EDIT: Let's end the practice of requiring written questions

Town halls are good. 

They give legislators the opportunity to tell the public what they’ve been up to, what bills they’ve been working on and what's ahead.

And perhaps even better, town halls give the public the chance to ask questions of elected leaders. They are a time when a person can single out a legislator about a specific piece of legislation and ask why they voted yes or no on an issue.  

As it can be difficult to get legislators in one place for a few hours on a weekend, we appreciate the effort that goes into scheduling these events. For the most part, we think they are useful and want them to stay that way. 

There is one aspect of these town halls, however, that is cause for concern. 

In the old days, and it’s still this way at some meetings, people wishing to ask questions raised their hands. Several volunteers with microphones would be posted throughout the room and carry one to a person with their hand up. Depending on how many hands were up, you would eventually get your turn to ask a question. Simple and fair.  

But some public meetings have adopted the annoying practice of requiring people to submit their questions in writing. No more verbal queries.   

This is silly. 

One, it creates the perception that difficult questions are avoided. Those go to the bottom of the pile. Sure enough, before organizers can get to them, the town hall is over. Maybe next time. 

Two, a written-questions-only policy opens the door to friends in the audience submitting easy, softball questions designed to make a certain legislator look good or have a soapbox to sound off on what is important to them. 

Three, it eliminates the chance for back and forth between the person asking a question and the person answering it. Not that we’re proponents of a town hall being turned into arguments between two people, but if a public official offers a poor answer, the person asking should be able to clarify their question so the official can follow up. 

We can’t think of a good reason the public should be required to submit questions in writing to elected leaders at a town hall. We suppose some will argue it helps keep better control of an event so it remains on schedule. We would argue it actually slows down the process and disrupts the flow of a real town hall. Spontaneity is good.

Legislators should be comfortable, able and willing to answer verbal questions from their constituents. In fact, they should insist on it.