Charter Revision Commission
In the upcoming election on 11/3/26, there will be a question on the ballot on whether to accept or reject the changes proposed by the Charter Revision Commission. These proposed changes will make it harder for Republicans to get elected in this one-party town, and will effectively silence the voices of all residents in Guilford. VOTE NO!!
The Charter revisions proposed are simply a further assault on our minority rules. Anyone paying attention in our community can see that the Independent party formed a fusion slate with the Democrats to exclude the Republican party from participating in our town government. Since then this alliance has been the mechanism used to circumvent the spirit of the minority rules and deny representation to the second largest party in our town. Since the fusion of the Independent party and the Democratic party, scores of Republican applicants for boards and commissions have been excluded from participating in our town government. Republican party applications are either never added to the selectmen's meeting agenda or they are ignored for months. In some cases almost a year, until an Independent party application is received to fill the minority seat. When those Independent party applications are received, they are added to the agenda immediately and the democratic majority on the board votes for the appointments. Independent candidates for elected boards despite coming from a party of only 300 or so voters are winning races by two to one margins, in line with the 2 to 1 ratio of Democrat voters to Republican Voters. It is not rocket science to see how the Independent party has been leveraged by the Democrat party to exclude any real opposition and dissent on our boards and commissions. What has been lost is immeasurable. Republican voters have been disenfranchised and there is no balance in our local government. A system of one party rule has taken hold of our once balanced and reasonable local government. The charter revision commission and the proposed changes are simply a continuation of this same pattern. The changes inspired by the Democrat leadership are designed to structure our local government as to fortify the interests of Democrat party and entrench the prevailing politics of the day. PLEASE vote to protect the integrity and balance of our current charter. It's provisions have stood the test of time and been in place for decades. We believe the founders' intent in the charter was to balance the power of the majority with protections for individual rights and minority interests. Please see these changes to our charter as what they are -- a partisan power grab. PROTECT OUR TOWN CHARTER. VOTE NO TO THE PROPOSED CHANGES!
Please watch this video to learn more before you vote.
Click here to watch the "Orchestrated Tyranny" video.
Click here to read "Reject Hoey's Shameless Power Grab" by Kendall Svengalis
Background:
The Board of Selectmen established the Charter Revision Commission on February 2, 2026 and appointed Commissioners on March 2, 2026. The Board of Selectmen has charged the Commission to consider:
a. Whether to amend the authorities reserved to the Town Meeting and Annual Budget Meeting as set forth in Chapter 7 of the Town Charter; and
b. Whether to amend Chapter 3 of the Town Charter (Board of Selectmen) to provide that votes cast for an unsuccessful candidate for First Selectman shall not be counted as votes for such candidate as a Selectman member of the Board; and
c. Such other changes, improvements, or corrections in other current provisions of the Charter as the Charter Revision Commission finds to be warranted.
The RTC believes this commission was formed:
a. without proper representation from RTC members; and
b. in order to avoid any minority rule in future elections; and
c. to completely eliminate public participation from our town government decision making.
The RTC formally requests RTC members be added to the commission to ensure ALL citizens of Guilford continue to have a voice in the town political arena.
You can voice your concerns over this purely political attempt at a power grab by visiting the Charter Revision Commission website.