The Bloomfield Community Dispatch

How Bloomfield's Charter Silences Its Own Residents Header image generated by Nano Banana 2 for The Bloomfield Community Dispatch. By James McGovern Editor's Note: The following is an Opinion Editorial submitted by a guest contributor. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy, position, or editorial stance of The Bloomfield Community Dispatch, its editors, or its affiliates. Most people assume democracy works like this: you vote, the majority wins, and the government follows the will of the people. But in Bloomfield, Connecticut, that basic promise is weakened by a structural rule buried in the town charter—one that can overturn a majority vote and keep residents from exercising real control over their government. It's called the 15% rule, and it raises a fundamental question f...