As the City of Lynn’s election commissioner, I was very disappointed with the low voter turnout on Nov. 2, 2021.
Many of the candidates worked so hard to reach out to voters and brought so many serious and important issues to the forefront. I agree with Mr. Hyppolite when he says many residents are more aware of state and national elections than the local elections held every two years.
People should be concerned about what is happening in their own city. I have always said it is easier to get an appointment with the mayor, and/or your city councilor, than anyone on the state or federal level.
I feel communication has improved tremendously in the last couple of years with many of the councilors and the mayor using social media to reach out to their constituents. The Item, Lynn Journal and Lynn Community Television have all been instrumental in informing citizens of what is going on and what is coming up in the city of Lynn.
My office has been very proactive with voter-registration tables, social media and the City website. We recently added a drop-down menu on our Elections page with frequently-asked questions to help citizens navigate the voting process. My office employs three clerks who are fluent in two and three languages.
The City Council office has a bilingual clerk as well. The Council just approved a $800,000 contract for a Language Engagement Specialist Initiative for the next three years (funded from the American Rescue Plan Act funding).
I am confident that our new diversity and inclusion officer will be working on the concerns mentioned by Mr. Hyppolite as well. While working on the 2020 Census, I met with more than 200 people in organizations in the city of Lynn who are all engaged in helping our citizens in so many facets.
I, like many others, believe education is the key and we should engage our students in local government and offer volunteering projects to get them involved in how the city works. A volunteer organization formed to help get the vote out is a great idea and one I would most certainly support.
Thanks again, be kind, be well, stay safe.
