Town Moderator Dan Coolidge has set in place a new check-in policy for Town Meeting that has been adopted by many other New Hampshire towns to improve the legality of show-of-hand votes and to speed up ballot votes.

The new policy will require Andover residents to get an Andover Voter Card and a set of three color-coded yes/no ballots when they check in upon arrival at Town Meeting that evening. Check-in for Town Meeting and the new voter card and yes/no ballots will be available after 6 PM.

During the meeting, if a show-of-hands vote becomes necessary, cardholders will vote by waving their voter card in the air. Only hands holding a voter card will be counted.

If during Town Meeting a ballot vote becomes necessary, the new check-in policy will really earn its keep. Instead of lining up for a 45-minute check-in process, voters will simply show the ballot clerk their Andover Voter Card and hand in one of the yes/no ballots they were given earlier.

“Remember,” Dan cautions, “you only get one Andover Voter Card and one set of yes/no ballots. If you lose yours or forget to bring it to Town Meeting, it can’t be replaced.”

The new check-in policy will be a big change for many residents; however, Town officials have been working to construct a smooth and quick-moving process which will benefit the Town and the voters.

Article updated on February 26 at 3 PM. An earlier version reported that Andover Voter Cards and yes/no ballots would be available to voters in the local election all day.