Most People Did Not Vote

To the Editor:

I am grateful to those residents of Newtown who supported my Democratic Party candidacy for the Planning & Zoning Commission. The vote was very close, and the final results were official only after a recount. I feel fortunate to now have the opportunity to serve my community. I am also very appreciative of Robert Poulin for his service on the commission and of the Democratic Town Committee for their support.

The results for P&Z are, in many ways, a microcosm of some of the other election results in Newtown this year. Many were decided by extremely small margins, and some necessitated recounts. A look at the numbers, as published in the November 9 edition of The Bee, can help create a few Election Day focal points. The Newtown Bee has indicated that of the 15,938 registered voters, 6,327 or 39.6 percent voted last Tuesday. That translates to show that over 60 percent of the registered voters in Newtown did not vote on Tuesday.

Specific to the first selectman election: The Republican candidate, Joe Borst, received 2,855 votes, which is 45.1 percent of the total vote and represents 17.9 percent of the registered voters. The Democratic incumbent Herb Rosenthal  received 2,773 votes, which is 43.8 percent of the total vote and represents 17.3 percent of the registered voters. This is a victory for Joe Borst. The close margin of victory (an 82-vote plurality as of November 9) represents both 1.3 percent of the total vote on Election Day and 0.05 percent of the total of registered voters in Newtown is sobering. However, this election, as all elections, was more than about a review of the numbers. The election results also highlight the strength of the democratic process.

The voters have spoken. Those who did vote have endorsed an adjustment in the fabric of local government. Our Constitution is to be respected in Newtown. Our local government will continue to be led by a strong bipartisan cross section of Democratic and Republican representation, and now has added IPN representation. There is little doubt that the IPN has altered the political landscape of Newtown by securing seats on various boards and commissions and influencing the first selectman election. In Newtown, the Democratic Party, the Republican Party and the IPN all deserve accolades for their hard work and their accomplishments on behalf of the community.

Sincerely,

Richard English

Democratic Town Committee

Planning and Zoning Commission-elect

3 Curry Drive, Newtown                               November 9, 2007