groups to make the most of the morning’s gathering.

While the Secretary of State’s office had previously indicated the Town Business Meeting could occur before or after Election Day, Town Counsel advised that the Business Meeting should occur on or after Election Day, and as a result we revised our recommended day for the meeting to Saturday, March 14 – which is one of the most popular days for this meeting in other towns in New Hampshire

We look forward to seeing you all then – as well as many times between now and then!

The holidays are over and it’s back to the daily grind. You’re clockin’ into your remote job in your flannel pajamas and alma mater sweatshirt stained with Cheetos dust. It’s hard adjusting to life post-holidays. I get it. You need a little something to get you through. Which is why I bring to you…

Back by popular demand! 

World renowned! 

Oscar winning!

Nationally ranked! 

Beloved by millions!

The annual Lyme dog raffle!!!!!! Oooooooooh! Aaaaahhhhh! Named Timber’s Top-Shelf in honor of my beloved family dog, this prize is the mother of all prizes. A veritable embarrassment of riches. (If you’re a dog, that is.) If we lived in a cartoon, your dog’s eyes would be doing that thing that Jim Carrey’s eyes did in The Mask (worth a Google, if you don’t remember). 

In case you haven’t heard of it (where you’ve been??), Timber’s Top Shelf is a raffle prize awarded annually in Lyme. Interested? All you have to do to enter is register your dog before the April 30, 2026 deadline. That’s right, literally the only step to entry is to do something that you legally have to do anyway. You get to help prevent the spread of rabies and have the chance to win a mind-blowingly cool swag bag. Easy-peasy lemon-squeezy.

Don’t let your dogs miss out. Don’t let them become an embarrassment at the dog park because they weren’t entered in the raffle. You can register your dog here in the office or on our website (https://pay.eb2gov.com/​Service/DogLicensing/826?​towncode=556&groupname=&​source=DL&towncodemasterid=279​). We’ll need to have current rabies vaccination certificates on file in order to register your dogs. 

On a more somber note, if you’ve recently lost a dog, I offer you my deepest and most sincere condolences. It’s never easy to lose a member of the family. If this is your case, please let me know so I can take your dog out of our database so I’m not bothering you with requests to renew your dog’s license.

Thank you!

Emily Shepard

Town Clerk

One High Street

Lyme, NH 03768

(603) 795-2535

Okay, so obviously I’m prone to hyperbole, but it’s still pretty cool!

Budget Committee

P.O. Box 126 Lyme, NH 03768-0126

Wednesday January 14th, 2026

7:00PM

All meetings are located in the Town Office conference room at 7:00PM unless otherwise posted

A minimum of a quorum of the Budget Committee will be meeting at 1 High Street, Lyme Town Office. The Board will be meeting in person and via Zoom.

Please call in on one of the zoom conference numbers or by the zoom link below:

US Toll-free/845 2919 8688 US Toll-free/888 788 0099 US Toll-free/ 833 548 0276 US Toll-free

Topic: Budget Committee

Time: Jan 14, 2026 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86489992717?pwd=g7nHNIla9PjqUkGELTIjMWQd6Wr6Nv.1

Meeting ID: 864 8999 2717

Passcode: 905471

Wednesday 1/14:

Discussion and possible vote on the Town and School proposed budgets to take to public hearing:

Town Operating Budget

Town Money Warrant Articles

School Operating Budget

School Money Warrant Articles

Budget Committee

P.O. Box 126

Lyme, NH 03768-0126

Wednesday January 7th , 2025, 7:00PM

All meetings are located in the Town Office conference room at 7:00 PM unless otherwise posted

A minimum of a quorum of the Budget Committee will be meeting at 1 High Street, Lyme Town Office. The Board will be meeting in person and via Zoom. Please call in on one of the zoom conference numbers or by the zoom link below:

US Toll-free / 845 2919 8688 US Toll-free/888 788 0099 US Toll-free/ 833 548 0276 US Toll-free

Topic: Budget Committee meeting

Time: Jan 7, 2026 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/​89504903561?pwd=​l2RyOGvdUbnecPTDAQAEg3ZneuaftZ​.1

Meeting ID: 895 0490 3561

Passcode: 008883

Wednesday 1/7: Discussion of proposed School operating budget and money warrant articles

Budget Committee

P.O. Box 126

Lyme, NH 03768-0126

Budget Committee review and vote on School Budget

The meeting will be held at 1 High Street in the Town Office Conference room

Topic: Budget Committee Meeting

Time: Feb 9, 2026 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/​88521795628?pwd=​U0jCMqKmqKVfkWOpzhucaTWLveSV8e​.1

Meeting ID: 885 2179 5628

Passcode: 321991

Join instructions: https://us06web.​zoom.us/meetings/88521795628/​invitations?signature=gP0K9-​E1LrMfQsnFRmSOpIuDOzQ1r3KIMfEA​qm44Ox8

Monday February 9th 2026:

School budget review and vote

School Operating Budget

School Money Warrant Articles

PUBLIC HEARING

Agenda

February 4th, 2026

7:00PM

Town Office conference room and zoom

A minimum of a quorum of the Budget Committee will be meeting at 1 High Street, Lyme Town Office.  The Board will be meeting in person and via Zoom.Please call in on one of the zoom conference numbers or by the zoom link below:

Topic: Budget Committee\ Time: Feb 4, 2026 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)\ Join Zoom Meeting\ https://us06web.zoom.us/j/​89226144962?pwd=​ry5BkFbVfbctHnl3XCZDLNvFYaqUgB​.1\ \ Meeting ID: 892 2614 4962\ Passcode: 410628

PUBLIC HEARING

SCHOOL WARRANT ARTICLES

You are hereby notified that the Budget Committee will meet to hear public comments on the warrant articles involving money and discuss any petitioned warrant articles involving money received by February 3rd, 2026. They will vote to either recommend or not recommend these articles. The Budget Committee will review and sign the MS-27.

TOWN WARRANT ARTICLES

You are hereby notified that the Budget Committee will meet to hear public comments on the warrant articles involving money and discuss any petitioned warrant articles involving money received by February 3rd, 2026. They will vote to either recommend or not recommend these articles. The Budget Committee will review and sign the MS-737.

Date:   Wednesday, February 4th, 2026

Time:  7:00 PM

Place:  1 High Street and Zoom

 Information will be available in the town offices, SAU office and on the town web page after January 26th 2026.

PUBLIC HEARING

Agenda

February 4th, 2026

7:00PM

Town Office conference room and zoom

A minimum of a quorum of the Budget Committee will be meeting at 1 High Street, Lyme Town Office.  The Board will be meeting in person and via Zoom.Please call in on one of the zoom conference numbers or by the zoom link below:

Topic: Budget Committee

Time: Feb 4, 2026 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)\ Join Zoom Meeting\ https://us06web.zoom.us/j/​89226144962?pwd=​ry5BkFbVfbctHnl3XCZDLNvFYaqUgB​.1\ \ Meeting ID: 892 2614 4962\ Passcode: 410628

Link to agenda.

PUBLIC HEARING

SCHOOL WARRANT ARTICLES

You are hereby notified that the Budget Committee will meet to hear public comments on the warrant articles involving money and discuss any petitioned warrant articles involving money received by February 3rd, 2026. They will vote to either recommend or not recommend these articles. The Budget Committee will review and sign the MS-27.

TOWN WARRANT ARTICLES

You are hereby notified that the Budget Committee will meet to hear public comments on the warrant articles involving money and discuss any petitioned warrant articles involving money received by February 3rd, 2026. They will vote to either recommend or not recommend these articles. The Budget Committee will review and sign the MS-737.

Date:   Wednesday, February 4th, 2026

Time:  7:00 PM

Place:  1 High Street and Zoom

 Information will be available in the town offices, SAU office and on the town web page after January 26th, 2026.

Documents being discussed at this public hearing can be found on the Town of Lyme website. 

Instructions to find the documents: 

From the homepage find/click the menu labeled ‘Town Meeting Documents’ (On a computer it is along the top of the screen. On a mobile device on the top right of your screen click the icon with 3 lines, and the menu labeled ‘Town Meeting Documents’ is listed there.) 

Here is a direct link to the ‘Town Meeting Documents’ page on the website.

Meeting Agenda

Monday, January 12, 2026 @ 7:00 p.m.

Fire Station Meeting Room

1. Minutes

• Review and Approve 2025-11-10 Minutes**

2. Land Protection and Easements

• Town Forest and Chaffee Conservation Easements Update
• 2025 Easement Monitoring Update

3. Trails and Land Management

• Town Forest “Ledge Trail” Outlook Clearing Update
• Town Forest and Trout Pond Forest Draft Management Plans
• UVTA HS Trails Corps 2026 Project(s)

4. Project and Application Review

• Upper Valley Forest Management – Storrs Hill Lane Project

5. Outreach and Education

• No Items Submitted

6. Other Business

• Annual Post Pond Milfoil Treatment Funding Request
• Town Warrant Conservation Easement Article

7. Adjournment

The filing period for town/school officers to be elected by ballot during the March 10, 2026 election begins today. 

As a reminder, the following positions are open for voting by ballot: 

Town: 

-2 three year terms on the Budget Committee

-1 three year term on the Cemetery Trustees 

-3 three year terms on the Library Trustees

-1 two year term as Town Moderator

-1 one year term as Overseer of Public Welfare

-1 three year term on the Planning Board

-1 three year term on the Selectboard

-1 six year term as a Supervisor of the Checklist

-1 three year term as Trustee of the Trust Fund

School: 

-1 one year term as School Clerk

-1 one year term as School Treasurer

-1 one year term as School Moderator

-2 three year terms on the School Board

The filing period ends on Friday, January 30, 2026. For those not filing in person we must receive your declaration of candidacy no later than Thursday, January 29, 2026. All candidates filing on the last day of the period must do so in person. Our office will host additional hours from 3-5 pm on Friday for the last few hours of the filing period. 

Please find the declaration of candidacy form linked.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks!

Emily Shepard

Town Clerk

One High Street

Lyme, NH 03768

(603) 795-2535

Budget Committee

P.O. Box 126

Lyme, NH 03768-0126

IMPORTANT UP COMING MEETING DATES

Wednesday 2/4/2026 PUBLIC HEARING

Public Hearing location: Town Office conference room 1 High Street Lyme NH

Time: 7:00PM

• Public Hearing on Town and School proposed budgets:
• Petition Money Warrant Articles (if any)
• Town Operating Budget
• Town Money Warrant Articles
• School Operating Budget
• School Money Warrant Articles

Tuesday 3/3:

          6:00 PM Little Town Meeting- located at the Lyme School Community/Gymnasium

Thursday 3/5:

6:00 PM School District Meeting- located at the Lyme School Community/Gymnasium

Tuesday 3/10:

7:00 AM to 7:00 PM Town Meeting for all ballot voting- located at the Lyme School Community/Gymnasium

Saturday 3/14:

9:00 AM-The Business meeting has been changed to Saturday

March 14th, 2026

located at the Lyme School Community/Gymnasium

Chances are good that if you’ve been following the state of vehicle inspections in the news, you’ve got a bit of whiplash. Me too! 

Here is a press release from the New Hampshire Department of Justice and the Department of Safety (https://www.dmv.nh.gov/​vehicles-boats-and-titles/​inspections-emissions). I’d recommend reading the entire release, but if you’re looking for just the salient points, here ya go: 

• The federal court has ordered a continuation of the state vehicle inspection program. The State intends to appeal this court order.
• In the interim, due to the public’s reasonable expectation that the program was ending on January 31, 2026, the Department of Safety is extending the deadline to obtain a state inspection to April 10, 2026, for any vehicle with an inspection that expires prior to March 2026.

Obviously, this is an evolving situation, so stay tuned for more guidance from the state, hopefully soon. 

Thanks!

Emily Shepard

Town Clerk

One High Street

Lyme, NH 03768

(603) 795-2535

Posted Roads

Wednesday, March 4th, 2026

The Lyme Select Board has established a 6 ton

weight limit on all roads in the Town of Lyme until further notice.

Per RSA 231:191 Individuals needing special permission

to drive on these posted roads must receive written permission;

 call Scott Bailey, Road Agent @ 795-4042.

Tuesday January 20th, 2026

10:00AM Public Session

Town office conference room

A minimum of a quorum of the Board will be meeting at 1 High Street, Lyme Town Office. The Board will be meeting in person and via Zoom.Please call in on one of the zoom conference numbers or by the zoom link below:

US Toll-free/845 2919 8688 US Toll-free/888 788 0099 US Toll-free/ 833 548 0276 US Toll-free

Topic: Select Board meeting

Time: Jan 20, 2026 10:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87187676741?pwd=jFzibRXeFSwzBIQpNFGOH8CNXDEX2Y.1

Meeting ID: 871 8767 6741

Passcode: 122790

10:00AM - Public Comment

11:00AM- Non-public under RSA 91A:3 II. (l)Legal

• Minutes-Review and approve of the January 6th, 2026
• 2025-Manifests-review and approve
• 2025-Manifests-review and approve
• 2025 Select Board Town Report draft
• Draft mailing for Town meeting info
• Accept resignation from Cemetery Trustee
• Appoint temporary Overseer of Welfare

Non-public under RSA 91A:3 II. (a), (b) (c) or (l) if necessary

 In order to give appropriate time to consider topics for the Select Boards bi-weekly agenda information must be submitted to the Select Board office by the Thursday before the meeting.

The Select Board agenda is subject to change with items added or deleted up to and including during the meeting itself.  Anyone, not just local residents, can attend any public meeting. However “open to the public” does not mean that the Right to Know Law grants anyone the right to speak at the meeting. Nobody has the right to disrupt a meeting or to speak without being invited. The Town of Lyme Select Board has a designated “public comment” time. The Select Board may choose to address the matter brought to their attention at that time or at a designated meeting in the future.

Interested Lyme residents are welcome to attend in person.  As a convenience to Lyme residents, we will also attempt to permit participation electronically via Zoom, however, electronic participation can be subject to various technological challenges, some of which are outside the Town’s control or beyond our technical ability to address.  In the past, some residents who have attempted to participate in meetings electronically have been unable to do so or have otherwise been dissatisfied.  While we will always try hard to get the technology to work properly, if participation in this meeting is important to you, in-person attendance is more reliable and considerably less prone to technical problems.

Select Board 

Town of Lyme 

Tuesday January 6th, 2025 

10:00AM Public Session 

 Town office conference room 

 A minimum of a quorum of the Board will be meeting at 1 High Street, Lyme Town Office. The Board will be meeting in person and via Zoom. Please call in on one of the zoom conference numbers or by the zoom link below: 

US Toll-free/845 2919 8688 US Toll-free/888 788 0099 US Toll-free/ 833 548 0276 US Toll-free 

 Topic: Select Board meeting 

Time: Jan 6, 2026 10:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada) 

Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/j/​89722871353?pwd=​yTYzaCdasYej7VMbO46bdLjaD7ogv5​.1 

Meeting ID: 897 2287 1353 

Passcode: 946984

How to find the Agenda:

 For this meeting all the zoom information and agenda can be found within the calendar event on the Town of Lyme website. 

The calendar can be found on the home page (Link)

Scroll down past the “Latest News” section, and you should see a calendar. Find the event on Tuesday January 6th, 2026 labeled “Select Board Meeting”, click on the event, and all the information (Zoom and Agenda) can be found there. 

If you have any questions or trouble accessing it, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at this email - assessing@lymenh.gov. 

For those interested: In the future we will have a separate place (other than the calendar) on the website to hold the agendas as well. 

Town of Lyme 

Tuesday January 6th, 2025 

10:00AM Public Session 

 Town office conference room 

 A minimum of a quorum of the Board will be meeting at 1 High Street, Lyme Town Office. The Board will be meeting in person and via Zoom. Please call in on one of the zoom conference numbers or by the zoom link below: 

US Toll-free/845 2919 8688 US Toll-free/888 788 0099 US Toll-free/ 833 548 0276 US Toll-free 

Topic: Select Board meeting 

​Time: Jan 6, 2026 10:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada) 

Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89722871353?pwd=yTYzaCdasYej7VMbO46bdLjaD7ogv5.1 

Meeting ID: 897 2287 1353 

Passcode: 946984

How to find the Agenda:

For this meeting all the zoom information and agenda can be found within the calendar event on the Town of Lyme website. 

Scroll down past the “Latest News” section, and you should see a calendar. Find the event on Tuesday January 6th, 2026 labeled “Select Board Meeting”, click on the event, and all the information (Zoom and Agenda) can be found there. 

If you have any questions or trouble accessing it, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at this email - assessing@lymenh.gov. 

For those interested: In the future we will have a separate place (other than the calendar) on the website to hold the agendas as well. 

Town of Lyme

10:00AM Public Session                                                   

Town office conference room

A minimum of a quorum of the Board will be meeting at 1 High Street, Lyme Town Office.  The Board will be meeting in person and via Zoom.Please call in on one of the zoom conference numbers or by the zoom link below:

US Toll-free/845 2919 8688 US Toll-free/888 788 0099 US Toll-free/ 833 548 0276 US Toll-free

Topic: Select Board meeting

Time: Mar 3, 2026 10:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81439603694?pwd=utEntptEaXUmPM5j1cXs7YkJK6YYQh.1

Meeting ID: 814 3960 3694

Passcode: 711423

​The agenda can be found on the Town of Lyme website here. 

Directions to find minutes and agendas on the website: From the home page, find/click on the menu button titled ‘MORE’ (located on the top of the webpage). Then find/click ‘Agendas & Minutes’​. Scroll or click “Select Board’, all minutes and agendas are listed there.

Topic: Public session Select Board meeting

Time: Feb 3, 2026 10:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85067642974?pwd=wrW6bWD6svb1I1Nq8zUbr9M4UDWn0x.1

Meeting ID: 850 6764 2974

Passcode: 817006

9:00AM – Non – Public session under RSA 91A:3 II (l) Legal

10:00AM - Public Comment 

10:15AM – Public Hearing

Additional agenda items will be posted Friday

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

The Select Board will be holding a public hearing to 

review and take comments on a conflict-of Interest Ordinance in

accordance with RSA 31:39-a

&

The Select Board will also be discussing and taking comments

 on the Veteran service-connected disability change in light of HB99.

Town of Lyme

Tuesday February 17th, 2026

10:00AM Public Session                                         

Town office conference room

A minimum of a quorum of the Board will be meeting at 1 High Street, Lyme Town Office.  The Board will be meeting in person and via Zoom.Please call in on one of the zoom conference numbers or by the zoom link below:

US Toll-free/845 2919 8688 US Toll-free/888 788 0099 US Toll-free/ 833 548 0276 US Toll-free

Topic: Select Board meeting

Time: Feb 17, 2026 10:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85833801930?pwd=o26sdlwh7M6arKwYUHmlAVxQZJSoGA.1

Meeting ID: 858 3380 1930

Passcode: 151993

Agenda can be found here.

Topic: Public session Select Board meeting

Time: Feb 3, 2026 10:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85067642974?pwd=wrW6bWD6svb1I1Nq8zUbr9M4UDWn0x.1

Meeting ID: 850 6764 2974

Passcode: 817006

9:00AM – Non – Public session under RSA 91A:3 II (l) Legal

10:00AM - Public Comment 

10:15AM – Public Hearing

Additional agenda items will be posted Friday

\ \ NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

The Select Board will be holding a public hearing to

review and take comments on a Conflict-of Interest Ordinance in

accordance with RSA 31:39-a

&

The Select Board will also be discussing and taking comments

 on the Veteran service-connected disability change in light of HB99.

Date: Tuesday February 3rd, 2026

Time: 10:15AM

Location: 1 High Street the Lyme Town Office conference room

See warrant articles:

CONFLICT OF INTEREST ORDINANCE

ARTICLE 8.   To see if the town will vote to adopt an ordinance defining and regulating conflicts of interest for local officers and employees pursuant to RSA 31:39-a.

(Majority vote required.)  (Recommended by the Select Board by a vote of 3-0)

https://www.lymenh.gov/uploads/ethics-coi-policy-lyme-draft-1-1-.pdf

VETERANS TAX CREDIT

ARTICLE 6. To see if the town will vote to increase the tax credit for veterans with service-connected total disability from $2,000 to $2,500 in light of HB 99 which was adopted in 2025 and which prohibits these veterans from also claiming other veterans tax credits and exemptions.

(Majority vote required.)  (Recommended by the Select Board by a vote of 3-0)

https://www.lymenh.gov/uploads/technical-information-release-tir-2025-003.pdf

Thank you!

The Town Reports have arrived! 

There are copies available in the front entryway of the Town Office building​, the Converse Free Library and the Lyme Post Office for those interested.

You can find the electronic copy on the front page of the Town of Lyme website ​along the top of the homepage, find/click the title ‘2025 Town Report’ (located just before the ‘Town Meeting Documents’). Or follow this link. 

Have a great day! 

Jordan

Absentee Ballots

______________________________​_____________________

Absentee ballots for Lyme’s 2026 Town/School Election are now available at the Town Clerk’s Office. 

In New Hampshire a voter is entitled to cast their ballot via absentee for one of the following reasons: 

1. They plan to be absent on the day of the election from the town where they’re domiciled; OR

2. They are confined in a penal institution for a misdemeanor or while awaiting trial; OR

3. They cannot appear in public on election day because of observance of a religious commitment; OR

4. They are unable to vote in person due to a disability; OR

5. They cannot appear at any time during polling hours at their polling place because of an employment obligation. For the purposes of this application, the term “employment” shall include the care of children and infirm adults, with or without compensation. 

There is also a stipulation for those requesting absentee ballots the Monday immediately prior to the election in the event of the National Weather Service issuing a winter storm warning, blizzard warning, or ice storm warning on election day. 

All voters interested in obtaining absentee ballots must submit an absentee ballot application which may be picked up here at our office or you may utilize the attachment below. As a reminder, the application requires a wet signature. You are permitted to email the form back to me, if you so choose.

New this year is the legal requirement for all voters to verify identity in order to obtain absentee ballots. You may do this in one of three ways: 

1. Include a copy of your photo identification with the absentee ballot application. The identification must meet the requirements of RSA 659:13, II(a); OR 

2. Personally present a qualifying photo identification, as defined in RSA 659:13, II(a), to the town clerk or their designee prior to the issuance of the absentee ballots; OR 

3. Including a notarized signature on the absentee ballot application form. 

The deadline for requesting an absentee ballot be mailed to you is 12 pm on the Monday prior to the election. Our office will be open that Monday from 3-5 pm to accept completed absentee ballots filed in person or delivered by an absentee voter’s delivery agent. 

Absentee ballots delivered through the mail or by the voter’s delivery agent must be received by the town clerk no later than 5 pm on the day of the election. The law is also specific regarding who qualifies as a delivery agent, so if you’re unsure please feel free to reach out. Please be advised that if you are using a delivery agent to return your ballots on election day they must complete a delivery agent form and provide valid photo identification or have their identity verified by the town clerk. 

As always, please feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns. There’s a lot of changes, so please don’t feel like you need to sort it all out on your own.

\ Town/School Absentee Ballot Application

Thank you, 

Emily Shepard

Town Clerk

One High Street

Lyme, NH 03768

(603) 795-2535

Please find below the list of candidates whose names will be on the ballots for our town/school election on March 10, 2026. \ ____________________​______________________________​___________

Town:

• 2 three year terms on the Budget Committee 

Candidates on the ballot: [Vincent Berk, Art Copoulos, Ethan Kilham, Bill Malcolm, Hebe Quinton

• 1 three year term on the Cemetery Trustees 
• 3 three year terms on the Library Trustees candidates on the ballot:

Candidates on the ballot: [Ann Christiano, Alex Nunez, Erin M O’Donnell, Courtney Wise]

• 1 two year term as Town Moderator

Candidate on the ballot: [Mark Schiffman]

• 1 one year term as Overseer of Public Welfare

Candidate on the ballot: [Dina Cutting]

• 1 three year term on the Planning Board

Candidate on the ballot: [Jeff Valence]

• 1 three year term on the Selectboard

Candidates on the ballot: [Michael Hinsley, Phil Kinsler]

• 1 six year term as a Supervisor of the Checklist
• 1 three year term as Trustee of the Trust Fund

Candidate on the ballot: [Joseph Gerakos]

School: 

• 1 one year term as School Clerk

Candidate on the ballot: [Elise A. Garrity]

• 1 one year term as School Treasurer

Candidate on the ballot: [Dina Cutting]

• 1 one year term as School Moderator

Candidate on the ballot: [Mark Schiffman]

• 2 three year terms on the School Board

Candidates on the ballot: [Leigh Prince, Kristin Roth]

Thank you,

Emily Shepard

Town Clerk

One High Street

Lyme, NH 03768

(603) 795-2535

Town: 

• 2 three year terms on the Budget Committee
• 1 three year term on the Cemetery Trustees 
• 3 three year terms on the Library Trustees
• 1 two year term as Town Moderator
• 1 one year term as Overseer of Public Welfare
• 1 three year term on the Planning Board
• 1 three year term on the Selectboard
• 1 three year term as Trustee of the Trust Fund
• 1 six year term as a Supervisor of the Checklist

School: 

• 1 one year term as School Clerk
• 1 one year term as School Treasurer
• 1 one year term as School Moderator
• 2 three year terms on the School Board

The filing period for candidacy will begin on January 21, 2026 and end on January 30, 2026. Any candidate filing on January 30, 2026 must do so in person. Our office will host additional hours from 3-5 pm to accommodate any last minute filings. I’ll send out another email to announce the filing period. 

Emily Shepard

Town Clerk

One High Street

Lyme, NH 03768

(603) 795-2535

So plan on coming in for 9AM this Sunday 01/25/2026 and hopefully everything will be running smoothly!

Discussion and possible vote on the Town and School proposed budgets to take to public hearing:

• Town Operating Budget
• Town Money Warrant Articles
• School Operating Budget
• School Money Warrant Articles

Wednesday 1/21: (if necessary)

7:00 PM Final discussion and vote on the Town and School proposed budgets to take to public hearing:

• Town Operating Budget
• Town Money Warrant Articles
• School Operating Budget
• School Money Warrant Articles

Wednesday 2/4:

Public Hearing on Town and School proposed budgets

• Petition Money Warrant Articles
• Town Operating Budget
• Town Money Warrant Articles
• School Operating Budget
• School Money Warrant Articles

              Approve and sign the MS-27 (School budget) and MS-737 (Town budget)