Interested in running for office, serving in Greenwich Town Government, or bringing your expertise and perspective to one of Greenwich’s boards or commission?
Learn more about how to make it happen!
- Run for Representative Town Meeting (RTM)
- Serve on a Board, Commission, or Committee
- Run for Office as a Democrat
How to Run for Representative Town Meeting (RTM)
About the RTM
The RTM is:
- Composed of 230 members
- Elected to two-year terms during municipal elections (odd years) – no term limits
- Nonpartisan – members do not run with a party affiliation
- Elected from 12 voting districts
For more information on the RTM, click here or visit the RTM website.
Want to Run for the RTM? Here’s How:
- Any registered voter in Town may run. A candidate must be a resident of the district from which he/she will run. Look up your district here.
- A petition may be obtained from the Town Clerk beginning in August of the election year (odd years).
- At least 25 signatures from registered voters in the candidate’s district are needed and must be submitted to the Town Clerk for verification by early September – please confirm exact date with the Town Clerk 203-622-7897 or email.
- Candidates and signers must sign names as they appear on the voter lists and give a printed name and address.
- Political party affiliation may not appear on the petition.
- A RTM vacancy may be filled by majority vote of the remaining members in the district. Contact the District Chair.
- Candidates should fill out a Connecticut State Elections Enforcement Commission (SEEC) form. Form and instructions linked below. This form is submitted to the Town Clerk as well. https://seec.ct.gov/Portal/data/forms/RegForms/SEECFormrvJanuary2021Fillc.pdf https://seec.ct.gov/Portal/data/forms/RegForms/SEECForm1ABInstructions032017.pdf
Campaigning for the RTM
How much, or how little, campaigning you do is up to you. We are here to help and happy to offer advice. Please contact us!
Time Commitment for RTM Members
Duties of the RTM are set forth in the Town Charter and are explained in the RTM member handbook. Time commitment largely depends on your committee involvement – something that will be up to you. All meetings are held in the evening: 1 full RTM meeting per month (Monday, 8:00pm at Central Middle School, last 2-3 hours) and 1 district meeting – both for only 8 months of the year (16 meetings per year). Committee meetings are held on Monday or Tuesday (1-2 hours) and district meetings are usually Wednesday or Thursday (2-3 hours) the week before the full meeting. Currently, the full meeting is hybrid and members can participate via Zoom. District and committee meetings are in person, but accomodations are made for those needing to call into the meeting. This is subject to change. RTM recesses in February, July, August and November.
Serve on a Board, Commission, or Committee
(Excerpted from Greenwich League of Women Voters)
Members of most Independent Boards, Commissions and Committees are nominated by the Board of Selectmen (BOS) and appointed by the Representative Town Meeting (RTM). Length of service varies. All members serve without pay.
Procedures
- To begin the process, a given candidate submits his or her nomination form to the Selectman’s Nominations Advisory Committee (SNAC).
- SNAC acknowledges (via email) its receipt of the nomination form and provides copies to the BOS.
- The Selectman’s office contacts the candidates to schedule interviews.
- The BOS nominates, and the RTM appoints members to the Commission on Aging, Alarm Appeals Board, Board of Ethics, Harbor Management Commission, Board of Health, Historic District Commission, Board of Nathaniel Witherell, Board of Parks and Recreation, Planning and Zoning Commission, Planning and Zoning Board of Appeals, Board of Social Services, and Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Agency.
- After being nominated, the BOS places the candidate’s name on the RTM Call (agenda) of the next RTM meeting. The Chair of the RTM Appointments Committee and the Chair of one other relevant RTM Committee contacts the candidate to schedule an interview. Nominees may wish to make a statement prior to questioning by each committee. It is advisable to attend, or watch on demand, meetings of the body you have been nominated to prior to being interviewed.
- The nominee’s name is then brought before the full RTM for an appointment vote, at which time the committees that interviewed the nominees will report their recommendations. Candidates do not need to attend the RTM vote.
- The BOS alone (without the RTM) appoints members to the Housing Authority, Shellfish Commission, SNAC and Parks and Recreation Foundation.
- The First Selectman alone (without the RTM or other Selectmen) appoints members to the Affirmative Action Committee and Conservation Commission.
- SNAC advises candidates via email when they are nominated/appointed. Unsuccessful candidates are similarly advised.
How to Run for Office as a Democrat
- A candidate must be registered as a voter in Greenwich and be enrolled in the Democratic Party.
- Candidates should contact the chair of the Democratic Town Committee (DTC) to express your interest and qualifications.
- Prospective candidates should attend DTC meetings and be available to answer questions and to make statements.
- The Candidate Search Committee will interview each candidate. All names of candidates are referred to the Executive Committee which acts as the Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee will propose nominees to the full DTC.
- DTC will meet to endorse the slate during the July meeting.
Additional reference from the Greenwich League of Women Voters.