Malden Gets Graded On Election Inclusion Efforts

MALDEN, MA — The office of Mayor Gary Christenson announced Thursday that the city received an overall grade of “A-” for its bilingual voting inclusion efforts. Following the Presidential Election the city was randomly selected for a voting audit.

The report card was split into 10 subcategories, with the city receiving its highest grade of an “A+” for implementing fully bilingual ballots that also read in Chinese, including candidates’ names. The city’s lowest score of a “B” was given in the categories of distribution of outreach materials and translation of digital information about the elections.

Vice President of Greater Malden Asian American Community Coalition Yu Sin Mok emphasized the importance of his group’s work with city leadership.

“The progress in language access over the past few years highlights the power of meaningful partnerships between grassroots community groups and city leaders. We are proud to see Malden's significant strides in ensuring equitable access for all voters,” Mok said. “We hope this collaboration inspires neighboring cities to strengthen their support for Limited English Proficient voters."

Christenson also gave credit to City Clerk Ann Desiderio for her efforts in getting Malden’s Transliteration Bill passed in 2023.