My updates relating to election preparations for Monday, November 2, 2020.
Below are Mayor Walsh’s remarks as prepared for November 2, 2020.
In Massachusetts yesterday (Sunday), there were 1,139 new confirmed cases. The total is now 155,660 confirmed cases. There were 22 new deaths, for a total of 9,788.
Boston numbers yesterday: we had 112 new cases, for a total of 20,607. We do not have the number of new deaths from the weekend, but as of Friday the total is 783.
Our prayers are with the families and those who are ill.
The testing data we have is for the week ending Monday, October 26. The average number of Boston residents who tested positive each day was 123, up from 109 in the seven days previous. The positive test rate was 7.8%, which held steady at that level for a few days.
It’s a hard week to focus on COVID with all that’s happening with the election, but we have to stay vigilant. The virus doesn’t take a week off, so we can’t either. We have to keep wearing masks and face coverings, washing our hands, keeping our physical distance, and avoiding gatherings, especially parties. And, as I will continue to emphasize: get tested.
Our “Get the Test, Boston” campaign that launched last week is going strong. Twenty-four employers and organizations have pledged to help and encourage their workers to get tested. We have continued to add free testing resources, especially in neighborhoods with higher case rates. This week, we have mobile testing at Jubilee Christian Church in Mattapan and Central Square Park in East Boston. Also, this Tuesday and Friday we have a site at New Hope Baptist Church on River Street in Hyde Park. Our mobile sites offer testing to anyone free of charge and regardless of symptoms. In all, we have more than 30 testing sites in the city. Find a map, hours, and contact information at boston.gov/coronavirus.
This is a historic election for more than one reason. There has been tremendous interest in voting early and voting safely. We are committed to making sure voting is safe and accessible. It’s the cornerstone of our democracy and the right to self-determination that we believe in. So, we are doing whatever it takes to protect your rights and your safe access to the ballot box.
The commitment of Boston voters is impressive. Nearly 432,000 Bostonians are registered to vote in this election, up from 415,500 in 2016. 55,716 people cast their ballots in early voting. In addition, as of yesterday, November 1, 103,268 Bostonians have submitted mail-in ballots. So, a total of 159,000 Bostonians have cast ballots in this election already. That’s over 36.5% turnout before Election Day. We had 66.75% total turnout in 2016.
I want to thank Elections Commissioner Eneida Tavares, our Elections staff, and all the volunteers from City departments and Boston communities. This has been, and continues to be, a major undertaking. They have been working long hours under unique circumstances — processing over 192,000 mail-in ballot requests, taking in a record number of early votes, using dropboxes, and preparing for in-person voting. They continue to work hard counting ballots and preparing polling locations.
I encourage everyone: if you have not voted yet, make a plan, right now, to vote. If you have a mail-in ballot and have not returned it yet, I encourage you to complete it today and place it in one of our 17 dropboxes. Dropboxes are open through 8:00 p.m. tomorrow night. You can find a map at boston.gov/elections. We will accept ballots that arrive in the mail by Friday, if they are postmarked by tomorrow. But, I recommend you use a dropbox to ensure it arrives on time, or else vote in person.
A reminder: you cannot submit a mail-in ballot at an in-person polling site tomorrow. If you bring your mail-in ballot, you will be asked to vote in person, and the poll workers will help ensure your mail-in ballot is discarded appropriately.
Voting in person tomorrow: The polls will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. We have 255 precincts in the City of Boston and, in the vast majority, you will vote at your usual location. 20 polls that were in senior buildings or other sensitive locations have been moved to nearby sites. Ballots will be available in English, Spanish, Chinese, and Vietnamese. Poll workers will be available to help speakers of those languages, as well as Haitian Creole, Cabo Verdean, Russian, and Portuguese. To find your polling place or with any other questions or concerns, visit boston.gov/elections.
Tomorrow, we will have a dedicated voter hotline for any questions or concerns that arise. The number is 617–635-VOTE. That’s 617–635–8683.
COVID safety: Every polling location is set up to follow COVID safety guidelines and provide access for people with disabilities. The sites are prepared for physical distancing with clear signage and floor markings. All poll workers are issued PPE, including face shields, masks, gloves, disinfectant wipes, and hand sanitizer. Cleaning will take place at each site several times throughout the day. When you go to vote, remember to wear a mask or a well-made face covering, and make sure it’s covering both your mouth and nose. And please, remember to be respectful and patient with poll workers and volunteers, who are trained and dedicated individuals.
Voter safety and election integrity: We have always treated elections with the utmost seriousness in Boston. We follow strict protocols to protect the integrity of your vote and our democratic process. As with every election, a police officer will be stationed at every polling location. The police are there to protect the ability of residents to exercise their rights.
We are monitoring conversations across the country about the potential for voter intimidation at the polls. We do not have any information about a threat here in Boston. But I want to make clear that voter intimidation is against the law, and it won’t be tolerated.
Post-election safety: There is a great deal of tension around this election, more than we’ve seen before in our lifetimes. Much of it is anticipation of the result of the presidential election. Because of COVID, the process has been different and more challenging. Many jurisdictions, including ours, will be counting mail-in and absentee ballots for several days. But I want to make clear that mail-in ballots do not fundamentally change the process or cause problems. They are handled like traditional absentee ballots. That’s how we’ve always counted the votes of military members and others overseas or out of state. The process of counting and certifying election results always takes a number of days beyond the election date.
Tomorrow night, we will be posting unofficial results on boston.gov, as usual. But, we won’t have all the mail-in ballots counted for a number of days. Similar processes are taking place nationally. We should not be surprised if we don’t have a clear national result tomorrow night, or Wednesday morning, or for several days. This does not mean that the voting process is broken or compromised in any way. This is normal. If you are following the results in other states, as most of us will be, I advise everyone to be prepared for the process to take some time. I ask everyone to remain calm, practice self-care, and focus on what we can do here in Boston to set a good example.
I’m also asking everyone to think through how you will react to the results. Whether we like the result or don’t like it, there will be strong emotions. It’s okay to have emotions, there’s a lot at stake. But we must take care of ourselves, our families, and communities, and we must respond peacefully. You can make your voice heard at the ballot box and you can express your opinion in public as well. These are both protected rights, and the Boston Police Department is there to protect those rights. They will have resources in place to keep the public safe both during the election process and beyond it. And I ask everyone, also, respect the right of others to have an opinion, and respect your city and community. If you feel the need to speak out, do so safely and constructively. Be aware of your surroundings. Wear a mask and practice social distancing. Communicate respectfully.
I also urge you to rely on trusted sources of information. For information about our election, follow the Secretary of State’s office and our Elections Department. If it’s about public safety, listen to what the City and our Public Safety agencies are putting out. Call 311 if you have concerns, including your own mental health concerns. Call 911 if you see a dangerous situation.
If you are concerned about what’s happening nationally, don’t react to social media. There are bad actors out there, who want to use social media to sow fear and disrupt the process. Keep that in mind when you read something inflammatory. Don’t react or share it. Check with trusted media outlets.
The bottom line is: as Bostonians, as Americans, we believe in free and fair elections. Every vote must be counted and the will of the people must prevail. That’s what we believe in Boston and that’s what we are carrying out. We have been in conversation with civil liberties advocates, including the ACLU. We have been in conversation with our immigrant communities about their concerns. We are prepared to support all our residents and protect your rights, whatever happens. This same commitment to free and fair elections is what we must have across our country. I call on every elected official, at every level of government, to support that fundamental principle of our democracy.
I’ll ask Commissioner Gross to say more about our preparations for public safety.
