Somerville Task Force Examines Elections

SOMERVILLE, MA – Mayor Curtatone this week announced the formation of a new task force to expand voter participation and support clean elections. The Clean and Open Elections Task Force, which is currently seeking members, will examine options such as public financing and expansion of early voting to increase voter turnout.

Residents who are interested in joining the task force must apply by Tuesday, Aug. 22. The task force will consist of seven members, one of whom will be the chair of the Ethics Commission. All seven members must be residents of Somerville and have demonstrated an interest in democratic participation. Applicants with relevant expertise in fields such as election financing, voter participation or disclosure and reporting requirements, as well as passionate residents, are sought.

The mayor will appoint five members to the task force, including the ethics chair, and the Board of Aldermen president will be asked to appoint a member of the Board or a designee.

The task force is expected to first meet in September and conclude their work within 6-8 months. Meetings will be held bi-monthly or as deemed necessary. Its findings will be submitted to the mayor and the Board of Aldermen by May 2018. The final report will be shared with the community for further discussion.

"Voter participation in the U.S. is among the lowest of developed, democratic nations, and we need to ensure we are doing everything we can as a city to reverse that at least locally," Curtatone said in a release. "Some of our options may be more procedural, such as expanding voter outreach and early voting. But we also need to look at root causes and take a systems approach to ensure fair, equitable, and open elections that inspire greater participation both by voters and candidates."

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HOW TO APPLY:

Interested persons should send the following information via email by August 22 to aconnor@somervillema.gov or by mail with a postmark by August 22 to Attn. Annie Connor, Legislative Liaison, City of Somerville, 93 Highland Ave., Somerville MA, 02143. Please submit name, address, telephone, email, brief statement of interest/expertise, and a resume. All residents are welcome to apply. No nomination is required to submit an application. This is a volunteer position.

SUGGEST AN EXPERT ADVISOR:

In addition to the formal Task Force membership, Task Force Advisors will be sought to serve as a resource to support the committee’s research. Invitations will be made to academics, advocates, and others with relevant expertise and experience. Recommendations from residents regarding advisors are welcome. Please send your recommendations to Annie Connor, Legislative Liaison, at aconnor@somervillema.gov.

Image via Flickr user Eric Kilby, licensed under CC by-SA 2.0