An illustration demonstrating colonists debating issues at an early New England Town Meeting. Credit to Panarizon Publishing Corp Story of America Card Series

Currently, it is March, and we are in an off-year election cycle. In Connecticut, there are not many elections that are not in November. We aren’t Wisconsin, we don’t have an important state supreme court election in April. In this quieter part of the election calendar, before campaigns start ramping up for local elections in November, it is a great time to go through different forms of town government throughout the state.

In this three-part article series, I will explore various forms of town government, including representative town meetings versus open town meetings, mayor-council versus council-manager systems, and the intricacies of select boards.

Types of Town Meeting Systems

In our first part, we will start with the Town Meeting system. There are a few different forms of this system

In larger towns that have this system, it is called a representative town meeting (RTM), where voters select members to participate in a town meeting. This is similar to a town council, but in some towns, there are far more members than in an average town council system.

In the purest form, a town meeting allows any registered voter in that town to vote on town affairs. This direct democracy system allows anyone to participate in the open system. An agenda is usually published before the meeting, listing items up for discussion. Only listed items are discussed unless voted upon based on a majority of attendees, though the rules for debate and placing items on the agenda depend on the individual town. Some towns have a financial town meeting, where registered voters have jurisdiction only on the annual town budget.

In most towns with this form of government, a formally elected select board takes control of other legislative duties.

History of the Town Meeting

The Town meeting is a style of government that originated from British colonists in the 17th century. New England’s Puritan settlements met in colonial meeting houses, allowing a place to discuss local and church affairs. The exact nature of these meetings is not well-known due to sparse record keeping, but one can imagine the people of a town showing up to discuss issues. In small settlements, it was simple enough.

The church and local governance were closely connected as settlers in colonial New England came here for religious freedom. In addition, towns had a large amount of autonomy as their home country’s monarch was an entire ocean away. 1600s transportation meant that a royal letter would take months, so colonies self-governed with the freedom to decide for themselves leading to the town meeting.

This isn’t to say the system was always fair. Towns had to reach unanimity somehow. This system allowed people to speak their minds to reach a common consensus. There weren’t always formally elected officials, and speaking up against the majority was viewed as socially unacceptable. It was more about keeping the peace than democratic ideals.

Adult men who owned a certain amount of property were allowed to participate in town meetings. But most adult men did not meet that requirement. Women and children under the age of 21 couldn’t vote. Qualifications varied greatly from town to town and were difficult to track. Some adult men who lived with their fathers were barred from voting in the 1700s. The progress over the centuries is evident through centuries of changes and town charters and the greater inclusion of all residents in towns.

The 230 Representative Town Meeting (RTM) Members of Greenwich

A town meeting system isn’t practical in large towns. The solution is to elect representatives akin to a town council. In some cases, much larger than a town council.

Greenwich, with a population of 63,518 as of the 2020 census, elects a staggering 230 elected representatives as a part of the RTM.

In Greenwich, the Board of Selectmen is a three-member committee. They are akin to an executive branch. They oversee daily operations, public safety and work, and town administration. This also includes town policies, appointments to committees, and administrative duties. They are elected at large by the entire town. The First Selectman is the equivalent of a mayor in other towns.

The RTM is in charge of town budgets and approves major decisions in the town, similar to a legislative branch. They are not paid and meet for eight meetings a year. The RTM in Greenwich is composed of 12 districts with between 11 to 26 members of each district.

In 2023, a whopping 345 candidates ran for 230 positions. This was historically more than in previous years. It is difficult to find many candidates for a position, as these elections are usually non-competitive as less people petition for the office than there are seats. The nature of these races also changed. A non-partisan elected position, this election involved multiple members running on slates to elect like-minded members to the RTM. Some candidates ran as a bipartisan slate in an attempt to as they describe an “extremist push” to take over the RTM. These bipartisan like-minded candidates kept voters informed through their website known as Sensible Greenwich.

During the 2023 election, there was a 50.82% turnout which is high for an off-year election. Some suggested it was due to residents being more engaged in local issues in Greenwich.

Representative Town Meetings in Other Towns

In addition to Greenwich, 6 other towns in the state have RTM governments. This includes Branford, Darien, Fairfield, Groton, Waterford, and Westport. The RTM is much smaller than Greenwich which has the largest RTM in the state. Branford has 30 members in 7 districts. Darien has 100 members in six districts. Fairfield has 40 members in 10 districts. Groton has 45 members in 7 districts. Waterford has 26 members in 4 districts. Westport has 36 members in 9 districts.

Similar to Greenwich, all of these towns have a select board (or Board of Selectman) that acts as an executive branch. Darien and Westport also elect their RTM as a non-partisan position. However, Branford, Fairfield, Groton, and Waterford are partisan positions with party identification appearing on ballots.

Town Meetings are Common in CT

Town Meeting is interestingly the most common form of government in the state of Connecticut. More than half of the state’s 169 municipalities still use this system. A town meeting has a select board which acts as the executive board handling the day-to-day operations.

Town Meetings in the Modern Era

A system built for small communities four centuries ago derived from English villages and Puritan church assemblies has struggled to adapt to the modern era, especially in smaller towns. Not too surprising.

The truth is though an interesting and unique system, it poses unique disadvantages. All towns that have a town meeting system have a population of less than 30,000 residents. The largest town with this form of government is Newtown (with a population of 27,173 as of the 2020 Census).

Some towns have opted to change this form of government, changing to professional town managers (council-managers), and town administrators, and giving more power to the board of selectmen. In the past decade, towns such as Simsbury, Clinton, and Cromwell have used town managers. Malborough increased the size of their board of selectmen from three to five, along with the addition of a town manager.

Another town, Chester has debated to change their form of government. Issues include high turnover and the fact that the first selectman does not have direct control over elected officials or boards. This leads to lack of accountability with less executive power.

In some smaller towns, there can be a lot of work with low pay, not attracting enough candidates. In addition, turnout for open town meetings tends to be very low with only the most vocal and passionate supporters turning out. Chester for example, between 2011 and 2021, only 127 votes for the regional school budget were cast out of more than 2500 eligible voters, leading to only a 5% participation rate.

The government has also grown more complex with more responsibilities for the individuals in charge of the town.

I will further explain the complexity of how select boards work with town meetings in Part 3. Part 2 will be published soon.

Thanks for reading!

Westport Selectwoman Jen Tooker is the first declared candidate in the Republican primary for Governor.

Overlook

We are more than 17 months away from the 2026 primary night in Connecticut. Despite this, one candidate has already entered the race, and many more have set up exploratory committees. Exploratory committees allow candidates to raise money and determine the viability of a campaign. Though not officially running, some candidates will eventually transition to a full campaign committee.

The Connecticut Republican Party

It has been a rough past election cycle for the Connecticut Republican Party. Though the Republican Party has made gains across the country thanks to the victory of President Donald Trump, the Connecticut Republican Party hasn’t made similar gains.

Republicans in 2016 came close to capturing the State Legislature. The State Senate came to a power-sharing agreement after an 18-18 tie occurred. The State House was narrowly held by Democrats 80-71. This is when Hillary Clinton won the state by 13.6 points in her 2016 Presidential Run. In 2024, despite Kamala Harris winning the state by a similar, but better 14.5 points, the Democrats enjoy a wide and large margin in both the State House and State Senate. The State House is currently 102D-51R, and the State Senate is 25D-11R. The Democrats hold supermajorities in both chambers.

The GOP and the Governorship

The strongest office for the State GOP has historically been the governorship. Former Governor John Rowland (R) was governor from 1995 to his resignation in 2004 due to a corruption scandal that led to prison time. The party’s hold on the governorship was saved by the popular late Governor Jodi Rell who won a landslide victory in 2006 after succeeding Rowland to the governorship. Rell was popular thanks to her accomplishments with investments in the state’s railways, highways, and ports. She also restructured the state’s landmark campaign finance reforms and made a 100 million dollar investment into stem cell treatment. She did not run for re-election in 2010, leaving office in 2011.

Despite the Late Former Governor’s popularity and the 2010 GOP Wave, Democrats narrowly gained the governorship by less than 7,000 votes. This was two years after Former President Barack Obama carried the state in a 22-point landslide.

According to The Downballot, Republicans have not held any statewide office other than the governorship since former Treasurer Christopher Burnham won his position in 1994.

Official Candidates

Westport Selectwoman Jen Tooker announced her run for governor two weeks ago. Her campaign is planning to focus on issues such as fiscal responsibility, economic growth, and government accountability. In her announcement, Tooker said, “For too long, Connecticut families and businesses have been burdened by high taxes, rising costs, and a state government that lacks accountability”.

Tooker, a moderate, is focusing on fiscal issues and taxes. The Westport Selectwoman won her 2021 election by less than a point. This is also her first run for statewide office.

Tooker’s narrow but impressive win in her 2021 race for Selectwoman

This narrow win was impressive as Westport has voted solidly Democratic on the federal level, voting for Kamala Harris by an almost 50-point margin (71-27).

Candidates Who Have Set up Exploratory Committees

Erin Stewart

Erin Stewart announces her run at New Britain City Hall on Jan. 28th, 2024. Credit to CT Public Radio

Erin Stewart, the longtime Mayor of New Britain, announced she set up a committee in January after noting last year she would not run for another term as mayor. She is highly likely to enter the race. Stewart won the position in 2013 against Democratic Incumbent Tim O’Brien. She was one of the youngest mayors in the state when she won her mayorship.

Similar to Selectwoman Tooker, Stewart has been able to win seats in deep-blue towns despite their party affiliation. Due to this, they would likely run in similar lanes as candidates. Stewart has won more than 60% of the vote in her last two mayoral runs, despite New Britain being solidly blue at all other levels of government.

Stewart is running a more cautious and more prepared approach to her campaign compared to her previous statewide run. In 2018, Stewart announced a late run for governor. Unprepared and facing a very large competitive field, she opted to drop down to a run for Lieutenant Governor where she placed 2nd. Stewart has noted in interviews that she learned from that experience.

Peter Lumaj and Matthew Corey

Two other candidates have set up exploratory committees. Both are well-versed in Connecticut campaigns. Peter Lumaj, who was the 2014 nominee for Treasurer and lost the 2022 Republican primary for senate, formed an exploratory committee last month for a statewide office. Though Lumaj came close in what was a good year for Republicans in 2014, losing 47-51 for Secretary of State. His poor performance in 2022 and multiple other statewide runs have not established him as a likely nominee as of this posting.

Matthew Corey, a small business owner, and US Navy Veteran, recently lost a campaign for the Senate to Democratic Incumbent Chris Murphy. He also has formed an exploratory committee. Corey did do marginally better this time around compared to his 2018 senate run by the smallest of margins. He got 39.4% in his 2018 run (losing by 20.1%), and 39.6% in his 2024 run (losing by 19.9%).

Corey though also has not been a serious candidate for office. He benefited in the primary last year running in a low turnout primary and the state GOP did not target the Senate race at all last year placing all of their resources on the race in the 5th Congressional District. Though he and Lumaj are more conservative than Tooker and Stewart, which could benefit them in a primary, his also sub-par performance for two cycles likely does not make him either a likely nominee. However things could change over the following year.

It is important to note that just because a candidate has formed an exploratory committee, it does not mean the candidate will enter the race.

The Problem of Being Moderate or Conservative?

Other candidates could enter such as businessman Bob Stefanowski, who lost his previous two runs in 2018 and 2022, to Governor Ned Lamont. The field faces many questions and difficulties. Foremost, navigating the divide between the party’s more moderate establishment and its conservative base.

Candidates like Tooker and Stewart are better positioned to appeal to the general electorate, given their past success in winning local office in deep-blue areas. However, winning the Republican primary is a different challenge. Connecticut’s closed primary system means only registered Republicans can vote, and the party’s most engaged voters tend to be more conservative. In addition, this group of voters will be hesitant on candidates who are not only moderate but have to prove their Republican bonafide. This creates a balancing act: a candidate must embrace enough conservative positions to secure the nomination while maintaining a broad appeal for a statewide general election in a state where Trump lost by around 15 points.

Stewart seems to know that, considering she is comparing herself more to Trump and mentioning that she voted for him all three times. These are two things, she likely hasn’t been mentioning as much in her past mayoral runs in her deep blue city. But neither candidate will make the general election without talking about Trump. Trump is the Republican Party, and Republican Primary voters in Connecticut love Trump and expect the candidates will as well.

State Party Endorsement

Candidates like Tooker and Stewart also will compete for the state party’s endorsement. Candidates with their moderate establishment reputations are usually favored but the Connecticut GOP has not had a great track record in recent endorsements for statewide office.

In 2022, The State GOP gave their senate endorsement to State House Minority Leader Themis Klarides who was favored to win the primary to go up against Democratic Incumbent Richard Blumenthal. However, days before the primary, President Donald Trump gave his endorsement to the more conservative Businesswoman Leora Levy, who ended up beating Klarides 51-40. Klarides also made the mistake of mentioning she hadn’t voted for Trump in 2020, which might have caused President Trump to get involved in the first place.

Similarly, in 2024, Beacon Falls Selectman Gerry Smith decided to run against Democratic Incumbent Chris Murphy for his senate seat. He was the only notable candidate in the race until Murphy’s 2018 opponent Matthew Corey made the ballot at the GOP convention forcing a primary. Corey benefited from name recognition in a low-turnout Republican primary in August beating Smith 55-45, but lost by a similar margin to Murphy in 2018, losing by about 20 points.

Overview

This means the state GOP might not have as much pull in deciding who gets the nomination. It will be up to the Republican primary voters. Westport Selectwoman Jen Tooker is the only one in the race officially. New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart and Businessmen Peter Lumaj and Matthew Corey have formed committees for plausible campaigns. Many more could plausibly enter. We still have 17 months to go, and a lot can change. Candidates we will have to figure out the balance between conservative positions to win the nomination, and the appearance of moderation to win the election. We will have to wait and see!

L to R: Amy Romano, Republican nominee, and Michael Duncan, Democratic nominee. Credit to CT Post

Brief Overview

Gov. Ned Lamont has called for another special election on April 22nd. This special election will fill the vacancy left by the winner of the Feb 25th special election for the 21st State Senate district won by former Rep. Jason Perillo (R-Shelton).

113th State House Seat District Information

The 113th State House seat has long been centered around parts of Shelton. This Republican stronghold has not had many changes in redistricting, only minor changes within Shelton at times since the 70s. State Senator Jason Perillo has held the seat since his victory in a 2007 special election. He has never faced a difficult re-election, winning more than 64% in all his elections.

Before his 2007 special election, the seat was held by the late Richard Belden (R-Shelton), who held the seat for more than 32 years after winning it in the 1974 election. He also never faced a difficult re-election bid, with his lowest victory percentage being his first in 1974 at 54.8%. Belden and Perillo faced multiple re-election campaigns unopposed, with Perillo notably being unopposed in 2022 and 2024.

Analyzing CT Secretary of State Precinct Data, I assessed how the district would have voted in the 2024 Presidential Election. Donald Trump won the district, 54.66% to Kamala Harris’ 43.90%. Similar to the special election in the 21st state senate election last month, the GOP is much stronger downballot in this region of Connecticut. Though special elections around the country, notably in Iowa, have led to large Democratic overperformances, this region does not have a similar election history, with Republicans having held this area for decades, especially at the local level.

The district is likely to remain in Republican control.

Election breakdown at the presidential level for the 2024 election sorted by precinct in Shelton.

113th State House Candidates

In the 113th State House seat, the Republican nominee will be Shelton Board of Education Chairwoman Amy Romano, who will race off against Democratic nominee personal care manager Michael Duncan.

Amy Romano has six years of experience on the Shelton Board of Education. She is the chairwoman of the committee for the 2023-2025 term. She has worked in the real estate, business development, and construction industries for the past two decades. A longtime Shelton resident, her vision includes focusing on issues such as affordability, lower electric rates, investing in education, and standing up for seniors.

Michael Duncan is a senior manager at Edgewell Personal Care. Since March 2021, Duncan has been a commissioner of the Shelton Water Pollution Control Authority (WPCA). Duncan lost a 2021 election bid for a position on the Shelton Alderboard in District 3, coming in 4th place. Duncan’s focuses in his run for state representative include lower taxes, affordable utility bills, and better job opportunities for his constituents

Governor Ned Lamont presented his State of the State Address to the CT Legislature on Jan 8th, 2025. Credit to CT Mirror

Ned Lamont faces a challenging decision in his future political career. Lamont and six other incumbent governors around the country could be seeking their third (or fourth) four-year terms leading their respective states. But what will Governor Lamont decide to do?

A Brief Look At Lamont’s Political History

Lamont, a long-time figure in Connecticut politics, started his career as Greenwich Selectman in 1987. He served for one term. In 1990, he lost an entertaining three-way race for a state senate seat won by then-State Rep. William Nickerson (R-Greenwich). Lamont served on various boards in Greenwich over the following decade.

Lamont gathered national attention after beating the late Senator Joe Liberman in a Democratic primary (52-48) in 2006. Running as an anti-Iraq war candidate, and against Liberman’s more conservative leanings, Lamont shocked the nation, leading Lieberman to be the only incumbent senator to lose renomination that year. As many know, Lieberman won the race as a third-party candidate, holding his seat for a fourth and final term.

After the loss, Lamont sought the Democratic nomination for Governor in 2010. He lost to the eventual winner, Stamford Mayor Dannel Malloy, who upset Lamont 57-43.

In 2018, Governor Dannel Malloy announced he wouldn’t run for a third term, Lamont tried to secure the nomination for a second time. He was successful, easily defeating Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim 81-18. After a tight general election, Lamont overcame Malloy’s unpopularity while benefiting from the 2018 blue wave, defeating fellow businessman Bob Stefanowski 49-46. In a 2022 rematch, Governor Lamont beat Stefanowski more comfortably winning 56-43.

History of Running for a 3rd Term

Multiple governors around the country are debating running for a third or fourth term leading their state. Republican Governor Greg Abbott of Texas already announced he would run for a fourth term. His fellow Republicans, Kim Reynolds (IA) and Brad Little(ID), are eligible for a third term. Lamont’s Democratic colleagues, Tim Walz (MN), JB Pritzker (IL), and Tony Evers (WI), are also mulling third-term runs. Phil Scott (VT) is eligible for a sixth term as Governor, though term lengths are only two years in Vermont.

The phenomenon of governors in power for over a decade was uncommon in previous centuries. Dr. Eric Ostermeier at the University of Minnesota comments that factors such as “electoral laws, traditions, and, perhaps, voter weariness” meant fewer governors had the option to win three or more terms leading their state. Term lengths varied around the country for centuries. In Connecticut, a Governor’s term length was one year (if you didn’t think election season wasn’t stressful enough) before expanding to two years in 1876 and four years in 1950.

Connecticut, one of the 13 states with no term limits, is no stranger to third-term elected governors. Disgraced Former Governor John Rowland won his third term in 2002, winning by 12 points to Democratic nominee former Comptroller Bill Curry. Rowland did not finish his term after resigning due to corruption charges in 2004.

In the modern era, no governor of Connecticut has run for and completed a third four-year term. Over 200 years ago, Jonathan Trumbull led the state as governor for 14 years (though seven were as Colonial Governor) from 1769 to 1784. His son, Jonathan Trumbull Jr, has the official title of longest-serving Governor of Connecticut, from December 1st, 1797 to his death on August 7th, 1808. Luckily for Lamont, unlike the 1800s, he does not have to face voters every single year.

What Issues does Lamont Face?

Gov. Ned Lamont at the governor’s residence in Hartford in 2020. Credit to CT Mirror.

Lamont won’t likely decide to run until (at the earliest) the end of Connecticut’s legislative session in early June.

The biggest complaint among state legislators about Lamont is his fiscal guardrails on the budget. Lamont, a noted fiscal moderate, has been unwilling to spend the surplus budget on other needs. In addition, Lamont does not want to increase the spending cap, noting that ignorance of the cap led the state to a rough financial shape in the 2010s. Connecticut was in financial trouble throughout the 2010s, leading to the deep unpopularity of former Gov. Dan Malloy, whose approval rating was one of the lowest in the country.

Legislative leaders, on the other hand, noted the state will end the fiscal year with a 1.7 billion dollar surplus. Lamont does not want to touch that fund, despite the need for funds in public education.

Despite those arguments with the legislature, with a 65% approval rating, Lamont is the sixth most popular governor in the country (second among Democrats). Unlike his neighbor governors, Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) and Gov. Dan McKee (D-RI), he doesn’t face any substantial primary threats if he decides to run for a third term. Hochul and McKee face low approval ratings and likely Democratic challengers in 2026.

Lamont’s plausible successors, including Lieutenant Gov. Susan Bysiewicz, Attorney General William Tong, and Former Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin, have said they’ll defer to Lamont if he runs for a third term. Some, including Tong, Bronin, and State Comptroller Sean Scalon, have encouraged Lamont to seek a third term. Bysiewicz has made it no secret that she would run for governor if Lamont doesn’t run and has asked for commitments in support from many leaders around the state (just in case he doesn’t run).

Lamont’s approval rating was in the 30s before the COVID-19 pandemic. One of his priorities was bringing back tolls into the state. This did not help him with voters. His handling of the pandemic was generally seen as successful, allowing his approval rating to increase to the 60s. In addition, the state’s fiscal guardrails were successful in helping the state’s finances, one of Lamont’s biggest accomplishments as leader of the state.

In November, the governor picked Danbury Mayor Roberto Alves as the leader of the state Democratic party. The pick was seen as 1. Lamont is focused on bringing back the urban vote for the Democratic party, which has been declining in recent elections. 2. Lamont’s continued focus on success for the party is plausible evidence that he will run for a third term. Alves is also not close to any possible successors, giving Lamont more leeway on his decision.

Lamont has also chased higher office for over a decade, from his Senate loss in 2006 to his win as Governor in 2018. He doesn’t seem to be slowing down, despite turning 71 earlier this year.

Though post-2024 election of primary voters may be more weary of older politicians, as Lamont would be 73 in a second term, the governor doesn’t face any signs of a primary challenge. Primary challenges in Connecticut are also notoriously difficult due to ballot laws and are exceedingly rare. Lamont’s popularity and all his plausible competitors’ deference to him place him in a strong spot.

Final Prediction

I believe Lamont will run for a third term, but only Ned Lamont can make that decision, and we will find out soon enough.