A heated argument between Waterford’s head moderator and a state Senate candidate erupted today after the moderator took down the candidate’s political sign at , saying it violated zoning regulations.
Waterford’s master moderator for the primary, Cheryl Larder, took down a sign by Republican state Senate candidate Mike Doyle at Town Hall after Town Clerk Bob Nye complained it violated the town’s zoning regulations. Nye and Larder are both Democrats, and Doyle said the complaint was politically-driven.
“It’s illegal,” Doyle said. “And it just so happens the master moderator is a Democrat.”
Nye and Larder both decried that charge, and provided Doyle with the Waterford zoning regulation backing up their decision. Doyle was the only candidate to have a sign up at Town Hall who was not on today's primary ballot, and a town zoning regulation states people can only put up political signs 60 days before the “respective matter is to be decided.”
Doyle is running against Democrat Andrea Stillman for the state Senate in the 20th District in November. Nye and Larder both said his election is more than 60 days away, and therefore he cannot have his sign up.
“It is not politically motivated,” Larder said. “I am following the regulations.”
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At around 11 a.m., Nye complained to Larder that Doyle had a sign at Town Hall with the other political signs. Doyle, as mentioned, is not on the primary ballot – unlike every other candidate who had a sign posted at Town Hall – and should not be able to post his sign, Nye said.
“Doyle is not on today’s ballot,” Nye said. “His election is not within 60 days.”
Waterford’s zoning regulations state that candidates can put up their signs “not more than 60 days before the date on which the respective matter is to be decided.”
Larder agreed, saying the sign violated the town’s regulations and took it down.
Doyle was furious with the decision, confronting Larder in Waterford’s registrar’s office. The two both raised their voices in a heated confrontation; with Doyle saying he was being stricken of his rights and Larder saying she was following the rules.
After the argument, Larder pointed out that earlier today she told a person wearing a shirt showing support for Democrat Susan Bysiewicz to leave Town Hall. She again insisted it was not political and she was doing her job.
Doyle got on the phone with lawyers and the Connecticut Republican Party. At last check, Larder was on the phone with Waterford Town Attorney Rob Avena.
The regulations also state that political signs should not be erected on “any publicly owned property, building, or structure.” There are political signs at Waterford Town Hall and all three Waterford elementary schools, the town’s four polling locations, which are all publicly-owned properties.
Doyle has signs up at the other polling locations as well.
Patch will continue to update this story.
1. No Campaigning till 30 days before election, not this six months to 2 years from election time. 30 days is plenty enough time get it done. 2. Set a spending cap on each level of office that is being ran for. Depending on what they are running, for it is costing anywhere from several hundred thousand to hundreds of millions of dollars, money that could be better spent on making things a whole lot better here in America. 3. The most important one of them all: When the person is voted into office, by the PEOPLE, this so called politician DOES NOT forget that he/she WORKS for the PEOPLE and NOT these so called special intrest groups and that they should also be living by the same laws and rules that they make up there in the local, state federal levels. 4. Lastly: The Democrats and Republicans really need to put all their BS aside, and truely come together for the better of all of us here in AMERICA.
If there is a regulation that forbids a candidate from posting a sign more than 60 days prior to their election and one that forbids candidates from posting on town property then they BOTH need to be enforced. Poor election day traditions should not continued if they are a violation. Mr. Nye should complain about all the signs or none. Ms. Larder needs to do her job and take them all down or none. Also, can I be a write in candidate for the willy-nilly tradition council?
I worked as one of the Registrar of Voters from 2002 to 2010. The amount of ballots ordered is a joint decision between both Registrars and the Town Clerk. I believe this Election the number of ballots ordered was perfect as to have enough but not too many extra!
is this another of the 'wink and a nod' activities extended to these people whom we respectfully choose to fabricate our laws? sorry chums, in all fairness, if they want respect, they need to earn it. too many are winking, blinking and nodding us all into a state of despair. such a fracas indeed! and the errors committed by the very people we are 'honored' to choose to elect, flagrant violation of laws, heck, it makes the French Revolution seem actually plausible. as for the waiver of rights regarding waving a banner around, less said the better! ;-)) they should have taken their tiff across the street, to the Magnet School where behavior like that, can be more fully explained to them in a simpler way.
after all, it is the year 2012, or must we rely on dipping peoples fingers into a cup of purple ink to prevent false voting? wont be long before there's an 'app' for verification and voting, and another 'app' to jailbreak that 'app' get ready!