With campaign signs sprouting up, debates around the corner, and election season heading into its final weeks, all eyes are on the 2016 presidential race. But local politics and the outcomes of state and townwide races usually have a greater impact on our personal finances and daily lives, determining who oversees the police force and Board of Education, which roads are repaired and permits pulled, whether access to guns or birth control will be expanded or limited, and whether our taxes, services, and minimum wage increase or hold steady.

Both Clinton’s Democratic Town Committee (DTC) and Republican Town Committee (RTC)—the local arms of the state’s major party organizations—are not only supporting their respective candidates for statewide and national office, but also seeking to increase their party’s representation on the town’s boards and commissions.

An important town committee responsibility, said RTC Chair James Staunton, is recommending candidates to the Board of Selectmen (BOS) to fill the myriad BOS-appointed positions on boards and commissions.

“There are over 100 positions to fill, and there are always vacancies,” Staunton said. “About a third to half get reappointed or replaced every June. The RTC as well as its counterpart, the DTC, are always in need of good people to fill these positions.”

There are also usually openings on boards and commissions for voters who are unaffiliated, said Mary Jo Phelps, communications chair of the Clinton DTC, and both the DTC and RTC will recommend unaffiliated or independent voters as well as those registered to their respective parties, say Phelps and Staunton.

By the Numbers

“RTC’s authorized strength is 35 members,” said Staunton. “They each serve a two-year term and are elected at a Republican caucus, open to all Republicans, every other January. Midterm vacancies are filled by the RTC itself, and new members can join by indicating their interest to the chairman or any RTC member. This can happen by conversation or a more formal contact.”

There are currently no vacancies on the RTC, said Staunton, but he adds, “One can occur at any time. We invite voters to volunteer either by contacting the RTC at staunton.james21@gmail.com or through our website, www.clintongop.org.”

The RTC meets once a month, with occasional subcommittee meetings. While there is a significant time commitment for the chairman and other RTC officers, other members may participate anywhere from two to six hours a month, depending on the need.

“The bulk of the work goes on during election season, where you can spend several hours a month putting out signs, writing letters, raising funds, and telephoning or walking with or as a candidate,” said Staunton. “Volunteers get the assignment of their choice. There are always vacancies on boards or commissions—these can include Human Services, Economic Development, Shellfish, Assessment Appeals, Historic District, and Public Works—and the needs change frequently.”

The RTC also sends delegates to state and legislative district conventions every two years.

“At these,” said Staunton, “we endorse candidates for governor, secretary of state, attorney general, Congress, and U.S. Senate, among others. This year we sent delegates to state legislative district conventions, where we endorsed Jesse MacLachlan for state representative and Art Linares for state senate.”

While participation in conventions is serious responsibility, said Staunton, it’s also “fun and rewarding.”

Clinton’s DTC, 30 members strong, is also looking to fill seats on various town boards and commissions.

“Members are chosen every two years by all Clinton Democrats who show up to the nominating caucus in January, and those new members are seated in March,” said Phelps. “Members are expected to attend monthly meetings—in our case, the second Thursday of the month—and to serve on various committees.”

The DTC’s executive board comprises Chair Larry Ouellette, Vice-Chair Andrea Reu, Secretary Alyson Roberts, and Treasurer Charlene Best, .

The DTC is looking to fill a full seat and an alternate seat on the Inland Wetlands Commission as well as alternate seats on the Design Review Board, Zoning Board of Appeals, and Historic District Commission.

“We’re especially interested in Democrats with a degree and experience in architecture,” said Phelps.

‘We Have an Exciting Election Season Ahead of Us’

“Some folks might hesitate to join their party’s town committee because they don’t know how the process works, or they don’t know anyone they can ask. Some just don’t like politics,” said Staunton. “To that, I say this is our system, as imperfect as it sometimes seems. If you don’t step forward, someone else will, and you might not like the outcome. We will only have good government if good people are willing to serve; otherwise we will get what we deserve. What we want is people whose only agenda is to make Clinton better, not to pursue personal agendas.”

Phelps added, “I think volunteerism is alive and well in Clinton; it’s just not all focused on politics. Some people prefer to get involved in nonpartisan activities and don’t have time to do more. For instance, there are lots of parents who are involved in their kids’ education and sports activities, and it can be difficult for parents with young children to attend town committee meetings. By and large, our membership is composed of people whose kids are grown or who don’t have kids yet (though there are a couple of exceptions).

“Overall, we just want to encourage people to get involved with DTC to the extent that they are able. We have an exciting election season ahead of us, and our party has just nominated the first woman to be president of the United States. We’re eager to help U.S. Senators Blumenthal and Murphy and U.S. Congressman Joe Courtney in their re-election campaigns, as well as helping the campaigns of Norm Needleman and Ellen Dahlgren for state senate and state representative, respectively,” Phelps said. “We welcome anyone who would like to join in that effort, and they should contact us through our website, www.clintondtc.com.”

Another focus of the DTC is youth outreach, said Phelps.

“We’re hoping to register new young voters, as they are the future of the party. A number of young people have attended our last couple of meetings, and even if they are not old enough to vote, they’re planning to help get Democratic candidates elected.”

Both the RTC and DTC work to identify candidates who will run for town office in odd-numbered years. Examples of seats to be filled in the November 2017 elections are members of the Board of Selectmen, Board of Education, and Board of Finance. In July 2017, the RTC and DTC will decide which candidates they will endorse for these seats, and each committee will support their respective candidates with campaign guidance, fundraising, signage, and outreach by phone and direct mail.

As of May 2016, Clinton has 2,706 registered Democrats, 2,354 Republicans, and 3,832 unaffiliated voters.