St. Albans, Vermont - About 14-hundred people live in Franklin, Vermont.
But the tiny town is the center of an issue that dates back to our country's founding fathers, the separation of church and state.
Marilyn Hackett has lived there for more than 15 years and while she enjoys taking part of Vermont's unique "Town Meeting Day" style voting she says there's one part that she can't take any more.
"It's a miserable experience for me," said Hackett.
A prayer to start it off.
"I go home and cry every year," said Hackett.
That's why Hackett has taken the town to court.
On Tuesday the American Civil Liberties Union represented her in a St. Albans courtroom.
The group says the prayer violates Vermont's constitution by compelling voters to support and attend a religious worship.
"That her rights to attend and participate can't be closed to her because she disagrees with a practice that the town is engaging in," said ACLU attorney Dan Barrett.
But town lawyers argue Hackett isn't forced to participate.
And they say including a prayer during a government event isn't new.
"This practice has existed side by side with our fundamental principles of separation of church and state," said town lawyer Jim Carroll.
The judge says it's highly unlikely he'll make a verdict before Tuesday.
That means if town leaders want to conduct a prayer before the vote there's nothing stopping them.
And Hackett says even if they do she still plans on being there.
"I will not give up my democratic rights," said Hackett.
And if Hackett loses, the ACLU says it plans to take her case to the Vermont State Supreme Court.
