Date: Fri 01-Nov-1996

By STEVE BIGHAM

Published: Aug 11, 1999 12:00 am

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

election-advance-candidates

Full Text:

Newtown Poised For Nov. 5 Election

B Y S TEVE B IGHAM

A total of 12,834 Newtown voters will be eligible to cast their ballots

Tuesday, November 5 for candidates for President, Congress, State Senate,

State House, and Registrar of Voters.

Voters will also be asked to decide on a state constitutional amendment

regarding the rights of victims of crimes.

This year's local electorate includes 4,758 Republicans, 3,034 Democrats,

4,914 unaffiliated voters, as well as a handful of minority party members.

Voting is from 6 am to 8 pm at the following four locations:

District 1, Middle School, Queen Street.

District 2, Sandy Hook Firehouse, Riverside Road.

District 3-A, Head O' Meadow School, Boggs Hill Road.

District 3-B, Middle Gate School, Cold Spring Road.

Absentee Ballots

Absentee ballots are available at the town clerk's office, which, in addition

to its regular Monday-Friday hours of 8:30 to 4:30 pm, will be open on

Saturday from 9 am to noon.

Those eligible to vote by absentee ballot are registered voters unable to vote

on election day due to illness or physical disability, absence from town

during voting hours, religious beliefs that forbid secular activity on

election day, active military service, or service as an election official.

Town Clerk Cindy Curtis Simon said absentee ballots can be turned in up until

Monday, and, under certain circumstances, can be submitted on Election Day.

Candidates

For US President, the Democratic incumbent team of Bill Clinton and Al Gore is

being challenged by the Republican ticket of Bob Dole and Jack Kemp. Also

running is the Reform Party team of H. Ross Perot and Pat Choate, the

Concerned Citizens ticket of Howard Phillips and Joseph A. Zdonczyk, Ralph

Nader and Winona LaDuke of the Green Party, Libertarians Harry Browne and Jo

Jorgensen, and Natural Law candidates John Hagelin and Vinton D. Tompkins.

For Congress from the 5th district, Republican Gary A. Franks of Waterbury is

seeking a fourth two-year term. Democrat James Maloney, also endorsed by the

Connecticut Party, seeks to take away his seat in Washington, as does Rosita

Rodriguez of the Concerned Citizens Party and Libertarian Walter F. Thiessen,

Jr.

In the election for state senator in the 28th District, which includes

Newtown, Fairfield, Easton and part of Monroe, Republican incumbent Fred

Lovegrove Jr of Fairfield is seeking an eighth two-year term. Democrat Tom

Ganim of Easton is hoping his aggressive campaign will help him break through

the Republican's stronghold on the seat.

Voters in Newtown's first district (Middle School) and second district (Sandy

Hook Firehouse) will vote for a state representative from the 106th District,

which also includes Bethel's third and fourth voting districts. Republican

incumbent Julia B. Wasserman of Walnut Tree Hill Road is seeking a fourth

two-year term. Challenging her is Independent candidate Charles Noe of Bethel.

District 3-A voters (Head O' Meadow) will elect a state representative from

the 135th District, which also includes Redding, Easton and part of Weston.

John E. Stripp, the Republican incumbent from Weston, is looking to retain his

seat against Democratic challenger Tom Baptist of Redding.

In District 3-B (Middle Gate School), Republican incumbent William Varese is

running unopposed in the 112th District, which includes part of Newtown and

Monroe.

There is one question on the ballot asking "Shall the Constitution of the

State be amended to provide certain rights to victims of crime?" (See separate

story).

Next HRRA Household Hazardous Waste Drop-Off Event Scheduled In Newtown

Genealogy Club's Next Program To Dig Into 'Dissecting A Civil War Pension Record'

Choral Society Planning ‘Voices Of America’ Performance

Newtown Earth Day Festival Was A Success

Local Fourth Grader To Host ‘Gaming For Change’ On May 16

The editorial took no position on the budget going up or down so you're reading things into the editorial that simply aren't there. The turnout is tied to the lack of passage, in that people who came out to vote last time did not this time, indicating a lack of support on their part. Perhaps it wasn't spelled out clearly enough, but that's what the editorial was driving at, people showing lack of support by not casting a vote. The editorial did address likely concerns among voters that may have led to lack of support and lack of turnout. This lower turnout also follows increasing turnout over the past four referendums in three years (meaning it is an aberration from that), and increased turnout is something that I do push for regularly in editorials. Any disappointment you might be seeing is at the break in that trend, not at whether the budget passed or not. I'd rather see more people come out and vote "no" then not vote at all.

Lower Turnout Results In Two Budget Defeats

Clearly, property owners no longer want to bear the burden of expenses while the state does not meet it’s responsibilities. Rising costs must be addressed by actions that do not include yearly increases of property owners’ taxes. The state of CT must meet its share of the educational costs, and other costs.

Town And School Budgets Fail At Referendum

This feels like an oddly misleading headline and narrative, particularly coming from the Editorial Board. The headline "Lower Turnout Results in Two Budget Defeats" pushes a misleading narrative regarding voter turnout, and then seeks to tie the outcome of the referendum to that misleading narrative. Sure, voter turn out for this year's referendum, 18%, was lower than last year's. However, last year's turnout, 25.4%, represented the highest turnout in the most recent 10 budget referendums. If you take the time to examine turnout percentages between 2017 and 2026 (2017: 19.9, 2018: 15.7, 2019: 17, 2020: 0, 2021: 8.98, 2022: 7.7, 2023: 8.8, 2024: 15.1/17.49, 2025: 25.4, 2026: 18), this year's turnout was actually the third highest in the past 10 cycles. Perhaps the headline of this article should say "Lower Voter Turnout Than Last Year", which is more accurate, rather than creating an impression that this year's turnout is some type of aberration - a narrative that the turnout numbers, in all their binary glory, simply do not support. Further, the headline of this article appears to tie the "lower turnout" to the defeated budgets. Sure, that could be true. But, perhaps, its more likely that Newtown residents are feeling the squeeze of multiple economic influences. In Newtown, we've experienced property revaluations and increased municipal spending. Eversource continues to raise rates. The state legislature gives PURA the authority to impose Public Benefit charges that benefit a tiny percentage of the public (and subsequently burdening the rest of us). At the national level, inflation has run rampant for years and many of those costs remain high to this day. In short, the data tells a far less dramatic—and far more honest—story than the headline suggests. This wasn’t an electorate vanishing in apathy; it was a fairly typical turnout delivering an verdict that, perhaps, some at the Editorial Board didn't like. At some point, it’s worth considering that residents aren’t confused, disengaged, or misled by turnout; they’re simply doing math at their kitchen tables and concluding that “no” is the only responsible answer left.

Enjoyed the forum which only confirmed my support for Brandon Moore as the Democratic candidate to run for the state representative position. Brandon Moore did not waiver about his duty to all the people, if elected, when an issue presents itself that requires that he voice a difference of opinion for the wellbeing of Newtown residents. If Michelle Ku’s 16 years have led to her loyalty being to other elected officials, as she implied, then Newtown is going to continue to witness actions that do not protect its residents. She could not unseat republican, Mitch Bolinsky, during a Blue Wave, and once again, will not do it now. Winning that seat is critical for all. That explains why her previous campaign committee now campaigns for Brandon Moore. It explains all the endorsements he has received from local elected democratic officials. It’s why we need Brandon Moore to be the democratic candidate to run for state representative.

Second Newtown DTC, League Of Women Voters Candidates Event Planned

Appreciated the opportunity to hear from both candidates as we were present for the College Dems forum but only heard from Brandon Moore. It was an opportunity to see who can unseat the Republican incumbent and there is no doubt that Brandon Moore should be the Democratic candidate. One concerned parent posed a question about discrimination unaddressed by the school district and interestingly enough, Michelle Ku, who proudly speaks of her Board membership years, said little, while Brandon Moore passionately addressed the issue along with his experience as an Apache Helicopter Commander. This family is supporting Brandon Moore. We need change and someone who is not afraid to disagree, especially about the rising costs of living in Newtown.

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Date: Fri 01-Nov-1996

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