After the Lawrence City Council voted to continue with mail in voting after fraud was proven in the 2023 city council elections, At-Large City Councilor Ana Levy has written a letter to the Secretary of State asking for help in securing the city’s election process and implementation of a Voter ID requirement for all Lawrence Voters.
Ironically, all the of the elected officials who signed Levy’s letter were Latino officials who are members of the Democrat Party. A Party run by rich white people of privilege and whose leaders deny any existence of voter fraud claiming that voter ID requirements are racist against blacks and Latinos.
Despite the efforts of Councilor Levy, a majority of the Lawrence City Council has consistently refused to institute Voter ID even though more than 70% of Lawrence voters support the election integrity measure.
Councilor Levy’s letter reads:
Dear Secretary Galvin,
As you may be aware, the City of Lawrence will be electing members to the Lawrence School Committee, City Council, and Mayor this year. I presently serve as one of three “At-Large” City Council Members of the nine-member Lawrence City Council
Additionally, I have declared my candidacy for nomination and re-election in 2025 for another two-year term.
During my terms as an elected Member of the Lawrence City Council, I have actively addressed prevailing issues related to “election integrity” among many matters of public concern. In particular, issues concerning “oversight of elections” held in the City of Lawrence are within the scope of authority of the Members of the Lawrence City Council by the Lawrence City Charter.
In that regard, the upcoming election and all elections conducted in the City of Lawrence require that issues about the “conduct of elections” by candidates, election officials, election staff, and Lawrence Voters are within the scope of the oversight jurisdiction, obligation, and authority as a current City Council Member.
Among the issues concerning each election are election administration, election staff conduct, voter discrimination, voter fraud, voter disenfranchisement, and the conduct of candidates, all of which aim to ensure that the election is not only fair but also lawfully conducted.
The lawful provisions of “vote by mail” in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts approved by the Legislature to address and defeat possible “voter hesitancy” posed by COVID-19 in 2020 and the subsequent permanent approval of “vote by mail” has resulted in the development of new avenues of “voter fraud” while other methods of “fraud” became more pronounced. Recent allegations concerning the occurrence of “ballot manipulation” evidence the existence of specific instances of “fraud” that may be more widespread than isolated, which require greater vigilance not only to discourage but also to prevent from taking place.
Despite the nuance of “vote by mail” provisions, which may be administratively proficient, the controlled delivery and return of ballots is a “significant change” in voting methodology that fails to address new and pronounced methods of fraud that have developed with the implementation and administration of a “vote by mail” system. Matters concerning “ballot verification” as well as “voter identification” continue to rely on lawful measures that were designed for use with “pre-pandemic” methods of voting and do little to improve “election integrity,” prevent “fraud,” or address its occurrence.
Improvements that include “voter identification” as well as the development of administrative regulations that are specifically designed to address issues of “fraud” that “vote by mail” induces are necessary if not required. It may be prudent to repeal “vote by mail” altogether since the “emergency” necessity that was created to address “the COVID-19 pandemic” no longer exists.
One of the most adverse aspects of “vote by mail” is that the ballot and return ballot process extends the possibility of ballot and/or voter “fraud” right up to the mailbox of every voter, which continues through the return to election officials. The expanded “possibility” has a direct impact on the balloting process, which requires the focus and attention of many more election officials than any City or Town can provide.
For example, verifying the signatures of “vote by mail” ballots presented for casting is a task that is likely not conducted, as there is insufficient staff, resources, or access to the original signatures to perform such verification if required. However, this “flaw” isn’t specific to “vote by mail” but is “more pronounced” due to the increased volume of “mail-in” ballots returned. Other issues concerning the “inactive voter list” and the possible fraudulent manipulation of the system should be considered for overhaul.
For the above reasons, assistance is requested of the Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth to provide “oversight” during the upcoming Municipal Preliminary and Election of 2025 in the City of Lawrence, MA, to ensure the administration of the 2025 elections are conducted “fairly” and “lawfully” by all concerned.
This request is not intended to “disparage” or “question” the ability of the Lawrence Election Division, the City Council, or the Executive Office of the City of Lawrence.
However, the specific skills, knowledge, and abilities of your staff, as well as the presence of additional staff members dispatched, will have a positive impact on the administration of the election and a deterrent effect as well.
Please consider the issues presented, as well as my request for assistance, and have your staff contact me at your convenience regarding this matter.
Thank you for your attention and consideration.
Truly yours, Lawrence City Councilor At-Large Ana Levy,
City of Lawrence Mayor, Brian DePeña, Councilors Celina Reyes and Gregory Delrosario