Arlington Anti-Racism Group Apologizes For Campaign Mailer

ARLINGTON, MA — An anti-racism group issued an apology after one of the candidates it endorsed sent out a campaign mailer that appeared to come from the town. Arlington Fights Racism issued a statement Friday regarding the letter sent by Lynette Martyn, a candidate for School Committee.

The mailer came in an envelope reading "Time Sensitive Materials: Absent Voting Info" and contained both voting information and promotional materials for Martyn's campaign, YourArlington reported. It also listed the candidates supporting the platform of Arlington Fights Racism.

The envelope listed Martyn's home address as the return address. At the May 4 Select Board meeting, Town Manager Adam Chapdelaine clarified that the mailer did not come from the town.

"I messed up. The decision to use this return address was soley [sic] mine and the piece was printed prior to the town's announcement of their upcoming mailing," Martyn wrote in a statement on her Facebook page. "It was a last minute decision that I made when the mail house called to ask what I wanted for a return address and was not checked by anyone else."

"I wanted to ensure everyone knew about the expanded absentee voting options," she continued. "I was concerned the piece might look like junk mail and get trashed rather than opened (something I am often guilty of). I genuinely did not think of it in any other context."

In a statement May 8, the Arlington Fights Racism steering committee said it was "upset" by Martyn's error in "mislabeling a campaign mailing she posted on our behalf." The group also shouldered some of the blame for the mistake, writing that it "placed the burden of this task on a single person, without also providing her the formal procedures and support needed to answer all contingencies."

"We apologize to all for the confusion and disruption caused by this error," the committee wrote. "More importantly, we apologize to our candidates, for distracting from your campaigns."

The group formed "in response to local racist and hate-filled writings" and has a goal of increasing diversity and representation in town government. It supports 36 candidates for Town Meeting and three candidates for town-wide office.