On Tuesday, October 19th from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m, the League of Women Voters of New Canaan held our annual Candidates Debate.
New Canaan’s 2021 Municipal Election is on Tuesday, November 2nd.  The League of Women Voters of New Canaan hosted the annual Candidates Debate as a virtual livestream October 19th, beginning promptly at 7:00 pm.  The debate was limited to candidates running in contested races, so only those standing for the Board of Education (4-year and 2-year terms) participated.  Candidates debated in person in the New Canaan Town Hall Meeting Room, led by moderator Laura Smits, President of the LWVCT.
NCTV 79 broadcasted the 90-minute debate, which was also available for livestream via the League of Women Voters of New Canaan's Facebook page and YouTube.com/NCTV79. Following last year’s format, attendance was strictly limited to candidates and LWVCT debate staff.
Please note: 
- Following National League of Women Voters policy and Federal Communications Commission’s regulations, the debate will include a minimum of two participating candidates for contested municipal seats only.  “Empty chair debates” risk giving one candidate an opportunity to promote his or her campaign, which can be viewed as improper electioneering activity. 

-  Recordings of this event may not be used without the express written approval of the New Canaan LWV except by media who have registered and are reporting the event.

The League of Women Voters of New Canaan and the New Canaan Museum & Historical Society will sponsor a community discussion employing the Harvard Case Method, led by New Canaan High School teachers, Amy Rothschild, Paul Phillips, and Kristine Goldhawk.

The topic, “Martin Luther King and the Struggle for Black Voting Rights,” is a timely reminder of how the long and difficult road to voting equality played out during the 1960s, a time many of us remember. The Harvard Case Method Program brings case method teaching to high schools to deepen students’ understanding of American democracy.

Based on the highly successful experience of Harvard Business School and others that use case-based teaching, Harvard's program is currently being used by New Canaan High School teachers across a range of subjects in history and civics. Cases are painstakingly written by Harvard to show students how to think objectively and critically, and thereby reverse the decline in civics education and civic engagement in the United States.

When: October 6th, 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
             *Doors open at 6:30 pm
Where: New Canaan Museum & Historical Society
​               13 Oenoke Ridge, New Canaan, CT 06840

Summer means...Caucus Time in New Canaan!
cau·cus
/ˈkôkəs/noun
 Members of a local political party choose their candidates to run for office during their caucus.

Republican Caucus: July 20th from 6-8pm at New Canaan High School, 11 Farm Road
** PLEASE NOTE: In an earlier version, the Republican Caucus was listed incorrectly as taking place in the New Canaan Town Hall Meeting Room instead of the New Canaan High School. We apologize for any confusion.

Democratic Caucus: July 26th at 7pm, location details at NewCanaanDems.Info

New Canaan Offices up for election Fall 2021:
- First selectman (2-year term)
- Selectman (2-year term)
- Town Clerk (2-year term)
- Town Treasurer (2-year term)
- Board of Education (4-year term)
- Board of Assessment Appeals (2-year term)
- Town Council (4-year term)
- Constable (4-year term)

WHAT DO THESE OFFICES DO?*

Board of Selectmen
The highest level of our town’s executive branch of government, the Board of Selectmen is comprised of two volunteer Selectmen and a First Selectman, the latter of which is a full-time and salaried position. This board serves two-year terms, elected during odd-numbered years.

What is the Board responsible for? A ton! You can think of the BoS as our mayor. In addition to reviewing appropriation requests from all town departments and acting as the purchasing and contracting agent for the town, the Selectmen appoint all members of non-elected boards and commissions, choosing from candidates recommended to them from the Republican and Democratic Town Committees. They also hire all Town employees, except those employed by the Board of Education and the Police Department. The Selectmen, however, are responsible for the administration and negotiation of labor agreements with the police, paid firefighters, and public works employees. 

Town Council
Twelve members are elected to the Town Council, our town government’s Legislative Body-- similar to Congress on a national level. These twelve volunteer members are elected in groups of six every odd-numbered year in order to serve four-year, staggered terms, and they have a wide range of authority, including over the town budget and town-owned real estate.

Primarily, the Town Council is responsible for bylaws, ordinances, and the approval of appropriations. Proposed legislative action must be published in two successive issues of the local newspaper, and at least seven Council members must vote on legislative matters. A tie can be broken by the First Selectman. After passage, new ordinances must be filed with the Town Clerk and published at least once. The collective body of laws--filed with the Town Clerk and published at least once--are known as the Town Code. 

Town Clerk
The Town Clerk is the town official responsible for keeping and providing copies of the town’s official records and documents, sells permits and licenses for the town, and handles vital records (i.e. birth, marriage, death). The Town Clerk also serves as the chief election official, responsible for a wide range of election duties from absentee ballots, certifying the towns election results, and registering local candidates. The salaried position is elected once every two years, and CT town clerks are supported by the CT Town Clerk Association which provides mentorship, training, and education programs for Town Clerks.

Treasurer
The Town Treasurer is a salaried position, mandated by State statute, and serves an elected two-year term. S/he has general oversight of Town receipts and expenses, and to carry out that work relies upon the finance and administration departments as may be necessary. The Town Treasurer's signature is required for all Town bond issues, and s/he is the ex officio treasurer of Town trust funds, such as the pension fund. 

Board of Education
You’d better believe this is an important team. After all, it’s where our kids spend half of their wakeful hours. The Board of Ed’s work is exhaustive, transparent, and public. There are nine seats on the BoE, which is an elected, volunteer board. 

What do they do? These members act as a "bridge" between the community and the school system. The BoE identifies educational goals to be met by the school district; considers and approves of an annual budget for submission to the Board of Selectmen, the Board of Finance, and the Town Council; selects the Superintendent, who serves as the Board's Executive Officer; and employs principals, teachers, and other school employees among other duties set forth by the Board's, Town's, and State's bylaws. [Source: newcanaan.info]

Board of Assessment Appeals
Taxes? Ugh. Nothing brings the mood down quite like the T word, which is why the 3-person volunteer Board of Assessment Appeals is such an important body of our government--making space for your voice as it relates to your financial responsibility to the town. Members of this board hear comments and concerns from taxpayers on property assessments and decide on issues as appropriate.  Members are elected on odd years, serving a two-year term.  [Source:  newcanaan.info]

Constable
New Canaan has seven constables elected for a two-year term on odd years. They are responsible for serving summonses, which are services commonly arranged through an attorney representing a plaintiff. Constable fees are usually paid by that plaintiff through their attorney. 

*Source: newcanaan.info
 
CANDIDATES STANDING FOR PARTY SELECTION AT CAUCUS**

Republicans
First Selectman (1 seat): Kevin J. Moynihan
Selectman (1 seat): Nick Williams
Town Clerk (1 seat): Anna Krolikowski; Claudia A. Weber
Town Treasurer (1 seat): Andrew Brooks
Board of Education (3 seats): Dan Bennett; Philip Hogan; Jessica Huetter; Katrina Parkhill; Jennifer Richardson; Julie Toal
Board of Assessment Appeals (2 seats): Pavla Levin; Kevin P. McIntosh
Town Council (4 seats): Tom Butterworth; Luke J. Kaufman; Kimberly Norton; Keith Richey; James Yao; Penny Young
Constable (4 seats): The Republican Town Council has nominated the following named persons, in compliance with RTC rules, to be endorsed as candidates for the elective office of Constable. Constable candidates do not file petitions: Arvind Bajaj; Jill Guzzetti; Mary Anne Mercogliano; Gregory Pepe.
With regard to the recently vacated Board of Education seat with a two-year remainder of term, candidates who properly submit a petition for this position by the July 2 deadline, will participate in the caucus. Patrick O’Connell has been appointed by the members of the Board of Education to fill the vacated seat until the election is held.

Democrats
Selectman (1 seat): Kathleen Corbet
 *Remaining candidates TBD
 
**Candidates for their Party’s selection are open to register up to 10 days prior to their Party’s caucus by receiving 25 valid signatures. Information on Republican candidates from newcanaanrepublicans.org; info on Democratic candidates from newcanaandems.info.

Municipal Elections = New Canaan’s Direction
Verify your voter registration status on VOTE411.org
​

cau·cus
/ˈkôkəs/noun
 Members of a local political party choose their candidates to run for office during their caucus.

Republican Caucus: July 20th from 6-8pm at New Canaan Town Hall Meeting room, 77 Main Street
Democratic Caucus: July 26th at 7pm, location details at NewCanaanDems.Info

New Canaan Offices up for election Fall 2021:
- First selectman (2-year term)
- Selectman (2-year term)
- Town Clerk (2-year term)
- Town Treasurer (2-year term)
- Board of Education (4-year term)
- Board of Assessment Appeals (2-year term)
- Town Council (4-year term)
- Constable (4-year term)

Municipal Elections = New Canaan’s Direction
Verify your voter registration status on VOTE411.org

Get Informed and Vote! The Referendum on June 2nd will determine whether the Board of Finance will be required to reconsider the Board of Education's budget by $463,337. Our handy pdf, above, explains what a referendum is, how it is triggered, and the specifics of the June 2nd referendum. It can be downloaded and printed as a landscape document. More information can be found on the town's website NewCanaan.info, or by calling the office of the Town Clerk.