To the Editor:

Recently national partisan politics reared its ugly head on the Board of Education.

Valuable time was wasted, diverting our elected officials from focusing on student education and development. National partisan politics has no place on Newtown’s local boards. Elected officials have an obligation to focus on community issues and governance.

Our elected boards are dominated by the major parties, Republican and Democrats. No unaffiliated nor independent voters are on Newtown’s Elected Boards except for the First Selectman.

Yet unaffiliated and independent voters represent nearly one-half of all voters in Newtown.

It’s time for unaffiliated and independent voters to be represented on our Elected Boards. With elections coming up in November, the opportunity for this unrepresented group of voters is now.

It’s simple to petition onto the ballot, about 70 signatures are needed. Go to portal.ct.gov/SOTS/Election-Services/Nominating-Petitions/Nominating-Petitions to learn how.

I’m encouraging all voters to step out of the shadows and think about running for office. It’s an opportunity to be heard, and to contribute to your home town in a nonpartisan manner.

Thanks,

Bruce Walczak

Newtown