LAWRENCE — State elections workers and state troopers will be present at City Hall this weekend as early voting for the Nov. 4 election starts.
The City Council Chambers at City Hall at 200 Common St. will be the location for early voting, which starts at 10 a.m. Saturday and runs through next week.
Saturday is also the last day to register to vote in the election which is headlined by the mayor’s race. Incumbent Mayor Brian DePena is being challenged by Juan “Manny” Gonzalez, a city firefighter and community activist.
“The state will be here every day while early voting is going on,” said City Clerk Eileen Bernal.
Elections workers for the state will augment city election staffers. Lawrence police officers, who normally work during elections, will be bolstered by state troopers due to a state takeover of the elections in the city, according to a spokesperson for Secretary of State William Galvin.
Galvin’s office, which oversees elections, was asked by Bernal last week for immediate assistance under a state law known as “56-60.” Under the law, Bernal said the city has ask to for “complete and immediate” help with a local election.
Complaints of candidate fraud, violations with absentee ballots and targeting of City Hall elections staff prompted Bernal to reach out to the state for help.
“Basically, that means that they will take over the election to avoid any additional interference with the Election process. One of the primary benefits of this status is that it will require all personnel changes to be vetted through the Office of the Secretary of State,” wrote City Clerk Eileen Bernal in an email to city councilors last week.
Bernal wrote that staff in the elections office at City Hall “is being targeted and I firmly believe they need this extra layer of protection.”
Gonzalez’s campaign has reported numerous instances of ballot fraud and irregularities recently, including alleged tampering with absentee ballots, ballot harvesting at senior housing complexes and interference with voters during the Sept. 16 election.
An elections worker, Jennifer Pagan, was placed on administrative leave and an investigation ordered by DePena after an issue with a resident with absentee ballot. And, on Wednesday, DePena and one his staff members, had a locked door meeting with election workers in their office after city workers questioned a woman with absentee ballots.
Galvin, in an election order handed down on Thursday, Oct. 16, called for strict oversight of absentee ballots by election workers.
The order confirmed the state has received numerous complaints about irregularities in the absentee ballot process,
DePena’s campaign has sought to soften the state’s involvement in the city’s election and said in a statement it “does not authorize the state to ‘take over’ or ‘run’ a local election.”
“Rather, it allows the Secretary’s Office and the Attorney General to review or address any formal complaints if violations of election law are alleged. This is an oversight mechanism that exists for every city and town in Massachusetts—not a special action targeted at Lawrence.”
The DePena campaign statement added the “administration fully supports transparency, fairness, and every safeguard that ensures every eligible voter’s voice is heard and counted. We welcome any lawful oversight or review process and will continue working closely with state officials, as we always have, to uphold the highest standards of election integrity.”
Early voting in Lawrence continues at City Hall through next week as follows: Sunday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Monday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Tuesday, 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Wednesday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Questions can be directed to the election officer at (978) 620-3290 or electiondivision@cityoflawrence.com.