To the editor:

The 2024 election season has been quite different than in past years, and one of the main reasons for that difference is that the race for president has been consuming much of the oxygen in the room, as the two major candidates compete in a hotly contested and hyper partisan race.

And during this year's presidential contest, something that has slipped beneath the radar is the fact that all of the local government seats in Bristol will be going uncontested — something that causes me a great deal of concern.

For the past two election cycles, the balance of power in the Bristol Town Council has been dominated by the three conservatives (one republican and two so-called "independents"), while the liberals (two Democrats) have been in the minority. And now that no candidates have come forward to challenge the incumbent conservatives, Bristolians will be subject to another two years of conservative control within the Town Council, much to my chagrin.

And while I'm disappointed by the lack of local candidates, I take solace in the fact that our local State Representative and State Senate seats will remain in liberal progressive control, as the incumbents are either running unopposed or are facing challenges from fringe, unknown candidates who have no chance whatsoever of winning.

Hopefully in two years, the balance of power on the Bristol Town Council will change from conservative to liberal, as has happened in our neighboring towns of Barrington and Warren, and at that point we can begin to move our town forward with town councilors who promote a more liberal progressive agenda.

Mike Proto
Bristol