One of the frustrations for the citizens sitting in the peanut gallery during election campaigns is that the candidates, who are prone to talk and talk… and talk, never seem to be talking to the points that interest us most as individuals. They tend to dwell on generalities about the need for experience, or change, or whatever best describes their station, and not get into the details that might trip them up. Candidates clearly understand that on most issues where there is sharp debate, the devil is in the details, so the angels of their oratory never quite come down to earth. So it happens all too frequently that we end up in the voting booth on the first Tuesday in November having to guess or make assumptions about what a candidate believes about those matters closest to our hearts.

This year’s race for first selectman answers a wish we have expressed in this space in recent years: that Newtown voters be given more choices in local elections. Not only does incumbent First Selectman Herb Rosenthal have an opponent this year, he has three of them. He will be challenged by Republican Joseph Borst and two unaffiliated petitioning candidates, Jay Mattegat and Christian Qualey. Each, we are sure, will be individually attending campaign events around town where they will talk, talk… and talk.

So that they may focus some of that talk on topics of the greatest interest to individual voters, The Bee has decided to sponsor a debate on October 24 at the Edmond Town Hall Theatre where the candidates will be asked to answer direct questions from the townspeople.

Newtown voters are invited to send their questions to the editor of The Bee before October 20. They may be mailed to The Newtown Bee, PO Box 5503, 5 Church Hill Road, Newtown 06470 or e-mailed to editor@thebee.com. (Please write “Debate Question” in the subject line and indicate whether the question is addressed to a specific candidate or to all candidates.) With the help of the voters, we hope to make the peanut gallery the true seat of power in this year’s election.