Published: Nov 09, 2023 03:15 PM
Volunteerism is increasingly dying as an ideal in our country. Even here in Newtown, both political parties struggled to find people willing to run for certain offices on the ballot this year.
But in the end, 60 Newtowners came forward to have their names placed on the ballot on Election Day, to possibly give up multiple nights per month going out and meeting to do work for the town, unpaid.
All those people, whether they won the seat they were running for or not, deserve the congratulations and respect of all those in town for their willingness to devote a portion of their time each month to our community. To those who lost, in spite of the disappointment they may be feeling in not gaining the support of voters, they should still be appreciated by voters for their willingness to give part of their lives to the town.
Additionally, 40 percent of registered voters came out to do their civic duty and vote. While it could be seen as disappointing that less than half of the people who could do so in town came out to vote, it is notable that the last year of municipal elections saw a roughly 34 percent turnout, which means this year saw a substantial increase in those who cast a ballot.
The town will now face a new era with First Selectman Dan Rosenthal leaving his post — by choice; Rosenthal announced in February he would not be running for a fourth term — and longtime Republican stalwart Jeff Capeci stepping into the role of the town’s top administrator. Capeci has ably served the town as Legislative Council Chairman, on the Board of Selectmen, on Charter Revision Commissions, and more. Congrats to Capeci and the large burden of public service he has picked up off the back of Rosenthal.
Both sides ran clean, positive political campaigns free of negativity, and it warms the heart to see Newtown continue to eschew the horribly divisive partisan politics that have come to characterize the national, and increasingly, state political landscapes. And both sides ended up with some victories and some losses on this year’s ballot, in a close and competitive election.
The Democrats now have control of the Legislative Council and the Board of Education. The Republicans have the first selectman, but with two Democrats serving under him on the Board of Selectmen. The landscape has changed, just as it did when it handed the Republicans majorities on most boards under a first selectman who had once been a Democrat but then changed to the Serving America Movement (SAM) party.
Now it’s time to put the contentiousness of the political season behind us and begin work, yet again, on Newtown’s future. There will be many new faces on every board and commission learning the ropes from their more experienced colleagues, and much work to be done as preliminary work is beginning on the 2024-25 budget. Everyone currently serving is a neighbor, and the best way forward for neighbors is always together.
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November 10, 2023 at 03:17AM
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Win Or Lose, Congratulations To All Those Who Volunteered To Serve - The Newtown Bee
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