Unnecessary Confusion On Election Day

To the Editor:

I write this letter with a heavy heart, as the outcome in Tuesday’s election was certainly not what I was hoping for. Yet, my heart is also heavy for another reason. After an exciting campaign filled with enthusiasm, specific plans and proposals, and hardworking candidates, things took a nasty turn at the end.

In the final days of the 2009 campaign, nasty letters, ads, and robocalls seemed to overtake this town. Angry shouting came to the Queen Street corner where candidates had been pleasantly smiling and waving to voters for weeks. On Election Day, unexpected tactics giving voters incorrect information added unnecessary confusion and negativity to the day.

While I am disappointed in the results of Tuesday’s election, I am more upset over these tactics. It is this type of negativity and nastiness that makes it harder to come together as a community and harder to move forward as a town. No one benefits from lies, name calling, and mudslinging. It is precisely what we need to get away from to make Newtown stronger.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Democratic candidates for their hard work and dedication over the past few months. They are people who care about this town and want what’s best for it; people who will continue to give to this community and make a difference in the town we live in. Although Tuesday’s results were not what we wanted, I have no doubt that the Newtown Democrats will continue to be engaged in the many important issues affecting the town. I commend our candidates for stepping up to the plate with their willingness to serve, and for the commitment they showed to both our party and our town throughout the campaign.

I would also like to thank the many volunteers who worked tirelessly on our candidates’ behalf, willingly offering to make phone calls, drive door to door, hold neighborhood coffees, and do anything else we needed. It is your support and encouragement that kept things going, and I hope you know how much your time and effort is appreciated.

Congratulations to those who won seats on Tuesday. I wish you all the best as you take office and hopefully begin to take Newtown down the path of healing and coming together we so desperately need.

Sincerely,

Sarah Hemingway

Vice Chairperson

Newtown DTC

Overlook Knoll, Sandy Hook                                  November 4, 2009