Malden Mayor Joins Call For Mail-In Voting In 2020 Elections

MALDEN, MA — Malden Mayor Gary Christenson has joined the call for a vote-by-mail program in Massachusetts during the 2020 election cycle. Christenson was among 23 mayors who sent a letter to Senate President Karen Spilka and House Speaker Robert DeLeo last week asking legislators to pass a by-mail program for the primary and general elections in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

"Our constituents deserve the opportunity to exercise their right to vote without risk of exposure to a deadly virus" the mayors wrote. "Every voter in the Commonwealth deserves a safe chance at participating in the democratic process, even through this extremely challenging time for our country."

Secretary of State William Galvin told NBC Boston his plan, which he expects to present to the Legislature in May, would expand the time period for early voting by mail in the general election and remove the provision only allowing mail-in voting for those who are away or disabled.

Despite a push by some legislators to send every voter a mail-in ballot, Galvin told NBC that would "undermine the integrity of the election and create administrative chaos." Voters will have to request a ballot themselves under Galvin's plan.

"The Commonwealth with the leadership of the Senate and House must lead again with ensuring safe, healthy, widely available ballot access by passing a vote by mail program," Christenson and the other mayors wrote. "In this time of pandemic, no one should be forced to choose between their health and their right to vote."

The letter was signed by the following mayors:

1. Mayor Ruthanne Fuller, Newton
2. Mayor Sefatia Romeo Theken, Gloucester
3. Mayor Kim Driscoll, Salem
4. Mayor John J Leahy, Lowell
5. Mayor Joseph M. Petty, Worcester
6. Mayor Nicole LaChapelle, Easthampton
7. Mayor Paul Brodeur, Melrose
8. Mayor William Reichelt, West Springfield
9. Mayor David Narkewicz, Northampton
10. Mayor Daniel Rivera, Lawrence
11. Mayor Yvonne Spicer, Framingham
12. Mayor Donna Holaday, Newburyport
13. Mayor Jon Mitchell, New Bedford
14. Mayor Neil Perry, Methuen
15. Mayor Roxann Wedegartner, Greenfield
16. Mayor Thomas Bernard, North Adams
17. Mayor Paul Coogan, Fall River
18. Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui, Cambridge
19. Mayor Carlo DeMaria Jr., Everett
20. Mayor Kassandra Gove, Amesbury
21. Mayor Linda Tyer, Pittsfield
22. Mayor Thomas McGee, Lynn
23. Mayor Gary Christenson, Malden