WATERFORD — Representative Town Meeting member Ursula Moreshead resigned from her District 1 seat effective Thursday, October 22, after a social-media comment in which she called Muslims “a cancer to this country (and others),” according to The Day’s full report.
The Day reported Friday night that the town’s website had removed Moreshead from the member list and marked the position vacant because of her resignation. This report does not infer when or how Waterford will fill the seat.
Moreshead had said she was unaffiliated, although the RTM website listed her as a Democrat. The Waterford Democratic Town Committee said she ran on its endorsed slate and condemned her remarks as inconsistent with equality, inclusion and respect for residents of every faith and background.
Before resigning, Moreshead apologized. She said fear and anger about extremist ideologies had driven her comment, acknowledged that her words had angered people and said the experience had been humbling. She also wrote that free speech does not remove consequences.
The Connecticut chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations welcomed the apology Friday. Its chairman said accountability should be followed by engagement, education and a commitment to ensuring residents of every faith feel safe and respected. The chapter said its national organization recorded 8,683 complaints of anti-Muslim bias in 2025, the highest annual total in its reporting history.
Waterford’s Representative Town Meeting is the town’s legislative body. The photograph is a file image of Waterford Town Hall from the town’s official Board of Selectmen page; it does not depict the remarks or resignation.