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A "town meeting" is a "public" (with anyone allowed to attend and participate) meeting where the "residents" (people who live somewhere) of a small city or town can "come together" (meet; be present in the same place with the same purpose) to "discuss" (talk about) issues that affect the community. Town meetings are an important part of "democracy" (a form of government in which everyone has an equal voice for decision-making), because they allow people to share information and opinions while participating in decision-making.

In the early history of the United States, town meetings became common in "New England" (the northeastern part of the United States) beginning in the 1600s. In the past, people "convened" (met) in order to vote on important issues and decide how the community should invest its resources. In modern times, town meetings are more commonly used simply to discuss issues, with or without voting on them.

Many "politicians" (people who work in government and are elected to their jobs) hold town meetings as an opportunity to meet people in a local community. The people who come to the meetings are allowed to ask questions and learn more about the "platform" (promises and opinions on the most important issues) of the "candidate" (a person who wants to be elected to a government office). The candidates often use photographs of these town meetings in their "campaign" (the effort to increase name recognition and win votes) materials, showing how they interact with "the common people" (ordinary people who aren't famous or very wealthy).