I understand what you mean - it is confusing - but.... that is because you're not VOTING on the articles YET... that is in March.
The Warrant articles are basically presented and discussed - lots of hot air, not a lot of action (usually)...
They are not PASSED OR DEFEATED at the Deliberative Session - that is done on voting day only. Again, it's only about the wording of the articles and the information behind them.
For example, there might be a petition warrant article for a new rescue vehicle for the fire department. The moderator reads the article, someone from the Board of Selectmen or Budget Committee moves and seconds the article. It is then discussed - a department head or concerned citizen will yammer on about the justification for the request. Once all questions/comments have been satisfied from the floor, the moderator will close discussion. A member of the Board of Selectmen or Budget Committee will move and second the article to be
restricted for further consideration (meaning no schmoe can come in at the 11th hour and change the article -can you imagine the headache that would be cause if articles weren't restricted for further consideration?! Yikes!) then the meeting moves into the next article, and so on. NO VOTE IS TAKEN on the article....
Technically speaking, the moderator does not adjourn the meeting (the deliberative session) but RECESSES it until voting day!
Now, in the case where someone comes in and says "I want to amend this article to be zero dollars" or "I want to add some words to this article" or whatever - and someone seconds the AMENDMENT - THEN... and only then... is a vote taken on the amendment. The ARTICLE itself still is NOT voted on - just the wording.
All this is done in accordance with Roberts Rules of Order (if you're not familiar with that process, it the same process used by Parliament - more info on that is
HERE.)
Again - the final voting (approval or denial) of the articles isn't done until the voting day - that's when you can use your absentee ballot. The argument about what's "great" about SB-2 is that people who can't make the Deliberative Session will still have a voice on voting day. (To which I say - if you can't make Deliberative Session, how are you making an informed decision on what you're voting on? - I am NOT a fan of SB-2!)
Hope that makes sense....
PS
Absentee ballots aren't printed until
AFTER the deliberative session because of any changes that may be made on the articles presented!