Justices Of The Peace Sought From Unaffiliated Or Minor Party Members In Westport

Press release from the Town of Westport:

WESTPORT, CT — Town Clerk Jeffrey Dunkerton announced today that Westport voters who are not members of a major political party and who are interested in becoming Justices of the Peace (JPs) should contact the Town Clerk’s office before Nov. 1, 2024. The term of these appointments shall be 4 years commencing Jan. 6, 2025.

Applications will be emailed upon request from the Clerk's office. Please email your request for an application to Lori Gandini at LGandini@westportct.gov.

“To be eligible, a voter must have been an unaffiliated or a minor party member voter since May 1st of this year,” said Dunkerton.

Registered Democrats and Republicans must be named by their respective parties and cannot now become unaffiliated to apply as an unaffiliated JP.

“State Statute provides for a total of 20 unaffiliated JPs,” Dunkerton continued. “If there are no more than 20 applicants, the Town Clerk is empowered to appoint all of them to the post of Justice of the Peace. Should there be more than 20 applicants, the Town Clerk is required to select 20 unaffiliated or minor party member JPs by lottery no later than Nov. 20th.”

State legislation provides for as many JPs from the town’s list of unaffiliated and minor party member voters as are permitted to each of the majority political parties.

The Republican and Democratic parties have chosen their lists of JPs, all of whom will take office Jan. 6, 2025 for a four-­year term, expiring Jan. 2, 2029.

Justices of the Peace have limited authority to, among other things, take oaths, join persons in marriage, and take depositions.

This press release was produced by the Town of Westport. The views expressed here are the author’s own.