Westport Seeks Independent Candidates for Justice of the Peace

WESTPORT, CT — 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 between now and Nov. 1, Westport Town Clerk Patricia Strauss announced.

The term of JPs shall be four years commencing on Jan. 2, 2017. Applications are available in the Town Clerk's office in Westport Town Hall, Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Incumbent JPs who are unaffiliated or minor party member voters have already been contacted by Strauss and need only to return the application form sent to them on or before Nov. 1. There are 18 potential incumbent JPs.

"To be eligible, a voter must have been an unaffiliated or a minor party member voter since May 1 of this year," said Strauss in a statement.

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," Strauss 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. 22."

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. 2, 2017 for a four-year term, expiring Jan. 4, 2021.

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