Save Your Wakefield Voting Rights

Hi all,

As we all learned in our middle school and high school history classes, the goal of any democracy is the individual freedom to vote. Remember our Declaration of Independence, “we hold these truths to be self-evident that all men/women are created equal . . . “

These important school lessons, as well as the famous words of our forefathers, are held dear to the hearts of most Americans, including most Wakefieldians, however, apparently not the Wakefield “remaining members” (Eric Reid abruptly resigned last week) of the Charter Review Committee, chaired by long-time friend and respected former Selectman John Carney. Sadly, it now has become apparent that certain powers at Wakefield Town Hall are fed up with Wakefield town-wide voter referendums, where all voters from all seven precincts can vote in the privacy of their polling station, rather than in clear sight of Wakefield Town Hall politicos.

So, continuing on this disheartening yet urgent note, Article 28, as presented by the Wakefield Charter Review Committee, will be presented and heard at Thursday evening’s second night of fall 2018 Town Meeting.

It is clearly evident, from the Charter Review Committee’s proposed change to our Wakefield Charter, that all of Wakefield’s important votes in the future could be solely presented and voted by 100 to 200 Town Meeting members, who customarily have five minutes to present their thoughts on the floor of Town Meeting before they vote within 60 minutes of listening to a Town Hall tailored PowerPoint Presentation regarding any and all matters to be decided at Town Meeting by 100 to 200 Town Meeting members.

All Wakefield voters must understand that if Article 28 were to pass Thursday evening, it will then grossly bump up the required 200 voters’ signatures in order to bring a vote to town-wide referendum vote at the polls up to more than 900 voters’ signatures; these 900 plus signatures will then be required to be collected within a window of 12 calendar days from adjournment of Wakefield Town Meeting and presented to Wakefield Town Clerk’s office for official certification.

Save your Wakefield voting rights . . . now there’s a positive message.

Again, save your Wakefield voting rights is as positive message about your voting rights in Wakefield, as I can ever remember, after all, would anybody that we know and respect ever want to discourage and/or restrict Wakefield voters’ rights? It’s just not the American way, as we have learned from generations of school teachers and, most importantly, our parents, grandparents and great grandparents.

Please, each one of you can answer this important question for yourselves, when you attend Wakefield Town Meeting, Thursday (11/8/18), 7:00 p.m., at the Galvin Middle School. Let your voices be heard Thursday evening or else it could mark the apparent demise of the voter friendly Wakefield town-wide forum vote. It is clear that Article 28 poses a slippery slope in the long respected history of Wakefield voters’ rights . . . Vote No on Article 28.

Thank you.

Pat Bruno