Westport Democratic Candidates. Photo Credit: Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com
Congratulations to our Westport Democratic Candidates!
We had over 85 Democrats in Town Hall Auditorium last night to nominate our fantastic slate of candidates!
Melissa Kane
Second Selectman
Rob Simmelkjaer
Board of Education
Candi Savin
Elaine Whitney
Board of Finance
Lee Caney
Brian Stern
Michael Cammeyer
Danielle Dobin
Greg Rutstein
Zoning Board of Appeals
Bernard Deverin
Victoria Gouletas
Board of Assessment Appeals
Elaine Arnow
David Keisman
It was great to see so many of you there and now is the time for us to support these great candidates. Please join us to do whatever you can – host a coffee or cocktail party for voters to meet our candidates, make phone calls, knock on doors – there is plenty to do now and closer to election day. Let us know if you can help by sending us an email at volunteer @ westportdemocrats.org. In addition, we always need donations to help our candidates and to get out the vote. If you would like to donate please click here.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND ON TO VICTORY ON NOV 7th!
Adopt a District for 2018 Elections:
Get involved in elections in communities that are purple with the chance of turning blue, or have economic or support challenges. Initiative Leader: Andy Nevas. Please contact Andy at: anevas@verrilldana.com
Be a part of the Westport Local Action Group:
The group responsible for mobilizing in Westport: creating ads and lawn signs, organizing protests, re-establishing Westport as an open, progressive and politically activist town. Initiative Leader: Jill Saluck. Please contact Jill at: jsaluck@aol.com
Abolish the Electoral College in CT:
Lobby our state legislators and Governor to join the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact. Initiative Leader: Rozanne Gates. Please contact Rozanne at: rozannegates@optonline.net
Open Letter To First Selectman Jim Marpe
Town of Westport
110 Myrtle Ave, Room 310 Westport, CT 06880
Dear First Selectman Marpe,
Last Tuesday, over ten thousand Westporters went to the polls to vote for the Democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton, as President of the United States. The town’s preference was clear, with nearly 70% of votes cast for the Democratic nominee. Those voters, along with countless young people not yet old enough to cast a vote, woke up Wednesday morning (if they even slept at all) in shock and disbelief at the election of Donald J. Trump.
Since Election Day, the Westport Democratic Town Committee has heard from many people in our community who are struggling to reconcile themselves to this result and what it means for our nation. Tuesday night, a week after Election Day, we had a record turnout at our monthly meeting. People who had never attended a DTC meeting before came to express their fear, their anger, and their worry about the future. They spoke of sleepless nights, of difficult conversations with their children, and of feeling like foreigners in their own country.
In the past week, incidents of racial intimidation and hate speech have sharply risen all around the nation. Sadly, our town has not been immune. Staples High School principal James D’Amico informed parents last Thursday of racially offensive memes circulating online among Staples students. Mr. D’Amico also noted that some students were so upset by the election result they requested counseling. Other post-election incidents of political or racial intimidation have been reported as well.
Regardless of whom you supported for President, now is a time when our town needs healing and leadership. We need our First Selectman to make a strong statement that Westport is a town that opens its arms to people of all backgrounds and identities, and where intimidation and bullying will never be tolerated. Now is the time to reassert our basic, shared values of civility, decency and compassion.
Let us be clear: the Westport Democratic Town Committee will not stand for any acts of hate or intimidation in our town, regardless of who is in the White House. Donald Trump will be our next President; as Americans we all must accept that. But we must never accept the xenophobia, misogyny, and intolerance that characterized so much of his campaign. We expect you, as our town leader, and the Republican Town Committee to take the same strong stand.
Westport has always stood as a bastion of openness and tolerance. We hope you will join us in reaffirming that essential character of our great town.
Sincerely yours,
Westport Democratic Town Committee
Thanks to everyone who contributed to our Fall Fundraiser
2016 August Pot Luck
Thanks to everyone who joined our party at the Compo marina!
Westport Dem Primary Results
| CANDIDATE PARTY / NAME | VOTES | VOTES % |
 Roque “Rocky” De La Fuente |
8 | 0.21% |
| Hillary Clinton |
2,661 | 70.29% |
| Bernie Sanders |
1,087 | 28.71% |
| Uncommitted |
30 | 0.79% |
Click HERE for link to CT State Election Result Website
Democratic Town Committee (DTC) for 2016-2018
Members of the 2016-2018 Westport Democratic Town Committee have been officially selected. Officers and District Leaders were selected at the March 22, 2016 Organizational Meeting.
Click HERE for list of 2016-2018 DTC Members
DTC Executive Committee
Chair: Melissa Kane Email:mkane@westportdemocrats.org
VChair: Ellen Lautenberg Email: elautenberg@westportdemocrats.org
Treasurer: Alan Shinbaum Email:ashinbaum@westportdemocrats.org
Secretary: Lee Arthurs Email: larthurs@westportdemocrats.org
District Leaders
District 1 – Kenneth Wirfel
District 2 – Neil Phillips
District 3 – David Krauss
District 4 – Nancy Axthelm
District 5 – Michael Gordon
District 6 – Open
District 7 – Sheri Gordon
District 8 – Karen Driscoll
District 9 – Evan Barr
For further information please contact Melissa Kane, Chair of the Westport Democratic Town Committee at mkane@westportdemocrats.org
