Election Commissioner Candidate Responses - 2006
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Robert Winters |
Jennifer Singh |
Gerry McDonough |
David Scondras |
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1. State your name, residential address, business address, and telephone number(s). |
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Robert Winters |
Jennifer Fries
Singh |
Gerry
McDonough |
David
Scondras |
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2. Personal. Give a brief biographical summary, including your occupation and past activity in the Democratic Party, community, Cambridge politics, and voter registration. Please include your experience with proportional representation, Cambridge election procedures, and the election laws, if any. Attach a resume if available. Is there, or do you anticipate, anything (time, other commitments) that would present a conflict of interest or otherwise make it difficult to fulfill your duties as Election Commissioner for the full four-year term? |
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I have lived on Broadway in Mid-Cambridge since February 1978. I moved here to attend graduate school in mathematics and earned a Ph.D. from Boston University in 1990. I have served on the mathematics faculty at Wellesley College (1982-85, 1991-94, 2001-06), Harvard University (1994-2001), Boston University (1990-91), and the Harvard University Extension School (2001-06). I have been appointed by the City Manager to serve on numerous boards for the City of Cambridge, including the Recycling Advisory Committee (1991-2006), Green Ribbon Open Space Committee (1999-2000), Library 21 Committee (1996-2000), the Central Square Committee (1994-98), the Central Square Advisory Committee (2001-present), and the Technical Working Committee for Computerization of the Cambridge Elections (1995-present). I was a City Council candidate several times in the 1990's and, as an outgrowth of my interest in local government and elections, began writing the Cambridge Civic Journal in November 1997. This eventually became a web site which is now considered a primary source of information about local civic affairs and elections in Cambridge. It is fundamentally nonpartisan in nature with civic engagement as its primary goal and purpose. For the last few municipal elections, I have assembled the “Cambridge Candidate Pages” from voluntary responses and other materials submitted by candidates. These pages have been cited by many as the most comprehensive source of information on local candidates available - a fact supported by the thousands of people who used it for each of the last two municipal elections. During the most recent municipal election, George Goverman and I were featured on a CCTV production called "How to Vote in Cambridge," a program which many people feel did an excellent job of explaining various aspects of how proportional representation works. I would like to undertake more of this kind of outreach as an election commissioner. I am considered by many to be an expert on all aspects of PR elections, including the computerized count. I have served as an independent tester of the tabulation software since it was first introduced for the 1997 elections. As a member of Technical Working Committee for the Computerization of the Cambridge Elections (TWCC), I have been a resource to the Election Commission since 1995 on matters relating to tabulation software, voting machine hardware, ballot design, and analysis of voter error - all with the goal of ensuring that every voter has his or her intent accurately recorded and votes counted. I was an advocate of returning improperly cast ballots for correction by voters long before the 2000 presidential election and HAVA (Help America Vote Act), and I was delighted to see the precipitous drop in invalid ballots in the 2005 election when we first implemented this reform. I also took on the painstaking task of creating an archive of all Cambridge municipal elections from 1941 to the present. This is now the primary source of this information. I was the first to make available online Chapter 54A of the Mass. General Laws (the chapter which governs the Cambridge Elections) and I am very familiar with its contents, its history, and its application. I see no reason for any time conflicts or other conflicts should I be appointed as a commissioner. It is my intention to discontinue teaching at Wellesley College this fall and to focus most of my activities within Cambridge. I will continue to teach mathematics in the Harvard Summer School and my weekly class at the Harvard Extension School during the fall and spring semesters. |
Resume attached. As the former Executive Director of Cambridge School Volunteers, Inc., I've worked with the School Committee, the City Council, and the City Manager's Office to build community support for CSV's work. I am a consultant, primarily in the area of fundraising and strategic planning. I am a lifelong Democrat. I've volunteered on Marjorie Decker's campaigns and worked phone banks for Kerry, Gore, Harshbarger, and other state and national candidates. I do not have any conflicts or commitments that would prevent me from fulfilling the duties of the job. As an independent consultant, I have flexibility in establishing my hours and in accepting or declining clients. |
I first moved to Cambridge in 1978 when I was a teacher in the Community Based Learning Program at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School. Shortly thereafter, I became an associate member of the Ward 3 Democratic Committee. I left Cambridge in 1981 to attend graduate school in Labor Studies at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. Upon receiving my degree, and becoming employed by Local 285 of the Service Employees International Union, I moved to Newburyport, where I joined the Newburyport Democratic City Committee. I moved back to Cambridge in 1985, at which time I again joined the Ward 3 Democratic Committee, and at one point I served on the Democratic State Committee. After moving to North Cambridge in 1994, I joined the Ward 11 Democratic Committee, of which I am now Chair. I was also Chair of the Cambridge Democratic City Committee for one term in or about 1995. At present, I am an attorney in private practice, affiliated with Holtz & Reed, LLP. Prior to this affiliation, I was the Deputy Treasurer and General Counsel for State Treasurer Shannon P. O'Brien. Prior to that, I worked at two different law firms - Foley Hoag LLP and Todd & Weld, LLP. I am a member of the Cambridge Living Wage Commission, and a former coach for several Cambridge youth athletic teams. I am married to Mary Ann Hart, and we have 3 children - Molly, a CRLS grad and a junior at UVM in Burlington, Vermont: Kevin, a 9th grader at CRLS; and Katherine, a 7th grader at the Baldwin School. We are also presently the guardian of a 16-year-old boy from the Marshall Islands, Claren Bejan, who is a 9th grader at CRLS. I have worked for just about every Democratic Presidential and Gubernatorial election on behalf of Democratic candidates since 1980 when I campaigned for Senator Kennedy's Presidential campaign in New Hampshire. I was the Stop Prop 2½ Campaign Coordinator in Cambridge in 1980, on the ballot as an Alternate Delegate for Walter Mondale in 1984, the Cambridge Coordinator for Governor Dukakis' re-election in 1986, a volunteer for Governor Dukakis' Presidential Campaign in 1988, a member of the Clinton-Gore New England Finance Committee in 1992, a volunteer for the Gore-Lieberman Campaign in New Hampshire in 2000, and the Deputy Field Director responsible for the Second Congressional District of New Hampshire for the Kerry-Edwards Campaign in 2004. My interest in election law stems primarily from my experiences in the Gore-Lieberman Recount Committee in West Palm Beach, Florida, where I spent several weeks after the 2000 election. This was a life-altering experience that inspired my interest in election law reform. In the 2002 state election, I spent considerable time at Jefferson Park in North Cambridge, registering people to vote. Following the 2004 election, I drafted several pieces of electoral reform legislation for MassVOTE on a pro bono basis. I envision no conflict of interest that would interfere with my ability to complete a four-year term as Election Commissioner. My resume is attached. |
I was a city councilor in Boston for ten years, an active member of the Democratic party and active in politics since Kennedy vs. Nixon, I am the community organizer for Area 4, I have been involved as a candidate in ten elections and have studied elections, election law, and been involved in controversies vis a vis elections for many years. Much of what I have done is public record and can be found through a search of the Globe archives or a simple google search. There are no commitments I have that would make it difficult to be an election commissioner. |
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Robert Winters |
Jennifer Singh |
Gerry McDonough |
David Scondras |
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3. Reason for Seeking Office. Please explain why you are seeking the office of Election Commissioner. |
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My primary reason for seeking the position is that I feel I have the expertise to do the job and to continue initiatives I have already begun and some I have wanted to do as an observer of elections and of the Election Commission. In this day of computerized elections and controversies across the country about electronic voting devices and ballot design, I feel that I am amply qualified to take on an official role governing these matters in Cambridge. I have taken on a series of civic initiatives in Cambridge over the last 20 years, including recycling and home composting, green space initiatives, Central Square revitalization, and providing public information on civic affairs and elections. I feel that taking on this role at this time would be the best thing for me and for the people of Cambridge. |
I believe strongly in the importance of fair, open elections; transparency; and public accountability. I believe that my skills and knowledge, including financial management, personnel management, policy analysis, and game theory (the mathematics of voting behavior and other choices) make me a good fit for the position. Having worked as both board member and management, I understand the difference between micromanagement and good board governance. I have a strong background in ethics and public policy, including real-life experience and academic and research work. |
As I explained above, my interest in electoral reform was sparked by my experiences in the recount in Florida after the 2000 election. Once I saw the devastating effect on people who had been deprived of their right to have their votes counted, I became committed to electoral reform. Besides maintaining the integrity of the Cambridge election process, I have 3 goals as Election Commissioner: (1) increasing voter registration; (2) increasing voter participation; and (3) advocating for electoral reform at the state level |
I have been an active participant in politics all my life because I believe it is one way we can make our society more responsive to the needs of people in our communities. At this point in my life, this particular job is appropriate given my skills and makes more sense that running again for office. Our city has had decreasing numbers registered, the lowest turnouts in memory and I know how to reverse that decision people are making to not be involved. |
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4. Voter Participation (registration and turnout). |
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a. Increasing participation. Given the dynamic nature of the City of Cambridge, with a highly transient population, how do you propose to increase the number of people who register and vote? Do you have any specific suggestions for increasing participation? If so, what, in numbers, are realistic goals and how would the Election Commission accomplish those goals? i.e. city census mail program, door to door or phone census canvassing. |
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This is one of the greatest challenges for election officials and democracy advocates across the country, especially now that voter turnout in municipal elections has reached an all-time low. This is not just a problem in Cambridge. It cannot be adequately addressed by providing more registration forms or posting more notices. Civic engagement has been in decline for some time, especially at the municipal level, and until residents have a reason or inclination to be engaged in civic and political affairs, voting will not be seen as important. The most important step is to create avenues in which residents can interact with the government at the municipal, state, and federal level. This requires much more than the effort of any election commission. That said, much that can be done to maximize registration and voting. Some of the routine verification of the city census could be done online if sufficient precautions are in place to prevent fraud. Significant savings could be realized and resources better allocated. Voter registration has to be elevated to the same level as arranging for gas and electric service, phone service, internet access, or getting a resident parking sticker - something people routinely take care of without a second thought. What is a realistic goal for voter registration and turnout? At the very least I would set a goal of a minimum of 20,000 voters in the municipal elections and ensuring that voter turnout is more representative of all registered voters and not just the traditional "most likely" voters targeted by political campaigns. Having a representative sample of voters, even if the absolute numbers are not as high as we like, is as important as the total voter turnout. In order to accomplish this, we should conduct registration and election announcements the way a company sells its products, a record company promotes its artists, or a film studio promotes a movie. It has to be sold as more than just a duty with the tangible benefits of participation emphasized. The message is more important than the method. |
Increasing the turnout rate should be a major part of the Commissioners' work. I would work with immigrant advocacy groups, youth development organizations, student groups, and disability rights groups to devise creative, targeted messages to reach out to populations voting at lower levels. An outreach campaign within the city to explain PR to new city residents, students, young people, and immigrants could emphasize the point that the system allows a voter to express his or her true preferences without worrying about "throwing away" their vote. Currently, the Census goes out to 44,000 households, with only about 11,500 responses. Supplementing the current procedures for the annual census with door-to-door or phone canvassing, particularly in multi-unit buildings and student housing, could increase the participation rate by at least 15 percentage points. |
I think same day voter registration is the best means of increasing voter registration and participation in Cambridge, but that is an issue that can only be addressed by the State Legislature. According to statistics compiled from the City Census, the percent of residents registered to vote ranges from 28% in Ward 2 to 86% in Ward 9. These statistics are clearly affected by demographic factors -- e.g., income, student status, immigration -- that the Election Commission cannot, by itself, overcome. Nevertheless, I support the targeting of neighborhoods that have low registration, and communication with neighborhood, student, and other community groups to find ways of increasing voter registration throughout Cambridge. |
Answer: there is no magic bullet. When I was given the task of increasing involvement in the Area 4 Coalition, we put together a program that succeeded. In general, identification of why people are not registering is a key component. Conditioning public participation in partisan events upon voter registration while making it easy to do at the events, holding elections prior to the city elections that young people in high school participate in that are given press coverage, creating a social conscience around being a voter by passing out voter buttons etc., allowing voter registration at numerous sites, holding voter registration events etc. all have a role. In the end, the education of people on what is at stake is a key responsibility we all have if we expect participation. |
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Robert Winters |
Jennifer Singh |
Gerry McDonough |
David Scondras |
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b. Location. Do you think changing the siting of registration or polling places would improve participation? Did you favor the reduction from 42 to 33 precincts? Do you feel that Cambridge should have more or fewer precincts than it will in 2006? Consistent with the constraints of redistricting boundaries, where, if anywhere, would you add or subtract precincts? |
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Let's not forget that there were 55 precincts not long ago, then 44, then 42, and now 33. Part of the rationale for the reduction is the increasing difficulty in getting competent staff for so many precincts. There are also fewer voters. To the best of my knowledge, the reduction in precincts has not resulted in long lines or inconvenience at the polls. Any problems at polling locations are attributable to other causes. If voter participation significantly rises, we'll have to reconsider the number of precincts, but that need does not exist right now. Regarding the boundaries and locations of precincts, the law requires that all precincts must have roughly equal numbers of residents, so it's not possible to add precincts at will. That said, precinct lines should be drawn in such a way as to distribute the number actual voters more uniformly and to make the best use of accessible polling locations. To whatever degree that ward boundaries can be drawn to respect historical neighborhoods, this is also a desirable goal. |
Changing voting locations should be minimized to avoid confusion and lost voters on Election Day. However, I do support changing the siting of registration and polling places as necessary to allow full access for differently-abled voters. The reduction in precincts from 42 to 33 precincts could and should have included more public participation and community input. I favor analyzing voting rates by precinct with the city's GIS (mapping) department to determine whether the reduction adversely affected voting. The GIS department can also shed light on how changes in precinct demographics may have reduced turnout, and suggest ways to address the reductions based on local needs. |
I have serious doubts about the wisdom of reducing the number of precincts from 42 to 33, and my sense is that reduction has played some part in declining participation in elections. It is one issue that must be explored closely the next time that redistricting is undertaken. I have no recommendations for adding or subtracting precincts. Instead, I would support a public outreach effort by the Election Commission, involving elected officials and neighborhood and other community-based groups in any review of redistricting boundaries.
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In general the more polling places and places one can register the higher the potential participation but it is not the most important factor. In Chelsea one year when the Mayor and Police Chief had a public dispute and ran against each other, while Boston and surrounding areas had about 16% turnout, Chelsea had an 80%+ turnout, hard to imagine in general, and proving that the extent to which politics connects with voters emotionally is the extent to which there is widespread participation. There need to be enough polling places to make it convenient and straightforward for everyone to participate. For example, 3-3 is located right now where it forces people to cross Mass. Ave which might deter people who are elderly or disabled from making the effort. |
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c. Information. Do you have any proposals for improving the existing voter education program? Do you support or oppose proposals requiring the posting of the MA Voters Bill of Rights in every polling place? Do you support or oppose proposals that would allow Cambridge voters to check their registration status online like Boston voters? |
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I have done my part in creating the Cambridge Candidate Pages (vote.rwinters.com) for the Cambridge municipal elections. I believe this kind of resource should be the rule for all elections, especially now that local newspapers have not been taking on this responsibility and the circulation of these papers is in decline. I have long felt that ample information should be available to all voters about all candidates and ballot questions so that elections are not overly influenced by which candidate or political action committee has the most resources. Whether the provision of information is conducted by elections officials or by other parties is not as important as simply distributing the information to voters in a timely, thoughtful, and impartial way. For state and federal elections, I believe free air time should be made available to all qualified candidates. I do support the posting of the Voters Bill of Rights and related information at all polling locations and elsewhere not only on Election Day but during the days and weeks leading up to Election Day. I also fully support proposals that would allow voters to easily verify their registration status, including doing this online. |
I believe that the existing voter education program could be re-vitalized and injected with new energy and ideas. The Commission could brainstorm new ways to reach out to voters and to increase turnout, including opt-in email alerts; creative use of other technologies; campaigns aimed at low-turnout, marginalized groups; and harnessing the energy and creativity of young people to educate their peers on voting. I support legislation requiring the display of the Voters Bill of Rights in every polling place. I also favor proposals that allow online determination of registration status, presuming that adequate granularity of privacy is attainable. |
As a former teacher at CRLS, I would like to see increased collaboration between the School Department and the Election Commission. I also believe that the training of poll workers is essential, and I would like to see the establishment of a Democracy Corps of volunteers who would participate in voter registration activities. The Massachusetts Voters Bill of Rights should be posted in every polling location, and I would encourage its broader dissemination to the community -- just posting the Mass. Voters' Bill of Rights in polling places on Election Day is insufficient. I support allowing Cambridge residents to check their registration status online, and I believe all voter registration information should be available online, consistent with present safeguards. |
I have no problems with postings or checking registration status, especially given the number of times people are surprised to find out they are not listed, or find that they inadvertently are listed as unenrolled or other classifications which they did not intend to have happen. |
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Robert Winters |
Jennifer Singh |
Gerry McDonough |
David Scondras |
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5. Accuracy of Voter Lists. Do you think that the existing system is adequate to minimize voter list inaccuracies (e.g., erroneously dropping voters, or carrying nonresidents on the voter lists)? Do you have an opinion on the current policy regarding inactive voters? Do you have any improvements to propose? |
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I believe the current protocols for the city census and voter list are more expensive and labor intensive than they need to be. These protocols could be made simpler and more cost-effective - with the condition that fraud prevention be a top priority of any modifications. I have been merging voter registration databases with voter history files and making them freely available to qualified candidates in the last several municipal elections. It's not hard to find inaccuracies, and the current mail-in system does not allow residents and voters to know well in advance of elections whether their information and status is accurate. Finding a secure system for checking and updating this information online would be a great improvement, though it won't address the needs of those who do not use online resources. My understanding of the active vs. inactive status is that it is necessary in order to follow the provisions of the Motor-Voter law. Election officials cannot remove voters from the voting list unless the voter first is placed on the inactive list (by failing to answer the annual census), then fails to vote for a cycle of two biennial state elections and is notified by mail of impending removal from the voting list. This is reasonable system as long as little or no distinction is made between active and inactive registered voters at the polls. Two of the more problematic aspects of the Motor-Voter law and the active/inactive status is its effect on ballot initiatives and the reporting of voter turnout. Making it easier to register and stay registered has the effect of making the percentage voter turnout seems even more dismal than the absolute turnout. Reporting voter turnout as a percentage of active voters, though imperfect, may be more appropriate. The effect on ballot initiatives is such as to make some of them virtually impossible to prevail even if most residents are in favor. The state should modify this. |
I believe that the census procedures could be re-evaluated, with consideration of other methods to reach out to voters. The trend toward declining registration rates in the City over the last two decades is troubling, and the Commission should consider how its procedures might contribute to those declines. I believe that there are ways to improve current practice while maintaining a valid voter list. |
While I am troubled by the discrepancies between the voter registration statistics based on the City's Annual Census and actual voter registration data -- for example, 36,833 registered voters according to the 2005 City Census, but 59,545 actual registered voters in 2004 -- because the Census provides the basis for removing residents from the voting rolls and making them inactive voters, any potential solution to this discrepancy, particularly in Cambridge where so many people move in and out of the City each year, may affect the integrity of the election process. The most appropriate way to address this discrepancy may be through improving the City's Annual Census, for example by returning to door-to-door census takers, particularly in neighborhoods with low census returns. I also believe that posting registration information online may be another way to minimize voter list inaccuracies. |
There will always be voter list inaccuracies. There is no reason why prior to elections a letter telling voters who is running for what, and what ballot initiatives are on the ballot which also tells voters how they are presently registered and advises them to take action and how to take action if they are not registered as they assume could be helpful. I think that it is always better to err of the side of the voter and therefore voters need to be kept on the lists for a long time. I have never frankly understood why we cannot bring identification to a polling place to minimize the concerns everyone has about legitimacy in voting. |
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6. Operation of the Election Commission. Do you have any comments on, or changes to propose in the day-to-day administration of the Commission? Do you have any suggestions for making the Commission more efficient? How will you work with the Commission's staff? Do you have any basic principles you follow when hiring and managing staff? Do you favor having evening meeting and hearings of the election commission? How would you evaluate the Commission's training of election workers? How important is it to you that election day workers live in the communities that they serve in? |
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As I mentioned above, conducting the city census is labor-intensive and expensive. Better systems for database management and Internet access by residents can address some of these inefficiencies. Any online changes made by residents should, of course, be subject to review and verification by the Election Commission and staff. One change I would make would be to have a complete record of campaign finance reports available online to the public. The current system is a patchwork of an incomplete state (OCPF) system and a difficult-to-access system of locally filed reports. I have been recording campaign finance data for several years and making it publicly available in part due to the difficulty in getting the information. I would personally take on this task, if necessary, as a commissioner. I have already taken the initiative of making the complete history of Cambridge municipal elections publicly available online. I would continue to add to this history as a commissioner. I now enjoy an excellent and cooperative relationship with the staff of the Election Department. I'm sure this will continue. Except for the hiring of its executive director, I believe the hiring and management of the staff should be the responsibility of the executive director and the City's Personnel Department. The commissioners can and do, however, play a significant role in the hiring and training of election day workers. Much more outreach needs to take place to replenish the pool of available workers, and more training is necessary, especially now that incorrectly marked ballots are being returned to voters for correction. Though not widespread, there have been reports of ballot secrecy being compromised. This is completely preventable with adequate training and clear priorities. Though it is desirable to hire Cambridge residents as poll workers, having an adequate pool of qualified workers is still the greater priority. Regarding the meeting times of the Election Commission, I would be open to meeting at any time of the day in order to be as accessible to the public as possible, though this clearly is a decision that must be made by all four commissioners. I strongly believe the Election Commission should sponsor a variety of public information forums, historical presentations, and other events that further civic and political engagement in Cambridge. I would be happy to manage some of these forums myself, especially those that highlight our proportional representation voting system and the rich and colorful civic and political history of Cambridge. In addition, I would love to host public meetings where residents and elected officials can see exactly how the computerized PR Count and other elections are conducted so that the entire process can be made as transparent as possible. |
At a time of leadership transition, it is important to leave space for the new Executive Director to bring his or her vision, expertise, and know-how to the Commission's work. Recruiting candidates and participating in the hiring of the new Executive Director, as well as orientation of the new leader, will be a major challenge for the Commission in 2006. I have 15 years of experience in hiring and managing staff, with particular background in building diverse and cohesive teams. An Executive Director must have a range of skills and abilities, in particular the ability to communicate vision and goals with the public; to oversee daily operations in compliance with multiple laws, regulations, and policies; to motivate staff and bring out the best in his or her supervisees; to manage budgets; and to manage his or her relationship with the Commissioners. One question that I have from reviewing the Election Commission minutes is that the Executive Director opening does not seem to have been posted in forums aimed at Latino or Asian professionals. In my tenures as Executive Director of Cambridge School Volunteers and as Associate Director of the Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation, my supervision and management style was to identify the strengths within my team and build upon them. I am direct and honest as a supervisor, always aware that people are able to assimilate and use criticism only if it is given in private and in a constructive manner. In general, I favor rotation of meeting time for city commissions, as it makes them more accessible for citizens of various backgrounds (such as parents of young children, evening workers, and workers with traditional daytime schedules) to attend. I would evaluate the Commission's training of election workers based on agreed-upon, measurable outcomes and benchmarks. I favor expanding the pool of potential election day workers to include those who do not live in the community they serve. Currently, the average age of election day workers is 72, according to the League of Women Voters. The transition of this vital role to younger workers will be an important part of ensuring civic engagement. |
I think it is important for the Executive Director of the Election Commission to manage his or her own staff, and that that relationship should be evaluated by the Election Commission. I believe that the Election Commission should stay out of the day to day operations of the office and concentrate on policies, procedures, and results. One of the most important decisions presently facing the Election Commission is the hiring of a new Executive Director. I am committed to hiring someone with strong managerial skills, extensive experience in elections, and a demonstrated commitment to voting rights. I favor evening meetings when there are matters of substantial public interest on the agenda. I believe that the Election Commission should make substantial efforts to publicize meetings where controversial issues are being discussed. I would also like to see an educational component to evening meetings with outside speakers, perhaps from local universities, who can address voting rights issues. I would like to see some sort of evaluation instrument available to voters for feedback on their experiences, as well as some sort of evaluation instrument for election workers. I think it is important that Election Day workers come from the communities in which they live. I have drafted legislation for MassVOTE that would improve Election Day worker training and qualifications -- and one provision that I am especially interested in would allow high school students to become Election Day workers. |
Meetings of the commission should be at night and in every neighborhood with widespread advertising. I have a good many issues to raise vis a vis the election DEPARTMENT and think the commission has a responsibility to be involved in the department. I prefer to speak about these matters in person. My primary concern about election workers is their attitude toward voters--respect and competence are the most important characteristics I would look for. |
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Robert Winters |
Jennifer Singh |
Gerry McDonough |
David Scondras |
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7. Enforcement of Ethics Ordinance. What is your evaluation of the Commission's performance in administering the Ethics Ordinance since the scope of its duties were expanded in 1993? What, if anything, do you think the Commission should do differently in the future? |
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I have seen matters involving the Ethics Ordinance come before the Election Commission routinely at its meetings over the years, and my primary observation is that it's not so easy to enforce due to the hesitance of some members of Cambridge boards and commissions to provide information. This is a dilemma because we also want to do all we can to encourage residents to serve on these boards and commissions. I have not seen many instances of the Election Commission engaging elected officials on this matter, so I cannot comment on how well it is working in that case. |
I reviewed the Commission's minutes and policy book for the last six months, and there was little information on its oversight role in this area, other than a note that they had achieved 100% compliance with the reporting requirements for Statements of Financial Interests. I cannot really answer this question intelligently without the opportunity to ask questions and learn more. |
I think it is well past time for an examination of the Ethics Ordinance and whether it is meeting the goals for which it was enacted. As General Counsel for State Treasurer Shannon O'Brien from 1999 to 2003, I was responsible for ethics training and the monitoring of staff adherence to state ethics laws, so I have some professional experience in this area. |
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8. Election Commission Ethics. Do you favor efforts to limit the ability of those administering elections to hold fiduciary positions in political campaigns (like campaign chair, co-chair, treasurer or fundraising) other then their own? |
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Generally speaking, election commissioners should refrain from active participation in political campaigns other than efforts that are made available to all candidates. For example, I would want to continue providing the Cambridge Candidate Pages and working cooperatively and impartially with all candidates in the provision of this information. I would also like to do whatever I can to provide user-friendly databases to all qualified candidates free of charge (as I have done in the past). The key thing is to do it impartially and to make these resources available to all qualified candidates and their campaigns. Though I may still write a check to a candidate or attend a candidate's political event or even express a point of view (as is my constitutional right), I don't believe election officials in Cambridge or anywhere else should actively engage in political campaigns and they shouldn't take an official role in a political campaign. An election official's primary obligation must be to ensure fair elections and that should not be compromised. As far as wardens and poll workers are concerned, this may require more flexibility in order to ensure an adequate pool of workers. |
Yes, this rule is essential to avoid basic conflicts of interest. It is not possible to serve as commissioner and regulate your own conduct or that of your colleagues in a campaign. Even if the office was not one regulated by the Commission, the appearance of impropriety could undermine the public's faith in the process. |
It is my opinion that those who administer elections, including myself if I am appointed an Election Commissioner, should not hold a position in a political campaign that would call into question their ability to fairly and impartially execute the election laws. |
There is a built in problem with the Commission--by definition it is comprised of people chosen by political parties. There is an acknowledgement of the diversity of political opinion and its importance implicit in this process, in which for all practical purposes the legislation in effect is saying since you cannot eliminate bias better it be public. I do not think we should make holding positions in campaigns to be illegal per se but I question how a Commissioner can do the work expected in a neutral, unbiased fashion while campaigning for a candidate. |
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9. Election Commission Budget. What comments or changes, if any, would you suggest for the Election Commission's budget, in order to make the commission more cost-effective? What experience do you have administering and managing budgets? |
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Managing the budget of the Elections Department should be the responsibility of a good executive director who is accountable to the Election Commission, the City Manager, and the City Council. Four commissioners micromanaging the budget is not a good idea, though I would certainly offer suggestions for improvement to the executive director. One suggestion I would make is to ensure that adequate database management skills are available in-house so that many routine matters won't have to be contracted out and that more efficient voter registration and census protocols can be designed and implemented at lower cost. I would also suggest that every City department, including the Elections Department, should have at least one staff person with the necessary skills to keep their department's website current and relevant. This is not now the case. |
Upon reviewing the Commission budget, my only comment is that the amount of compensation and benefits accruing to the Commissioners themselves seems excessive. I don't make these comments to cast aspersions on the work ethic of the individual Commissioners. I know that these individuals have contributed greatly to the Commission's work through their oversight and contributions to the City. I simply think that the City should reassess the demands of the work and fairly compensate the members. The budget for the Commission itself (General Fun 11000, 210101) includes more than $179,000 in compensation and benefits (including in excess of $44,000 in health benefits, $103,740 in salary, and $28,000 in pensions) for the Commission administration. This is in addition to the staff expenses, the annual census, and other funds. Although I have not had the opportunity to ask clarifying questions about the budget, and it is likely that this amount includes some small percentage of administrative support for the Commissioners, it also is clear to me that the compensation for Commissioners could be reduced to reflect the change made in the recent past of making the Executive Director the Director of the Count (a job previously rotated among Commissioners). I believe that there are opportunities to evaluate fair compensation for the Commissioners and adjust the compensation to reflect the market. I have extensive experience with creating and managing budgets, including overseeing the daily operations of a $15 million public non-profit, the Mass. Legal Assistance Corporation. I have worked with the City Manager's office in the past on budget matters as head of Cambridge School Volunteers, and I have a good relationship with the Manager and his staff. The question presumes that the budget needs trimming. However, there may be good reasons for temporary or long-term increases in the budget if new ideas can successfully increase turnout and registration. When there is a need to request supplemental funding for a worthwhile project, I am not shy about communicating why additional resources are necessary to do the job. There may also be opportunities for savings in the budget, and I am able to understand statements and spot these opportunities. I am skilled at variance analysis and other areas of budget analysis appropriate for public entities. |
From 1999 to 2003, I managed the budget for the legal office of the State Treasurer with a staff of six employees. I believe strongly that each individual staff person and each office should establish and monitor goals and objectives. If there is one area that I would consider increasing the budget, it is in the area of voter registration and voter turnout. I think that the $8,515.00 budgeted for voter registration for Fiscal Year 2006 is low, but I would not advocate increasing that amount without clear and accountable goals for increasing voter registration. I am surprised that the FY 2006 State Budget restricts the ability of the Secretary of State's Office to make voter registration grants available to only Boston, Springfield, Lawrence, and Worcester, and I would advocate to change that restriction in the State Budget process. |
Cambridge does not have a money problem. It is almost unique among Massachusetts cities and towns in having significant surpluses. We should spend what it takes to get up registration and make sure any obstacles to participation are removed. |
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Robert Winters |
Jennifer Singh |
Gerry McDonough |
David Scondras |
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10. Election Day Procedures. Now that computerized voting has been used in five municipal elections and five state elections, what is your evaluation of how it has worked? Are there changes you propose for future elections? Do you favor the use of optical scan voting devises in municipal elections? What do you think of new voting technology like Digital Recording Electronic (DRE) voting systems like those made by Die bold? Do you favor the way in which the proportional representation "count" was done in November 2005 and, if not, what would you propose? Do you favor releasing an unofficial proportional representation "count" on election night? Would you support or oppose the creation of a certification process before every election for electronic voting systems administered by the Secretary of State? |
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I am in a unique position to comment on the computerized voting because of my role on the TWCC and as an independent tester of the tabulation software. Generally speaking, the computerization has been a great success, though I'm not alone in my nostalgia for some of the positive social aspects of the old PR Count at Longfellow. The tabulation software works remarkably well and provides output that can be posted immediately on web sites without modification. The primary change I would make would be to make the entire process more transparent. Though I originally resisted the release of the unofficial results of the PR Count (not including auxiliary ballots) on election night, it has worked out reasonably well. The primary exception was the 2001 election when there were close races in both the City Council and School Committee elections and only the preliminary winners were announced with no details given. (In fact, the official results were different in the School Committee election.) It would have been better to release the full report regardless of the vote margins. Transparency is always preferable. State and federal elections are simpler in most ways but potentially more problematic in other ways. Our choice of scanned paper ballots guarantees that we'll always have an auditable paper trail, a primary recommendation of the TWCC when we recommended which system to put in place. Though there has been no suggestion of anything amiss in our use of the AccuVote scanners, there is not enough transparency in the process and there is a remote chance that these machines could be manipulated. More work needs to be done to ensure that verifiable voting is the rule, including testing of all aspects of the scanners, firmware, and memory cards before and after the election. A more extensive state certification process is certainly a good idea. |
I favor the use of technology which creates a verifiable paper ballot, such as optical scanning of paper ballots at the precinct level, as is currently used in Cambridge. Diebold Inc., an Ohio based company, is rightly under suspicion due to allegations that its voting machine software is skewed to discard Democratic votes. Diebold's CEO, Walden O'Dell, was a top fundraiser for the Bush campaign. One of his fund-raising letters stated baldly that he was "committed to helping Ohio deliver its electoral votes to the president next year." The Diebold DRE voting systems is also under attack for its performance in Maryland in 2004; machines froze up and votes were lost in system crashes. Diebold machines and other touch screen systems fail to maintain a paper count for recounts. Therefore, the workings of their systems are not verifiable and may include outright fraud coded into its software. The profusion of these machines seems likely to defray public confidence in voting, further eroding turnout, wherever they are used. Yes, I favor the way the RP count was done in November 2005; in that election, Cambridge highlighted by several voting rights non-profits, including FairVote, for its success in promoting representation elected from among women and the African-American community. Yes, I favor releasing an unofficial PR "count" on election night. |
I believe strongly in a paper trail for all elections, and I am suspicious of the new technologies that do not allow verifiable voting. I believe that our optical scan machines work well. I support a certification process for voting technologies administered by the Secretary of State. Regarding Election Day procedures, I have no specific suggestions, just a belief that the Election Commission should be engaged in an on-going process to seek feedback from office-seekers, voters, political parties, and neighborhood groups as to how the elections are handled. I do believe that the second chance voting process in the last election in which incomplete ballots or ballots with over-votes were not initially entered into the ballot boxes was a big improvement, but I believe that the Election Commission should analyze the performance of that process. In accordance with HAVA, the Election Commission must insure that it is able to address the needs of voters with disabilities before the next election. |
All systems have problems. I actually found the old system of hand counting fascinating, causing a good deal of participation and easy to keep track of. At the risk of being accused of being a Luddite, I have problems with any system that makes it impossible to objectively assess if the system is fair because by definition that makes it open to potential abuse. |
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11. Recount procedures. What is your evaluation of the recount procedures of the Commission? What comments or changes, if any, would you suggest? |
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Most aspects of the multi-week recount in the 2001 School Committee election were done out of necessity and to respect the legal rights of the three candidates affected by the recount. State law permits a candidate to petition for a "hand recount" - a process made more difficult by provisions of Chapter 54A which governs the Cambridge municipal election procedures. Ballots have to follow their original paths to the best degree possible, and this necessitates a matching of the electronic ballot records with their corresponding paper ballots which are subject to review by the commissioners and candidates' representatives. The entire process would be much faster if ballots could simply be hand-verified and rescanned and tabulated. This is possible for elections other than the PR elections, but it doesn't match the 1938 law that governs the PR elections. A petition to the General Court could allow a change in the law, but it's not clear whether it's even possible to amend a section of the Mass. General Laws (Chapter 54A) which was repealed over 30 years ago and which now only applies to Cambridge. The remedy for this problem is not simple, and an incentive remains for a losing candidate to request a recount "for another roll of the dice." |
I believe that the recount should be simply that, a recount of the actual ballots as they were counted in the initial count. A recount should not have the potential of producing a different winner due to random chance. Thus, the same surplus ballots which are distributed in the first count should be distributed in the recount. Pre-numbering or post-numbering are ways to ensure that the same ballots are chosen for the recount. The 2001 School Committee recount received good marks from the auditor of the re-count. |
My sense was that the last recount was extremely difficult and long, but it is also my sense that this derived from the new computerized voting system. I believe that the Commission should assess whether it now has the capability of undertaking recounts in a more effective and expeditious manner. |
They are set by statute. |
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Robert Winters |
Jennifer Singh |
Gerry McDonough |
David Scondras |
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12. Campaign Finance. What is your evaluation of the Commission's performance in administering the campaign finance laws in municipal elections? |
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My evaluation is not currently a positive one. The Mass. Office of Campaign and Political Finance (OCPF) now has a pretty good system in place for City Council candidates, but it has many gaps in its information. I know a good deal about this because I have been gathering and posting this information for several years. Ever since the state system applied to Council candidates, the Election Commission staff has not maintained this information as they should. Promises to post this information online have gone unfulfilled for several years. The Election Commission should be far more aggressive in assuring easy access by the public to all of this information. Correcting this would be one of my first priorities. |
The Commission has brought sunshine to the process by posting campaign finance reports on-line on their website. I do not have information on their review, follow up, or monitoring of the information that they receive on campaign finance. The Commission's minutes for the last six months had little information on its oversight role. |
I an unaware of any complaints about the Commission's performance in administering the campaign finance laws, but I would need further information before providing a final analysis. As General Counsel for State Treasurer Shannon O'Brien from 1999 to 2003, I was responsible for staff training on campaign finance laws, so I have some professional experience in this area. |
They are set by statute and primarily are the responsibility of the State. |
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13. Transfer Method. Do you favor replacing the Cincinnati Method with proportional distribution in order to eliminate the role of chance in distributing surplus votes, or do you prefer the current system? |
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I do, in principle, feel that a change to a PR variant in which ballot order is immaterial would be preferable. I believe it would be simpler to explain and to justify and would have the added advantage of making recounts faster and cheaper. If such a system was in practice anywhere in the United States in 1938, the Election Commission could vote to make such a change. However, my investigations have turned up no evidence that such a method was being used then, so a change in the now repealed Chapter 54A would be required. I believe this could be done via a home rule petition to the Legislature, but I don't know this for a fact and I won't make any predictions about how well it would be received. Such a variant is actually the default option for the tabulation software we use (ChoicePlus Pro). There is a "Cambridge Rules" option that must be invoked for our elections. However, even though an order-independent method would be preferable, I would not advocate such a change if there was any chance of disrupting the core principle of the proportional representation system we've successfully used since 1941. |
I favor retaining the Cincinnati Method. One of the topics that I studied in graduate school was game theory, the branch of mathematics that attempts to model, among other topics, voting. There is a famous game theory theorem, Arrows Impossibility Theorem, which states that no method of balloting avoids an irrational choice, that is, one that is not preferred by the majority, in all instances. However, the Cincinnati method is more likely to be random and is thus preferable to many other methods of distributing surplus votes. |
I absolutely favor replacing the Cincinnati Method with proportional distribution. |
I am not sure if I agree that proportional systems reach their stated objectives and would like to see a proof of this hypothesis. To a large extent, PR is biased by income stratification which is geographic and those who are poorest might be better served by geographic representation. I don't think splitting hairs on a system whose underlying rationale has not been tested is a good use of time. |
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14. Ballot Design. What is your opinion regarding the format of the ballot used for city council and school committee elections? Do you think the instructions provided to voters are clear and that the ballot is easy to read and complete? What improvements, if any, would you suggest? |
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I think the instructions could stand to be a bit clearer, but the wording is partly mandated by Chapter 54A. I would prefer to decrease the number of "write-in" lines on the ballot, but the Secretary of State has disallowed this. The Election Commission does have the authority to limit the number of choices to no fewer than 15 and, though not ideal, this option could simplify the ballot if there were many candidates on either municipal ballot. Providing straightedges at the polls is also advisable to reduce voter error, but this is now less of a problem since we began rejecting improperly marked ballots. After the 1997 election, I analyzed the ballot data and found more than a few ballots where only the 1,4,7,10, etc. choices were marked. I was able to figure out that this was caused by alternate shading of groups of 3 columns on the ballot and ambiguous instructions. This was then changed for the 1999 election. I have chimed in on ballot design in every election since. Though it may not now be allowed under existing laws, I would prefer that any voter who has difficulty with a municipal election ballot be permitted to cast a hand-written ballot, if desired, giving a ranked list of candidates showing the voter's intent. Such ballots could be processed the following day with the auxiliary ballots. |
As a voter, I have felt that the instructions are clear. However, as Commissioner, I would want to review past comments or complaints about the ballot to determine if any improvements could be made. In particular, I would look at votes that a human counter can clearly attribute to one candidate but that the machine was unable to count. These ballots would give us clues as to what changes should be made in the instructions or the ballot format. |
Again, I would favor public input into the format of the ballot, and feedback from candidates, voters, political parties, and neighborhood groups on the format of the ballot. I am unaware of any problems with the present ballot format, but I would want to hear from various constituency groups, particularly seniors and persons with disabilities, before making that determination. |
There are hundreds of ballot designs which are used by many residents across the state. People who favor one or another argue in favor of those they are familiar with. I think the issue is allowing people the opportunity to participate in a critique of the ballot in a systematic way, such as an exit poll might get us more information than guessing. The ballot I used last year was easy to read and complete as far as I was concerned. |
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15. Voting Rights. Do you favor voting rights for legal immigrants in municipal elections? Do you favor lowering the voting age in municipal elections? What special problems or opportunities would such a change cause for the Election Commission? Do you support or oppose a constitutional amendment to remove conditions for absentee voting? Do you favor same day voter registration? Do you support or oppose legislation allowing workers to take two hours off from work to vote on election day? Do you favor provisions under the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) that requires voters to provide their driver's license or the last four digits of their social security number to register to vote? Would you support or oppose legislation requiring all voters to show a photo ID before they vote? |
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Let's be clear that many of these decisions will be made by elected officials and not by election commissioners who are obliged to carry out the laws relating to elections. That said, I believe it is best to have the same rules everywhere in Massachusetts regarding who is eligible to vote. If the state wants to make a change, I'll be happy to go along with it. Adopting separate rules and separate voting lists for Cambridge would be problematic regardless of the merits. I would be open to loosening the rules regarding absentee voting, especially if it helped to boost voter turnout. I do, in principle, support same-day voter registration, though I do have some concern that it would give an unfair advantage to well-financed campaigns with well-oiled Election Day machines. I might support allowing some workers time off to vote, but I believe most voters can be easily accommodated during the time polls are now open. I don't believe voters should be routinely required to show photo ID when they vote, unless there is evidence of potential voter fraud. I also feel that the provisions of the Motor-Voter law were adequate for voter registration and that additional registration requirements under HAVA are neither necessary nor helpful. |
I favor granting voting rights to non-citizen residents of Cambridge in our municipal elections; more than 15% of the city is non-citizens, according to MIRA, and denying these people a local voice stifles democracy. Cambridge has a large immigrant and refugee population, and promoting involvement and power among these groups can only strengthen our civic life. I have not favored lowering the voting age in municipal elections, although I am open to learning more about these proposals, as I believe that increasing turnout and participation among young people is critical to our City's health. Based on the experience in Minnesota, Maine, New Hampshire, Idaho, Wisconsin, and Wyoming, with same-day registration and an average turnout 10 points above the nation's average, I favor same-day registration with adequate anti-fraud measures in place. These measures should include ways to prevent people from switching party registrations simply to "raid" another party's primary or caucus. I support unconditional absentee voting. (I benefited from absentee voting myself when my baby was due to be born on November 9, 2004. I obtained an absentee ballot and voted before Election Day to ensure that an early delivery didn't prevent me from voting.) I support legislation that would allow paid time off from work for voting or a national holiday as is done in many countries. I do not favor the requirement to provide a driver's license - the last time I checked, driving was not a requirement for voting - or a SSN. When Social Security was created, Americans were assured that our Social Security numbers would never be used by other programs. Obviously, these promises have been broken, and the proliferation of social security numbers for other aspects of life only exacerbates the rampant problem of identity theft. These requirements lead to eligible voters being turned away at the polls. I oppose legislation requiring all voters to show a photo ID before they vote. I believe that these measures are aimed at depressing turnout and increasing red tape and bureaucracy. Provisional balloting should be provided for in cases in which the voter's registration status is in question. |
I favor voting rights for immigrants and a lower voting age in municipal elections. I believe that such changes would require additional voter education and help for voters whose native language is not English. I believe that the present limitations on absentee voting are out-dated and overdue for a change. I have worked with same day voter registration in New Hampshire and strongly support it. In fact, I drafted same day voter registration legislation for MassVOTE. I support legislation allowing workers to take time off from work to vote, as well as any other reasonable steps to increase voter participation. I disagree with any provision requiring a registered voter to provide his or her driver's license or a photo ID to vote, but I have no such disagreement with some sort of identification requirement for same day voter registration. Given the present and potential usefulness of the statewide voter database, and the exception available for any person without a driver's license or a Social Security number, I have no quarrel with the voter registration provisions of HAVA. |
Voting rights for legal immigrants in municipal elections? Do you favor lowering the voting age in municipal elections? (yes) What special problems or opportunities would such a change cause for the Election Commission? (more work) Constitutional amendment to remove conditions for absentee voting? (support) Same day voter registration? (support) Do you support or oppose legislation allowing workers to take two hours off from work to vote on election day? (support) Do you favor provisions under the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) that requires voters to provide their driver's license or the last four digits of their social security number to register to vote? (no real problem with this) Would you support or oppose legislation requiring all voters to show a photo ID before they vote? (oppose. There needs to be a variety of ways voters can participate, not one 'this way or else' attitude.) |
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Robert Winters |
Jennifer Singh |
Gerry McDonough |
David Scondras |
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16. Miscellaneous. Do you have any other suggestions for carrying out the powers and duties of an Election Commissioner? Is there anything else you would like the Cambridge Democratic City Committee to consider in evaluating your candidacy for the office of Election Commissioner? |
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One thing I would add is that there are plenty of things an election commissioner can do that go beyond the minimum requirements of the job. As a Cambridge Election Commissioner, I would like to be an advocate for alternate election methods elsewhere. I would like the opportunity to apply my skills as a teacher to voter education and the history of Cambridge elections. Above all, I have involved myself in Cambridge elections for a long time and I would love the opportunity to take on this task with the same dedication I have applied to other civic interests in Cambridge. |
I
would be proud to serve in this role. The work of the Commission can: |
If appointed an Election Commissioner, I intend to participate in meetings of the City and Town Clerks' Associations that involve election issues. I support a cooperative relationship between the Elections Division of the Secretary of State's Office and the Cambridge Election Commission, and I would advocate for a Cambridge representative on the Secretary of State's HAVA State Steering Committee. While the Election Commission must be mindful of the taxpayers' dollars, and run as efficiently as possible, one cannot put a price tag on the right to vote. I believe in a continuous process of examining what works, what doesn't work, and what else the Election Commission can do to invigorate our democracy. |
I believe that the Commission like all public bodies should reflect the community. As an openly Gay man, I would like to see my community represented sensitively by the commission. I believe the commission in Cambridge has a special relationship to the city manager and in that capacity should spend time examining the election department which, ultimately) makes or breaks the real purpose of the commission which is to make sure participation in elections is encouraged, is fair and is as easy as possible. I would like the opportunity to speak with the CDCC. |