Lynn board lauds City Clerk Audley on election efforts

LYNN – City Clerk Mary Audley was taken aback Tuesday, albeit happily, when she learned in a public way that the City Council has her back.”I really appreciate them,” Audley said Wednesday. “They’ve always supported me.”City Council President Timothy Phelan took a moment during Tuesday regular council meeting to give a shout out to Audley who came under fire on Election Day by GOP congressional candidate Richard Tisei and his camp.As Tisei waited out the long night on Nov. 6 to see if he or Democratic incumbent John Tierney would be headed to Washington he expressed concerns regarding possible voter violations made by Lynn poll workers.Paul Moore said Tisei campaign workers had received reports that voters were being told how to vote in order to retain welfare checks. He also said he had eyewitnesses to the inappropriate actions but declined to name them.”Anyone who knows Mary Audley knows that she lives by the letter of the law, by the book and if she ever has any question she goes to the AG (Attorney General),” Phelan said.After hearing of the allegations Phelan spoke to Audley and was told she received no complaints on election day from Tisei workers or anyone regarding voters being strong armed.”I just wanted to stand up here and say those allegations were unfounded by the state and the election office,” he said. “I believe it was sour grapes. She is of high integrity and did a great job on election day.”Following the election, the Secretary of State’s election division spokesman Brian McNiff said the division received no complaints about Lynn voting and he said Wednesday that nothing had changed.Phelan’s announcement was met with a round of applause from his colleagues.Audley said Wednesday she was not aware of Phelan’s plans but called it a nice surprise.She also reiterated that she received no calls from anyone lodging the complaints alluded to by Moore. “No one came into the office all day, the phones were busy but we answered all calls,” she said. “We had no complaints from the Secretary of State’s office and no one challenged any votes.”Audley said to accuse the poll workers of such malfeasance was ridiculous and she had no doubt that if there were any truth to the rumors that someone would have called.As for Phelan’s speech she said, “I was very pleased and I appreciate my City Council sticking up for me.”Chris Stevens can be reached at [email protected].