Justices of the Peace Sought from Westport Unaffiliated or Minor Party Members

Town Clerk Patricia Strauss announced in a news release today that Westport voters who are not members of a major political party and who are interested in becoming Justices of the Peace should contact the ’s office between Aug. 1 and Nov. 1.

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 19 potential incumbent JP’s. 

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

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

“A total of 20 unaffiliated JPs is provided for,” she said.  “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 no later than Nov. 21 by lottery." 

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. 7, 2013 for a four-­year term, expiring Jan. 2, 2017.

Justices of the Peace have limited authority: to perform weddings and to take oaths.