LYNN — State Attorney General Maura Healey visited Lynn on Friday afternoon to distribute voter protection flyers as part of her office’s voter protection initiative.
Launched earlier this week, the statewide initiative aims to ensure election integrity through the creation of an Election Protection Task Force and Voter Education Campaign.
Healey stopped by the Lynn YMCA on Neptune Boulevard, and Roxbury earlier in the day, to kick off that voter education, or public awareness component of her initiative.
Representatives from her office distributed multilingual voter protection flyers, which includes information on how to vote, and also discusses voters’ rights to equal access, to vote without intimidation, and to have their vote counted.
“We want to make sure that everybody’s able to exercise their right to vote and that their vote is counted and part of that is getting the word out to people,” said Healey. “I think in this time right now with COVID, we’ve got a big election coming up and we just don’t want people to have any questions about how they can vote, when they can vote.”
In September, after President Donald Trump threatened to send law enforcement officials to polling locations to monitor elections, Healey’s office issued an advisory with the message that intimidating or interfering with voters is illegal, according to a release from Healey’s office.
The advisory reminds voters that their right to vote safely and free from intimidation, harassment and coercion is protected under federal law, and Healey has said that those who engage in that type of illegal activity will be prosecuted.
“I also want people to know that my office will be here to protect people’s right to vote, to protect it against harassment, intimidation, and to make sure that all votes are counted,” said Healey. “And so, we’re meeting people where they are.
“We’re here today in Lynn because we’ve got a number of parents coming through to pick up their kids, so we created all of these flyers in multiple languages, and this is a great spot for us to be able to hand them out.”
Mayor Thomas M. McGee said the city is working with Healey’s office to ensure there is a “fair, open and honest” election in Lynn.
“It’s the right for every person to vote,” said McGee. “(To) have that opportunity to vote has to be such a major priority and it’s the basis of what our democracy is all about.”
Metro North YMCA CEO Kathleen Walsh said her organization recognizes the importance of the upcoming election, and felt it was prudent to get involved with the voter protection initiative on Friday.
“We want to make sure that everyone, particularly here in our city of Lynn, feels comfortable voting,” said Walsh.
