How to best implement the state’s Vote Act and whether deploying police officers at polling stations is advisable is a matter of discussion for the Somerville City Council.

By Mina Rose Morales

On Thursday 14, 2022, at roughly 7:00 p.m., Somerville City Councilors decided to implement the Votes Act for this year’s primary election on September 6, but will discuss the new law thoroughly in committee before incorporating it for the elections after September.

The Votes Act made permanent in Massachusetts the pandemic-related voting reforms used last fall such as mail in voting, same day voting registration, enabling eligible incarcerated citizens to vote, and other reforms, according to the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts website. The bill, now numbered S.2554, also gives City Council members the authority to decide whether police should be stationed at polling centers, as stated under section 72 of the bill.

“Section 72 shall not apply to this section; provided, however, that a city or town may detail a sufficient number of police officers or constables for each early voting site at the expense of the city or town to preserve order, protect local election officers and supervisors from any interference with their duties and aid in enforcing the laws relating to elections,” according to section 72 of Bill S. 2554.

The city’s Director of Elections, Nick Salerno, came to the City Council meeting to address the members’ new authority over police presence at election polls. Salerno stressed police do quite a bit during election days such as delivering the voting machines and uncast ballots. They also exercise crowd control when people become rowdy.

“So, when you go to a polling place and you see a police officer and you may think that police officer is just passing the time of day, they’re not. They’re in a very responsible situation and position. I don’t know what we would do without them. That’s just a matter of clarification,” said Salerno after explaining where he stands on the issue.

Willie Burnley, Jr., City Councilor at Large, had a different opinion. “As a Black person, my parents come from the south, both of them, and the tactic of saying there would be large police presence at polling locations is a historic tactic in this country that has been used by many different groups to repress the vote in certain communities,” said Burnley, Jr.

Burnley Jr., and other Council members agreed they wanted item 35 on the agenda to be discussed more thoroughly at the Legislative Matters Committee meeting when they return from their recess. The council members will take a recess for six weeks and return on August 22.

The Council members want to make sure they understand the Votes Act, specifically the language, before implementing it. Council member Charlotte Kelly believes they need to better understand what the word “shall” in the new law means.

However, the City Councilors “laid on the table” the request to approve police officer assignments at polling places on election day as required by the Votes Act. They decided to apply the law for this year’s primary election but will discuss the Votes Act more thoroughly in committee before implementing it to other elections.

“In a community like Somerville, I’m not concerned about a stealing of an election, there is better use of police officer’s time,” said Burnley Jr. during a private interview.