Boston city councilors press for clarity on how state ‘receivership’ will impact 2025 election

Two Boston city councilors are seeking clarity from Secretary of State Bill Galvin on how state “receivership” will impact the upcoming election season, which includes a highly-anticipated mayoral race and elections for City Council.

Councilors Erin Murphy and Ed Flynn wrote a letter to Galvin on Monday that reiterates the concerns they have had with the city’s election processes since a number of “significant issues” in last fall’s presidential election resulted in “widespread ballot shortages and communication failures” in Boston.

“We are writing to seek your assistance in obtaining critical information regarding the recent state receivership of the Boston’s Elections Commission,” the councilors wrote. “Your guidance and support in facilitating access to this information are crucial for us to fulfill our duties as city councilors and to restore public confidence in Boston’s electoral system.”

Galvin’s office appointed a designee in late February after launching an investigation into last fall’s ballot mess that resulted in “unacceptable delays” for city voters, and, in some cases, disenfranchisement for residents who couldn’t wait for ballots to arrive at polling places that had run out, state election officials said.

Murphy and Flynn said, however, that their subsequent calls for city election officials to provide answers about what state oversight would entail for this year’s municipal election have fallen on deaf ears.

“Despite our efforts, including filing a hearing order to discuss these matters, we have yet to receive comprehensive answers from the city administration and the Election Department,” their letter states. “With the election calendar approaching and candidates set to pull nomination papers on April 15, it is imperative that we obtain clear information to ensure the dependability and preparedness of our electoral process.”

Murphy and Flynn are asking that Galvin’s office facilitate their access to six factors pertaining to information that can be provided by city officials.

That includes details clarifying what receivership entails, such as the scope, authority and duration of the receiver’s role in overseeing the city’s Elections Commission, and identified deficiencies and required reforms as part of a comprehensive review of the issues that led to ballot shortages and communication failures, and the specific corrective actions mandated by Galvin’s office.

The councilors are also seeking help with obtaining the city’s implementation plan, which they think would include the timeline, resources and strategies for implementing the required reforms to ensure compliance with state election laws and to prevent future operational issues.

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Murphy and Flynn are further looking for an assessment of how the receivership and planned reforms will affect the administration of elections in 2025 and beyond — including ways to safeguard against similar problems; strategies to ensure public communication and transparency around the issue moving forward; and an overview of the financial implications or costs incurred to address deficiencies.

The fall elections will feature a competitive mayoral race, with Mayor Michelle Wu facing at least two challengers, Josh Kraft, son of the billionaire New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, and community activist Domingos DaRosa. Developer Thomas O’Brien is also reportedly considering a bid.

All 13 city councilors are up for reelection.

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