Liquor stores ‘deceptively’ described Town Meeting vote to prohibit sale of nips

In their most recent mailing to Plymouth voters, Plymouth’s liquor stores deceptively state that “In October 2023, a minority (44 percent) of Plymouth’s Town Meeting members were successful in banning the sale of [nips] in the Town of Plymouth”. That statement was deceptive for the following reasons:

1. There are 162 Town Meeting members.
2. 141 Town Meeting members were present and voted on whether to adopt a bylaw banning the sale of nips. That represented an 87.04 turnout, which was a greater turnout than in each of the five immediately preceding Town Meetings.
3. Of the 141 Town Meeting members who voted at the October 2023 Town Meeting:
   a. 73 Town Meeting members voted in favor of banning the sale of nips. That represented 45.06 percent of the 162 Town Meeting members.
   b. 66 Town Meeting members voted against banning the sale of nips. That represented 40.74 percent of the 162 Town Meeting members.
   c. 21 Town Meeting members were absent.
4. Therefore, both a higher number and a higher percentage of Town Meeting members voted in favor of banning the sale of nips than those opposed to doing so.

For Plymouth’s liquor stores to state that “a minority (44 percent) of Town Meeting members” voted to ban the sale of nips was deceptive, because both a higher number and a higher percentage of Town Meeting members voted in favor of banning the sale of nips than those opposed to doing so.

As a longtime Town Meeting Member, I am upset when our actions are deceptively reported.

Richard M. Serkey