Democracy at the ground level — in a grammar school gym, a town hall and a performing arts center — arrives today when a trio of town meetings opens the political season on the Vineyard.

West Tisbury, Oak Bluffs and Edgartown voters all gather to deliberate on matters large and small, from spending articles to zoning changes to beefing up beaches.

West Tisbury town meeting begins at 6 p.m. in the West Tisbury School gym (free childcare is available), Oak Bluffs voters head to the performing arts center at 7 p.m. and Edgartown opens at the Old Whaling Church at 7 p.m.

The annual right of spring continues later in the season with Chilmark, Aquinnah and Tisbury town meetings.

Dan Waters will take his last turn as moderator in West Tisbury, while Jack Law in Oak Bluffs and Steve Ewing in Edgartown continue to lead their towns this year and into the foreseeable future.

Quorums will need to be met, after all democracy works best with a robust voice. Last year, Mr. Ewing had to send out notice to the Wharf Pub to collar the required number of voters.

Among the items voters will consider in Oak Bluffs are paying for upgrades to the town’s wastewater and harbor infrastructure, along with some business-friendly zoning amendments.

Short-term rental restrictions, a change in town energy policy and $1.8 million in library renovations all top the West Tisbury warrant.

In Edgartown, voters will debate funding for repairs to South Beach, potential borrowing to shore up aging septic pipes and a proposed party bylaw, among other issues.

It is the Vineyard’s version of Super Tuesday, when so many townspeople have the opportunity to have their say on the same night. It is also a public forum, with an open mic to air differences in a cordial manner.

Hairstyles and modes of dress may change over the decades, but the basic premise remains the same as it has since colonial times: impassioned citizens voting on a collective future.