What is a Democratic Town Committee (DTC)?

The regional and local committees play a crucial role in overall party strategy and — in particular — ensuring that Democratic candidates are elected at every level.

The Democratic Party in the United States operates at every level of government—from the Federal (where you have probably heard of the Democratic National Committee) to the state (each state has a Democratic State Central Committee) to the local—which in many states occurs at the county level, but which, in Connecticut, occurs at the city or town level in the form of Democratic Town Committees. 

A DTC is the grassroots level of the official Democratic party.  We are responsible for nominating Democratic candidates to run for local office and for working to help Democrats win elections at every level.  We support our Democratic elected officials by publicizing their work.  We encourage Democrats to get more involved in the town and recruit qualified party members to volunteer their time on the town's appointed boards and commissions.

Recognizing that a goal of the Democratic Party is to stand for diversity, equity, and inclusion, our DTC seeks alliances and works cooperatively with other organizations in town that promote equity and justice across categories of race, religion, class, sex, sexual orientation and gender identity.  We work actively to make Canton a more just and inclusive place for all.    

Canton's DTC aims to be accessible to all who wish to get involved.  Our meetings are open to the public, and every two years, we hold a caucus to which every registered Democrat in town is invited and is able to vote to elect the membership of the DTC. 

Finally, although we take the issues of public service and governance seriously, we also think there's no reason participation in campaigns can't be a lot of fun, too.  Working on local elections is a wonderful way to learn more about the town and meet interesting and talented neighbors.  In addition to their various day jobs, our DTC members are potters, gardeners, spinners, weavers, knitters, world travelers, painters, bakers, and musicians!