Election Day is Tuesday, November 8, 2022. Do you know who is on the 2022 ballot? The Voters’ Guide is compiled each year as a public service by the League of Women Voters of Darien. Please click here to view this year’s Guide.
In addition, please also check out vote411.org for responses from State and Federal candidates.
Unfortunately the Darien League of Women Voters is cancelling the Candidates Night scheduled for October 24th due to lack of full participation from all the candidates. However, we have sent questions to each of the Darien Board of Education candidates for written responses. Once those are received, they will be included in the 2022 Darien LWV Voters’ Guide, along with answers to separate questions from candidates running for the Representative Town Meeting (RTM).
The 2022 Darien LWV Voters’ Guide will be posted on our public website lwvdarien.org and to our social media accounts and therefore available to all the voters of Darien.
Setting the record straight on debates…
It wasn’t that long ago, that during election season, candidates eagerly awaited being invited to
a League of Women Voters of Connecticut debate. Our reputation as a century-old non-partisan
political organization guaranteed that they would be treated fairly when it came to how the
debate was organized and that each candidate would be treated in the same way, regardless of
their party affiliation. This is the first time we have encountered so much opposition by the
parties, and (some) candidates to participate in our debates or control how we run them.
This is unfortunate. Something has changed, but it is not the League.
Our rules of engagement for debates have remained the same:
• We notify each candidate about the date, time, place and rules of the debate at the
same time.
• Questions for debates are submitted by the voters (on index cards for a live debate or
emailed beforehand) and then screened by League members from both parties and
when possible, an Unaffiliated member to ensure clarity, accuracy and that each
question can be answered by all candidates. The Moderator is then given the screened
questions and decides which questions will be used during the debate.
• Our Moderators are trained on how to run a fair debate and not allowed to moderate in
the town or city that they reside in to ensure impartiality towards all candidates on the
debate stage. The League hasn’t changed this methodology in decades.
• We do not allow “empty chair” or one person debates. If a candidate chooses not to
participate, and we have at least 2 candidates, the debate will continue. If we do not, we
reserve the right to cancel a debate. The League can also choose to hold other events or
forums besides formal debates, where voters can interact with the candidates.
Meanwhile, there are third-party candidates eager to debate but may have trouble qualifying
due to the difficulty of raising enough funds to mount a successful campaign. This is not their
fault, our system favors the major parties, and while this is unfair, it is the system that we have
and must contend with now. Our vetting and debate criteria for candidates is updated every
year and in the coming years we may find a way to be more equitable to offset some of this
unfairness.
Debates are an important part of the voter education process. Unlike websites, social media,
emails or mailers, debates offer the voters a chance to see the candidates answer voters’
questions in real time, live and unscripted. Seeing and hearing a candidate on a debate stage
gives voters another layer of insight about how a candidate handles themselves when
presented with an opposing point of view about a topic. Were they able to get their point
across? Did they answer the moderator’s question?
The job of a public servant is to serve and interact with the public. It is up to the candidate to
make their case to the voter and earn that vote. Our democracy depends on a mutual
relationship of respect between candidates and the voters who elect them. Not participating in
a debate sends the opposite message. No vote should be taken for granted.
The League will continue to educate voters by using all of our voter education tools: printed
materials, online and social media platforms as well as debates to bring voters non-partisan
information about the candidates and the issues. Our League mission to empower voters and
defend democracy continues…
Laura Smits, President LWVCT
This schematic is intended to provide a general overview of the Darien Town Government.
For space considerations and simplicity, certain temporary committees and positions have not been included.
For a complete listing go to: darienct.gov.
I am proud of all that the Darien League has accomplished with a small but dedicated team of volunteers. I want to thank our volunteer Board members and share some examples of our work this year.
In the fall, we held an in- person televised Candidates’ Night highlighting the contested Board of Education race. We published the Annual Voters’ Guide and collaborated with the Norwalk LWV on the statewide race among candidates for the General Assembly who represent Darien and Norwalk. February brought a virtual Candidates’ Night and a new collaboration with the Stamford LWV as we provided a forum for three candidates competing for the seat vacated by Senator Carlo Leone in the 27th district.
Several of our members , who joined the Darien League recently, became active Board members as they chaired the membership / finance drive , compiled our new online membership directory, redesigned our website, and hosted our Zoom meetings.
We held the annual Legislative Coffee virtually in February with Representatives Terrie Wood and Matt Blumenthal. Songs of the Suffragists , a video and documentary about the suffrage movement was shown virtually through the Darien Library. Food for Thought continued to engage League members in thoughtful discussion on unannounced topics over lunch via Zoom.
In partnership with New Canaan LWV and with the technical support of the Darien Library , we hosted Voting During Covid 19 and Voting in Connecticut , featuring Secretary of the State Denise Merrill. We partnered with the Fairfield County Community Foundation to co-sponsor the first in a series of discussions on the Future of Fairfield County: Darien.
The Annual Town Officials program was offered virtually this year on May 20 at 7:00 p.m. Leaders of major Town Boards including the First Selectman. RTM Moderator and Chairmen of the Boards of Education , Finance and Planning and Zoning Commission joined us for a discussion of issues under consideration by their respective boards.
We welcomed Patti Russo , Executive Director of the Campaign School at Yale to speak on June 2 at 7:00 p.m. A lively question and answer session followed Patti’s talk. More than 40 people attended virtually.
Like many of our programs this year , these events were hosted by the Darien Library, were open to the public and recorded for the community to watch on Vimeo and on government access channel 79. We could not have provided these programs for the community without the support of these two local organizations.
Since our founding in 1929 , the Darien LWV has been an integral part of the community earning a well-deserved reputation for promoting an engaged citizenry through programs that offer pertinent information on Town issues and thoughtful and civil dialogue among residents. As we look to plan ahead , we have appointed a strategic planning committee to analyze our strengths and consider the most effective way of channeling our collective energy to continue to meet the needs of our members and the community.
Our membership roster includes 98 members; 65 are individual; 16 are household memberships and one is honorary. Two members have passed away this year. It is interesting to note that more than 25 % of our current membership includes women who are or have been elected officials on major boards in Darien and at the state level.
Clara Sartori
President
LWV, Darien 2020 – 2021
June 30, 2021
