Friday, October 2, 2026, 10 a.m. (Boston time), Boston City Hall, 1 City Hall Square, Boston, MA 02201
Hearing on Dockets #0183 and #1805
Committee: Census, Redistricting, and Elections Committee
The Committee on Census, Redistricting, and Elections, chaired by Councilor Ruthzee Louijeune, held a hearing on docket 0183 on voter accessibility and election preparedness and docket 1805, a resolution supporting ballot Question 4 to establish election day voter registration in Massachusetts. An advocate panel from Lawyers for Civil Rights, the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts, MassVOTE, the ACLU of Massachusetts and the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts urged support for Question 4, decoupling the municipal census from voter status, better polling place signage and accessibility, and preparation for possible federal agents at polling places. The administration panel, including interim director and Commissioner of City Records Paul Chung, new Elections Executive Director Kerry Jordan and Head Assistant Registrar Sabino Piemonte, reported that 79,474 voters cast ballots in the September primary across 275 precincts, described ballot quality-control steps, and urged early and mail voting given a three-page ballot with nine questions. Councilors asked about state oversight of the department, whose deadline staff indicated is the end of the year, poll worker recruitment and pay, language access and civics education. The chair said she would seek a vote on docket 1805 and hold docket 0183 in committee.
1:20 thank you.
1:22 this was.
1:31 Really severe.
1:34 Oh, okay.
1:36 I.
6:57 Morning everyone.
6:58 Happy friday.
7:00 For the record my name is ruti
7:01 louijeune at large city
7:02 councilor and I am the chair
7:03 of the boston city
7:04 council committee on census
7:06 redistricting and elections.
7:08 Today is OCTOBER 2nd, 2026 and
7:12 the exact time is 10:07 A.M..
7:13 This hearing is being recorded.
7:15 It is also being live
7:16 streamed@boston.Gov.
7:18 Forward slash city council dash
7:20 tv and broadcast on it's
7:23 channel eight rcn channel 82
7:25 fios channel 964.
7:26 Our written comments MAY be
7:28 sent to the committee email at
7:31 seek census@boston.Gov.
7:32 And we made a part of the
7:33 record and available to all
7:35 councilors public testimony
7:37 will take will be taken at the
7:38 end of this hearing.
7:40 Individuals will be called on
7:41 in the order in which they
7:42 signed up and will have two
7:43 minutes to testify.
7:45 If you are interested in
7:47 testifying in person, please
7:48 add your name to the sign up
7:49 sheet near the entrance of the
7:50 chamber.
7:51 If you are looking to testify
7:53 virtually, please email our
7:55 central staff liaison shane
7:56 pack at shane dot pack at
7:58 boston dot GOD for the link and
8:00 add your name and your name
8:00 will be added to the list.
8:02 Today's hearing is on docket
8:03 number 0183.
8:05 Order for a hearing regarding
8:05 voter accessibility and
8:06 election preparedness.
8:08 This matter is sponsored by
8:10 myself and councilor enrique
8:11 japan and is referred to the
8:13 committee on JANUARY 28th, 2026
8:13 .
8:15 This also includes docket
8:18 number 1805 resolution in
8:20 support of question four to us
8:22 to establish election day voter
8:23 registration in massachusetts.
8:24 This matter is sponsored by
8:26 myself and council PRESIDENT
8:27 Liz breadon and it was referred
8:29 to the committee on SEPTEMBER
8:31 22nd, 2023 2026.
8:32 Today I'm joined by my
8:33 colleagues in order of arrival
8:33 councilor flynn.
8:36 I want to thank everyone for
8:36 being here.
8:40 Um this there is uh uh topic
8:42 that is sincerely important to
8:44 upholding our democracy and
8:45 that's making sure that voting
8:47 is accessible and that we're
8:48 prepared as a city when
8:49 election time comes around and
8:50 that we're making sure we're
8:52 doing everything we can to draw
8:54 more people into our democratic
8:54 process.
8:56 As someone who grew up in the
8:58 city going to the polls with my
9:00 dad later myself becoming a
9:01 lawyer who worked on elections
9:03 ,it is deeply important to
9:04 me to make sure that we are uh,
9:06 making sure that residents
9:08 around the city can access
9:08 voting.
9:10 Voting isn't going to solve all
9:11 of our problems but it is going
9:12 it is definitely a part of the
9:13 solution.
9:14 So I want to thank all of you
9:15 for being here for the advocacy
9:16 that you do.
9:17 I in addition to talking about
9:18 general election preparedness
9:20 and what the city of boston can
9:21 be doing better to prepare for
9:23 elections or draw people out
9:25 for elections uh, do the
9:26 everyday work of democracy.
9:29 I also want to make sure that
9:31 we are talking about question
9:33 four which is uh, election day
9:35 voter registration which many
9:36 of you advocates have been
9:38 fighting for quite some time.
9:40 We are behind when it comes to
9:41 states who have, uh same-day
9:42 voter registration.
9:43 We need to make sure that we're
9:44 doing everything we can to make
9:46 democracy more accessible to
9:47 those who are transient.
9:49 We know that voters of color,
9:50 uh, voter of color
9:51 participation increases when we
9:53 have election day voter
9:53 registration.
9:55 And so I'm excited for this
9:56 conversation.
9:57 I'm excited for you to for
9:58 others for advocacy.
10:01 I'm excited to hear from the
10:02 administration and I want to
10:04 thank our own alum of the city
10:05 council chamber, kerry jordan.
10:07 For his new role.
10:09 Leading the work of the
10:09 elections department.
10:11 So I'm excited to hear from the
10:13 administration and the reason
10:14 why, you know, we want to have
10:15 an advocate panel go first
10:16 because I do think that there
10:18 can sometimes be more of a
10:19 feedback loop between hearing
10:20 from what the advocates say.
10:22 What we can be doing better and
10:23 having the administration.
10:24 Sort of respond to that.
10:25 And bring you into the
10:25 conversation that way.
10:26 So I.
10:27 really appreciate your
10:28 leadership, sabino.
10:30 Really appreciate uh your.
10:31 Leadership as well.
10:32 Commissioner, I know that
10:33 you've been doing yeoman's work
10:34 trying to um.
10:37 Uh to both.
10:39 Continue doing city.
10:40 Records and also.
10:41 Uh, your hands here.
10:43 Uh, so really appreciate the
10:44 work that you've been doing.
10:44 See?
10:45 Uh, italia.
10:46 Right.
10:47 Italia here.
10:48 So thank you for your work.
10:49 Uh, looking forward to this
10:50 conversation.
10:52 colleague.
10:52 I am going to pass it off to my
10:53 If he has any opening remarks.
10:54 thank you, MADAM Chair.
10:59 I want to say thank you to the
11:00 administration team for being
11:00 here.
11:02 I want to say thank you to the
11:03 panelists for the important
11:05 work you are doing as well.
11:07 Um, I had an opportunity to
11:09 work with sheryl, uh, for for
11:11 many years and respect the work
11:13 you and your team and
11:14 volunteers are doing.
11:16 I was at an event last night
11:20 the jeremiah program in the
11:23 south end and we we went
11:26 through every um ballot
11:28 initiative and my guests uh,
11:29 russell holmes and myself we
11:31 talked about them I think for
11:34 almost two hours um, to a to a
11:36 group of people that mostly
11:38 single mothers and asking they
11:40 were asking questions and I
11:42 think russell did an
11:44 exceptional job explaining each
11:44 of them in detail.
11:48 Um I support my support
11:50 question for but I also know
11:53 that the city of boston
11:54 election department is
11:55 currently under state
11:56 receivership.
11:58 During the most important
12:01 presidential election 2024.
12:04 We didn't have enough ballots
12:06 to reach many polling locations
12:08 in the city of boston.
12:10 Uh, we're still under the
12:11 receivership basically of the
12:13 secretary of state's office.
12:14 Um.
12:17 I'm going to stop there.
12:19 I'm going to listen to the
12:19 advocates.
12:22 I do apologize I'm going to a
12:23 um the va.
12:26 Um, it's related to a childcare
12:27 related issue in this in
12:28 jamaica plain.
12:31 Um, but I am going to be
12:32 leaving early but I will be
12:34 watching the video um, later on
12:34 this week.
12:35 Thank you, MADAM Chair.
12:37 Thank you councilor and I too
12:38 was at the event last night at
12:39 jeremiah program.
12:40 I want to thank alison and all
12:41 the incredible black women who
12:42 do incredible work to make sure
12:43 that civic engagement is
12:44 centered here in our city.
12:46 So I want to say thank you to
12:47 this incredible panel.
12:48 We'll kick it off with five
12:50 minutes of testimony from each
12:50 of you.
12:53 We have tracy from the aclu
12:54 here and then we have a video
12:55 from rahsaan.
12:56 Over at the urban league.
12:57 So thank you so much.
12:58 We'll kick it off.
13:01 Um, in order that we before us
13:03 and we will start with, uh, you
13:05 brooke, we have brooke samoan
13:06 here, a staff attorney, lawyers
13:07 for civil rights.
13:10 Uh, we have celia canavan here,
13:11 executive director, league
13:12 of women voters
13:12 of massachusetts.
13:14 Cheryl clyburn crawford
13:16 executive director at mass vote
13:18 traci griffith, uh, director
13:19 of the racial justice program
13:19 at the.
13:21 Aclu of massachusetts and
13:24 rahsaan hall, uh, here via.
13:25 Uh pre.
13:27 Made video from.
13:28 the urban league
13:28 of massachusetts.
13:30 So we're going to start with
13:30 you, celia.
13:33 Uh, with you brooke, you have
13:34 the floor and five minutes will
13:35 have about how long you need to
13:36 for an opening.
13:36 Thank you.
13:39 Good morning.
13:41 councilor louijeune.
13:41 Um, and thank you,
13:43 Uh, councilor pepen,
13:44 councilor PRESIDENT Breadon for
13:45 calling attention to these
13:46 issues and for inviting me to
13:47 be here today.
13:50 Um, I also want to say thank
13:51 you to councilor flynn for for
13:52 being here.
13:57 Um uh um uh, my name is brooke.
13:58 Seaman and I'm going to talk
13:59 about lawyers for civil rights
13:59 .
14:01 All of us here in this.
14:04 Room share a goal which is to
14:06 ensure that every eligible
14:07 voter who wants to cast a
14:09 ballot can do so and they can
14:11 do so without fear and without
14:12 intimidation and obstacles.
14:14 So I'm going to talk a little
14:14 bit.
14:15 About what is needed to make
14:16 that happen.
14:19 A critical piece of that is the
14:19 election protection.
14:22 Program which is a national
14:22 nonpartisan.
14:25 Um a national nonpartisan.
14:27 And volunteer poll observer
14:27 program.
14:29 At lawyers for civil rights.
14:30 We are proud to be part of the
14:31 coalition that runs this
14:33 program in massachusetts along
14:36 with other partners here and
14:37 those on the recordings as
14:38 well.
14:40 During the primary.
14:42 We saw some confusion among
14:45 poll workers about what these
14:46 volunteers are allowed to do.
14:47 So I just want to take some
14:48 time to clarify.
14:51 They are trained and authorized
14:52 to observe.
14:53 Inside polling locations
14:54 whether that's to frequently
14:55 check in.
14:57 To observe particular.
14:59 Uh, particular irregularities
14:59 that arise.
15:02 And because they are entirely.
15:03 Nonpartisan, they are.
15:04 Authorized to engage.
15:05 With voters outside.
15:06 of the polling.
15:09 Locations but within the 150
15:10 foot electioneering zone.
15:12 ,our volunteers.
15:13 are present to answer
15:15 questions from voters like is
15:16 an id required?
15:17 What if they tell me I need.
15:18 an id?
15:19 Can a friend help.
15:20 me vote?
15:23 The volunteers also escalate
15:23 problems that need.
15:25 Troubleshooting or legal
15:25 support, and part of.
15:27 this is steering voters.
15:27 To the court.
15:28 to call the.
15:30 Eight six six.
15:32 hour vote hotline where.
15:34 Uh, a group.
15:35 of lawyers.
15:37 Are also standing by to provide
15:37 support.
15:40 Now this hotline um.
15:41 is always open.
15:42 It will be.
15:42 Open during.
15:44 uh, early voting and on
15:44 election day.
15:47 We will have poll observers
15:47 throughout boston's.
15:49 Precincts on election day as
15:49 well.
15:51 And our team at lawyers for.
15:52 Civil rights will be ready to
15:53 respond.
15:54 to whatever challenges
15:54 arise.
15:58 Now every election we expect.
15:59 to see certain.
16:00 Logistical and administrative
16:01 issues.
16:02 A lot of these arose.
16:04 Um uh, during the primary.
16:06 standard problems.
16:06 we saw some of these
16:07 like the registration.
16:08 Deadline keeping eligible
16:10 people from voting and that's
16:12 why we support question four on
16:13 election day registration.
16:16 There were also a large number
16:16 of voters who.
16:17 were listed as inactive
16:19 simply because they didn't
16:20 return the census form.
16:23 There are also unfortunately.
16:25 Always issues um around
16:26 accessibility of polling places
16:27 and that is something that the
16:29 election protection program can
16:32 step in to assist with um as
16:32 well.
16:36 In the past um as
16:37 councilor flynn mentioned,
16:39 boston voters have faced long
16:40 lines and ballot shortages.
16:42 Particularly in communities
16:43 of color and low income
16:44 communities.
16:47 We are very encouraged by the.
16:48 New leadership in boston's
16:50 election department, and we
16:50 know that.
16:51 the executive director
16:52 jordan.
16:53 Shares our hope that these
16:54 issues don't happen again.
16:56 So we want to say welcome.
16:57 And we are happy to be.
16:59 In open communication with the
17:00 new leadership team.
17:03 Now along with some of these
17:05 more typical concerns, these
17:06 administrative.
17:07 Or sort of.
17:08 Logistical concerns.
17:10 This election there is a real.
17:12 Concern about federal officers
17:14 being sent to polling places.
17:16 So to be direct that.
17:18 Would be unlawful.
17:21 Federal government agents
17:21 whether.
17:22 Ice.
17:24 doj or the fbi cannot
17:26 vote.
17:26 interfere with the right to
17:28 They cannot intimidate.
17:28 or threaten.
17:30 Voters which can.
17:32 Occur due to simply their
17:33 presence alone and.
17:35 Even more pointedly, armed
17:36 federal.
17:37 Officials cannot be at a
17:38 polling place.
17:40 So what that means is if ice.
17:41 Officers are.
17:43 Stationed near a.
17:44 School or community center that
17:47 is used as a polling place that
17:48 is illegal.
17:51 Their presence of course would.
17:53 Would present dangers
17:53 of aggressive.
17:56 Tactics of detention
17:56 of deportation.
17:58 but the threat really.
17:59 Extends much further than that.
18:03 So many bostonians are living
18:04 in constant fear of.
18:06 Immigration enforcement, and
18:07 that includes.
18:08 People who are.
18:10 Citizens and eligible to vote.
18:10 So I'm talking.
18:12 about foreign born.
18:14 Naturalized citizens, people in
18:16 mixed status households and
18:17 people of color.
18:19 for a lot of those eligible
18:22 voters, if they hear that ice.
18:23 MAY be near their polling.
18:25 Place, some of them will simply
18:27 stay home and that means that
18:28 they are losing their right to
18:31 vote and that is unacceptable.
18:35 we are.
18:35 So at lawyers for civil rights
18:36 Responding on two.
18:38 Fronts we are educating.
18:39 the communities most
18:40 vulnerable to.
18:41 Ice about their rights.
18:43 and what to do if a federal.
18:44 Officer is near a polling.
18:46 Place and we are also ready to.
18:47 Go to court the moment.
18:49 That unlawful government
18:50 activity threatens the
18:51 communities we work with.
18:54 so we are ready.
18:55 to step in and.
18:57 Our partners here are certainly
18:58 ready as well.
19:00 But it is also important that
19:00 the city.
19:03 I.
19:03 of boston be ready to and so
19:04 would urge the city.
19:05 to do four things.
19:08 First, promote early.
19:10 Voting and mail voting so that
19:12 no voter has to depend on one
19:14 day and one location.
19:16 second, train.
19:18 Wardens, inspectors.
19:19 and other poll workers on
19:20 the laws that apply.
19:22 and on what to do if federal
19:23 agents show up to a polling
19:24 place.
19:27 Third, coordinate and
19:28 communicate beforehand.
19:30 With state officials and groups
19:30 .
19:31 Like lawyers for civil.
19:33 Rights and other folks on this
19:33 panel.
19:36 And fourth, communicate
19:37 accurately with.
19:38 Boston voters.
19:40 They need to know their rights
19:40 at the.
19:42 Polls and what might stand in
19:42 their way.
19:44 But just as importantly, they.
19:45 Need to know that their.
19:47 City, their home.
19:48 And legal and.
19:49 Advocacy groups.
19:51 Stand with them and are.
19:52 ready to protect their.
19:53 right to vote.
19:55 So I'm excited and hopeful to.