Residents will have their chance to end the longstanding traditional town meeting format in November, despite passionate attempts to convince the Gray Town Council otherwise Tuesday night.

The council voted 4-1, with Councilor Matt Sturgis dissenting, to send a charter change to voters in November to do away with the floor session of Gray’s town meeting, citing the lack of citizen participation.

“I’m looking for the most representation I can get,’ said Chairman Peter Gellerson, preferring a referendum vote with a few hundred people voting to floor sessions where far less attend.

Opponents described the move away from debating budget articles to having town spending decided only by ballot votes as stripping away a vital part of Gray’s democratic underpinnings.

“It’s a Maine tradition that needs to be preserved,” Patricia Watson said.

The charter change vote will take place on Nov. 3.

Tuesday’s public hearing ahead of the council’s decision to send the charter change to the polls was filled with few comments of support and several calls to maintain what residents described as their best opportunity to be involved and have a say in town government. They doubted if attending council budget hearings would have a similar impact as debate from the floor of the May session of town meeting, and some expressed their belief the council doesn’t really listen at the budget meetings anyway.

“It just doesn’t pass the straight-face test,” said Gary Foster, one of several residents to question if the council had the authority to pose the question to voters in the first place. They said such a move should come from a citizen-initiated petition.

Richard Watson argued removing the floor session of town meeting is “taking away a right of the people” in a world of shrinking access to government.

“I want my voice heard on occasion,” Walsh said.

Councilors supporting the charter change said they should not prevent residents from have the final say on the matter, and noted a Gray digital divide, where e-mails they have received support the change while comments in general are running 50-50

“I just feel that it’s time,” Councilor Margaret Hutchings said.

Only Sturgis voted against the charter change, describing himself as being raised in the tradition of town meeting and not being ready to move away from that tradition.

“I like town meetings,” he said. “Maybe I’m not ready to give that up yet.”

Along with emotional pleas, residents also used humor to vent their displeasure with the council’s decision.

“Why don’t we just become part of Portland?” asked Steve Bunker, wondering how Gray can retain its small town character without the traditional town meeting. Bunker said town meetings are the “very foundation of democracy in this nation.”

Veteran town meeting goers said plenty of past meetings have been well attended and urged town officials to do a better job of informing residents on town business. But the main focus from charter change opponents was the loss of what they perceived as a basic democratic right.

“It’s not your right to deny them the right to exercise that right,” Jim Monroe said.

The only resident to speak in favor of the charter change was Al Palmer, who compared the referendum vote on budgets to the same process used for school budgets. Palmer also noted it would be residents ultimately making this decision, not the council.

Wade Trudel said the School Administrative District 15 budget process has “been sad” in the past and argued there is no benefit to taxpayers in eliminating the floor session of town meeting.

“That’s the only pure democracy left,” Trudel said.

Gellerson said the only question he had was whether to send the charter change to voters this November or next year, when the ballot will be filled with more issues and turnout may be higher.

Councilor Mark Glover said this November’s ballot will have enough to draw voter interest. This could include efforts to repeal the passage of gay marriage in Maine and a tax reform package, both the subject of people’s veto referendum drives.