He's just kind of explain [Music] whichever way you want to go. Hi. Hi. That's for you. like [Music] Christmas.
And why I have that makes sense. [Music] Don't you You know what? [Music] Risk. We're going to pull one.
[Music] [Music] This Can I just ask you? So the sheet that's up there, I ask people to sign in for the public probably public hearing all participation. Yeah, let's let's do both.
Okay. Good evening and welcome to the special meeting for the Lawrence City Council. Uh today's date is Friday, September 19, 2025. Pursuant to chapter 20 of the act of 2022, this meeting will be hybrid
allowing participation both in person in the city council chambers and remotely. The soon link for this meeting that uh the soon the soon for this meeting the soon link for this meeting was available uh through the city clerk's office to
anybody that requested. This meeting is also transmitted live through the Lawren City Council um uh through the Facebook Lawren City Council page as well as the YouTube Lawren City Council page. Um roll call. Madame clerk
councelor Levy presant noted is absent at this time. Council Luzon present. Council del Rosario present. Council Marmal present. Council Reyes present. Council Vice President Infante
present. Council President Rodriguez present. Now join me for a moment of silence. Now join me for the pledge of allegiance to the flag to the United States of
America and to the stand indivisible with justice for all. Public participation. We have a few names. Yeah. Uh I got you. So you the public
participation, you're going to have two and a half minutes to speak on any issue from the city of Loun. If you sign up for the item that we're going to be discussing for public participation, I just want to let you know that we're going to have a public hearing. Public hearing have different set of rules. You
have no time limit on the public hearing. On the public participation, you have two and a half minutes. So I going to read the name and you're going to make a decision whether or not you're going to speak at the public participation or you have choose to u
act out and speak at the public hearing of this item that subsequently going to have going to be open to the public. So the first uh name that we have on this list is John Regal. Name and address for the record. Please refer to this council as a whole, not to any individual
counselors. So you prefer to speak on the public hearing or public participation? I I just want to say uh something else about how you doing? My name is John Regal from 22 Hilltop Avenue. Um I I hear a lot of complaints from my neighbors from
uh all around the city about still the bike situation. I would and everybody likes to know what what's being done. They seen arrest. They seen and you know impound bikes and stuff like that. But um I was um doing some research and I was um I found out that that you guys
could do a home room petition to get out from the no chase law that Massachusetts has. Have you guys considered anything about, you know, about that to get Lawrence out of the no chase law in Massachusetts? And if if so, um, why
have it hasn't been done yet? Thank you. Thank you. The next person that we have is Rich Russell. Richard Russell, councelor Russell, you prefer to do public hearing, public public participation with the public hearing. All right.
Public hearing. Okay. Uh the next person that we have is Aldossa Pereira. I'll speak to the public hearing. No problem. Thank you. Uh the next person we have is from Mani Gonzalez. Public participation or public hearing? Public hearing.
No problem. John Demo is the next person. All right. Luis Robles. Public hearing. All right. Uh and Victor Hernandez public hearing. No problem. So uh public hearing is public participation is now closed and all these names are going to be
submitted for the record for whoever spoke at the public participation. Now we have public hearings. Madame clerk, please read the notice. There's no um because this is not for an ordinance. It's not a traditional um public hearing in the sense that we
would post it. We only are required to post notice in the tribune when we're creating an ordinance. So, we just simply posted an agenda that does read the approval of vote by mail for local elections in the September 2016 25 and November 4th, 2025
elections. Uh, specifically, just to clarify, this is to opt out of vote by mail for the November 4th, 2025 election. Right. Anybody from the public that wishes to speak, public hearing is now open. I think they want to go.
So, if we're going to go on the order, we have the first the first person is you want um John Regal. Okay. I'm good afternoon once again. My name is John Regal from 22 Hilltop Avenue. All
right. So, voting by mail. Um, as I told you last night, a lot of people are complaining. I walked around. I've been to a lot of buildings in in district B and everybody keep telling me they already picked up the ballot. the order picked up the ballot.
How? I don't know. Everybody knows is illegal that anybody but a relative or somebody assigned by the voter to send, you know, send the the ballot in on in the mail. Not a candidate or anybody from any committee could be touching the
ballot. Okay, that's an avenue for fraud. Open avenue. There's no way. There's no way that I go to five buildings and out of five buildings, everybody tells me the same story. I mean, well, like I said last night, if
10 people talk out of 10 people, 10 talk bad about you, the problem is not the people. The the problem is you. And everybody keeps saying the same thing. We have a problem. So, I encourage you if you guys really really want to have a
a very very uh transparent uh uh election, kill the vote by mail and let's see what happened and I guarantee you the numbers are going to be way different. Thank you. All right, the next person that we have is Rich Russell. Councelor Russell
name and address for the record, please. Uh Rich Russell, 34 Cross Street. I'm here to give you my input on the mailin balloting issue. Uh with the early voting and early uh the election day voting, the security of the ballot has
to be maintained. That is poll worker to voter to ballot box. What's missing in mailin balloting? Security. The ballot gets mailed out. It goes to the post office. Then it gets delivered to the
mailbox at an address that is a relatively unsecured uh container only to be emptied at the convenience of the address. How many breaks in the chain of security is there in that process? Let's see. The post
office, the unsecured mailbox, and the amount of time that the uh ballot takes to be retrieved. I count at least three breaks in security in that process. It's my understanding that there were no issues in the mail in voting of the
presidential election last year. Uh now, according to the Secretary of State's office, there were almost 5,800 votes mailin votes in Lawrence in the November
presidential election with no serious issues. There were issues in the last municipal election and as I understand it, there are issues with this past primary election. Federal and state elections do not directly affect the political makeup of the elected
officials in the city of Lawrence. The issue of mail and ballot security pops up in municipal elections. the two elections in the last primary where there were five votes between the first and second place finishers and in
another race there were seven votes between the sec the second and third place finisher. Again, only two make the ballot. Did or could the lack of security of mailin ballots have any impact on those two races? We'll never
know. I realize mailin balloting is a necessity for some. So, a system has to be developed to cover the relay those relying on the mail-in process. That would entail tightening up requirements to get mail-in ballots. I know
Massachusetts is a no excuse state. My thoughts are to handel the ballots to the voters between 8 and 8, 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., then pick them up at the same time in the same time frame. the ballots could be quite possibly filled out and taken back at the time of
delivery. To ensure honesty in the process, I would s suggest that the people delivering and picking up the uh ballots wear some sort of police style body cam. Why why not? I mean, they're wasting money on the lights on the building.
Let's do something practical with our money. Until a system can be developed to ensure a secure delivery and pick up of mailin barretts ballots. I am against the present system of mail and balloting as spec uh specifically for municipal
elections. Now some questions nobody can or will answer. Why did district A council of Fedelina Santiago get put on trial first? Did the powers at B want to get a get rid of her? So she could not be possibly reelected while under
indictment. Uh is the is the fact that her partner in crime has a pri track track history in this type of crime give her preferential treatment or does she have political connections that are taking care of her? Uh there I have
other issues but I am dead set against the system we have in place right now for mail and balloting. Thank you. Right. The next person that we have is Ardos Pereira. Hi. Um, Aldonsa Pereira, 53 Kulage
Street. I'm also the border registra, uh, the Democratic border registra. I am opposed to mailing ballot because like Richard and others have expressed there's just in the last decade we've had these circumstances that have been
unregular and to avoid that I think you know this country was founded on and every nation that's democratic is founded on you can have your vote that's a privilege and
you have bodies in place to, you know, guarantee the safety of your boat like the people who work in the registers's office and others and police officers who go to the precincts. But we have all
kinds of characters now that allow and put us in the news for very ugly things and unethical things that perhaps someone who's that unethical should not be running for anything. Um, I don't
speak just for myself. I am a kid of Lawrence. I speak for people in my neighborhood. I'm pretty sure I do. Um, I talk to my neighbors. I know my neighbors. I have friends in the public sector, in the private sector, in the
education sector. We are concerned for our city and we want the best for our city. And I think um you guys are put in a place we've you know the city votes for you to be sitting there to do everything you can to guarantee a good
process. So I think by eliminating these areas of process that are faulty, right, and that allow for all kinds of characters to do certain things that are unethical. I think we should limit
ourselves to voting in person. Thank you. All right. The next person that we have is Juani Gonzalez. Name and address for the record, please. Good evening, Council President Rodriguez, Vice President Efante, counselors.
I'm before you because after going through the primary elections, there was complaints coming around from every corner of the city about the mailing votes. Uh, I want to be here and I want to be clear that what I want is to have
options, but they have to be options that are safe and transparent so that every voter has a chance to vote without worrying, without being worried about whether their vote is going to make it to city
hall and it's going to be with integrity. We don't want anybody messing around with anybody's ballots. And I think that this meeting tonight, we should be talking about how can we modify so that
we can come up on November 4th with a system that is going to protect the voters. The voters I don't trust right now that the mailin votes are going to be safe. I truly want to protect their wishes. The voters want to vote and we
should respect how they vote. And I truly believe that right now it's not safe. I do not want to see people running around all the apartments camping outside trying to take advantage of the elderly.
I I wish that this buildings had management that would actually help these elderly people and not people from the outside. So what I'm really asking is let's come out of this meeting tonight with a transparent with an option that is not mail and ballot
whether it's absentee ballots that are going to be handled by the city by the elections department or whatever we come out with this system after watching it on September 16. I don't trust it. I don't feel comfortable in it being one
of the candidates. So, I hope that tonight we can look into this and definitely say no to mailing votes on November 4th. I don't think that that's going to be fair, transparent, and respectful to our voters. We should be
thinking about them before anything else. Respect their wishes. Let them vote. If they cannot come in, let's find another option. But by mail is not working. I don't trust it. Thank you so much for your time. All right. Thank you. The next person is John De Mo. Name and address for the
record, please. John do 11 Haven Street. The reasons I am against it is the influence to others, ballot hav harvesting and ballot collecting by the same individuals or by the candidates. How can you explain district B 300
votes? Minimal security features can be led to fraud and ballot tampering. The loss of in person experience. The loss of confidence. Voters can have information lost in at wrong times. Do signatures
actually match, financial cost, increased voting errors, slower results or accurate marking of ballots. The reasons I am for it is because my mother cannot leave the house or we have military outside of the country or
outside of the state or people that are homebound. One city, one love, Lawrence. Right. The next person that we have is Luis Robles. Luis Robles of 183 Abbott Street. Um, the first thing is I thought this was
going to be jam-packed with residents. Unfortunately, it's jam-packed with politicians. So, it seems like this issue is more important to the politicians than the actual residents. Um, besides that, we've been uh advocating, well, at least I've been advocating to get rid of mailing votes
and to introduce voter ID, um, which unfortunately has not passed in the city council. Um the question does has to be asked why in the middle of the election are we doing this when it should be done before? So I'm kind of curious as to why it's being done right now. Um the other
thing is whether I can understand the arguments on both sides and both sides make good arguments. Now the thing that I would suggest is if we do decide to keep it for whatever reason, can we introduce envelopes that are more discreet that don't have the word
election in them? um that don't have any specific colors to them. That way it cannot be identifiable from a distance. Um um or instead of verifying by signature can we verify a PIN number that the residents uh come up with with
the elections department. It's kept uh secret, secured, and only through that PIN number will that ballot by mail be validated. Those are just some ideas I'm throwing out there. Uh thank you. Right. The next person that we have is uh Victor Hernandez.
Good evening. Uh Victor Hernandez, 133 May Street. I complain because many people come to me about the get a vote by the last three or four election and this time they don't get it. And the other thing is uh many people was uh the
address changed by somebody. No, no, I don't know how they happened because you don't ask it. they change the address how the people going to get the vote in the in the election. So many question happen. I need more clarification on
that point. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. We have somebody from uh from the uh from the zoom meeting. Javier seat uh fold seven. Hi, can you hear me? Yes. Name and address for the record,
please. Full name because I we don't have it here. Javier 537 here. So, basically, um I'm just going to agree with whatever everybody says. You know, the mailing voting has always been an issue. It's gotten worse since the
idea. Um uh what's the other one? Early balloting. It's always been a good thing, you know, um because there are people outside and they need they need to be able to vote. Um but the one thing is if you guys do vote in that mail in
ballot, which I disagree with is the deadline being November 4th, not after the fact. Because as you see in the past, instead of being one day, one victor, we had to
wait what, three, four weeks for anything like that. So I'm not agreeing with the mail. I don't want that. But if you guys decide to last, the only day the deadline should be election day, nothing else after that. That's fine.
Thank you. Time frame, right? Thank you. Um, anybody else from the public that wishes to speak? Name my address for the record, please. Uh, Nilson Rosario, 51 Winthrop. I just want to talk quickly about accountability and leadership. During
the presidential elections, we heard there was no issues. Camela Harris, Donald Trump were walking around Lawrence trying to take advantage of the system. The system works. It's not the people messing it up. It's the candidates. We have to show
leadership. Use the system correctly if it was to stay. This shouldn't be happening after primary elections to echo Lewis Robas. It should have been before. But we're here today and whatever happens and we move forward. All candidates, let's show leadership
and do this thing the right way. Thank you. Right. Anybody else from the public that wishes to speak? the name for the record, please. And I agree with some of um some of the
people that are here tonight. It is not just the the process of mailing voters. It's us as a community. They're making the process harder. So when you knock at a door, cuz I'm a candidate as well, they don't feel safe. They feel
intimidated that someone comes to your house knocking at the door questioning you for who you are going to vote. So we need to step out out of that shelf and not do that. We are making our community uncomfortable
and that's not the process that we are living in the United States. This is a democracy country and everyone is free to vote to whoever or whoever they wanted to choose. It is not the mailing voting. It is how
candidates and some other people are treating the process. Chasing ballots inappropriately and making our community uncomfortable. So we need to make sure they or we bring
back that trust cuz us and candidates they are believing in you. Our community is believing in us that we are a strong leaders that we are going to make the we are going to make the right thing and getting their voices
heard cuz like someone said I don't know who said before the ballot gets to the election room it's been touched so many times it touches like um you put it in the mail it goes to the post office after the post office there's a mailman
and then it gets to the election room which I do believe in our election department. Every time that I come to the election departments, they're very polite, they're very professional, and they do their job. So, we as leaders, we had to step out and make our community
comfortable. Do not chase our borders. They're feeling uncomfortable. I have seen videos on social media candidates recording and asking, "Who are you voting for?" That's not right. I will be afraid someone knocking on my
door questioning me who am I voting for or feeling uncomfortable if I have a sign of a candidate. I have the right to choose who I'm supporting. I have the right to choose who is going to represent me and we had
to respect that. I'm a candidate and I see a sign and I respect that sign because that person chose that person to represent them. I'm not going to a house approaching them and trying to change their vote. I'm going to their house
knocking my doors bringing my proposal. What can I do different than the other candidate? And that's how it should be done. Please respect voters and let's bring back confident to them. Thank you. Uh anybody from the public that wishes
to speak? Anybody else? Anybody from the Zoom meeting that wishes to speak? Okay, we have Jonathan Guzman. Jonathan Guzman, now you have the floor. Name for the record, please. Uh, this is Jonathan Gooseman, uh, 39 L
Street of Lawrence, Mass, uh, vice chair of the Lawrence School Committee. Um, I want to start by saying that I fully believe in the system of mailing in ballots. Uh, it was created to make voting more accessible and many, many
ways. Uh it has done just that for the people of Lawrence. This process has helped residents who face barriers get their voice heard. But unfortunately, we have also seen it being misused, jeopardizing the very opportunity uh
that it was meant to protect. And I still believe in the potential that it has. But until we don't have stronger safeguards in place to ensure transparency and fairness, I urge you to vote it down for now. Uh let's make uh
the time to let's take the time to fix it. Um let's figure out to restore trust and let's make the system work. Uh how it's supposed to to support our residents of Lawrence and protect their vote. Thank you.
Right. Um anybody else from the public that wishes to speak? during the public hearing. Anybody from the public that wishes to speak at the public hearing? Anybody else? Nobody. All right. At this point, uh we are going to close the public
hearing. Um uh counselors, I'll entertain a motion to uh continue with the discussion. uh the proper co the proper course of action should be uh to discuss the vote
by mail or act out on the vote by mail. So I entertain a motion motion to act out of the vote by mail. There is a motion to add out on the table which is a motion to act out of vote by mail.
Yeah. Can I to act out? Um, can I hear a second? Second. It's been properly second and now that allow us to open the floor for discussion. Uh, counselors, any discussion on the
matter? Council President Council Rosario. Thank you to you. It's it's a little embarrassed for me to be discussing this now when we at the beginning of the election we had the discussion and four of us actually voted
that did we did not want voting by mail and five of my colleagues decide yes to to receive the vote by mail and and some of them now wants to change that which is fine. Uh, somebody says that it makes them wonder
why in the middle of the election you want to make these changes, why it wasn't done from the get-go when half of this body was against it. Me being one of them, which this time it's hard for me to follow through what I voted at the first because in the middle of the
election also, not in the middle of the election, this election there was changes on the on boarding prison, right? What? While I was in Alllington Street on Allington School, I got people voting from 355 Park Street bringing us papers saying that there's tons of
people out there and there that were not able to get out and vote and they were looking to see how we can get it to them and was impossible. I had a lady 90 something years old and her husband at two Warwick Street which they called me and said, "Can you have some assistant?"
and I call the election department and they couldn't assist them with with going in there and vote. But the main thing is that is concerning is it's like playing a hands of cards, right? You playing hands of cards and now I saw you hands of cards and now I want to change the game because I saw what you have in
your hands and it's unfair for those candidates that got eliminated because if there's something going on now with the mailing ballots, it's unfair for them that they got eliminated. Why? Because at the get-go, from the get-go, when when we started talking about the election, we should have eliminated
that. Some of us, again, some of us voted against it, now we have prison with old people. They're not going to be able to vote. And if we change this, they're not going to be able to vote at all this year. Yeah. They we should we should put more security. We should we
should make sure that whoever is getting that ballots is the person that's supposed to return it. We got to do all that. But changing the election path that we have at the middle of the election, it's unfair for a lot of people. They actually expecting those
mailing votes cuz they sign in to get it back at the end of November and some of them are not really able to make it to the post and they waiting on those. They counting on those. So somehow we need to come up with an idea. We've been we've been fighting to get IDs on the on the
on on to vote and the question that was raised how the mailing votes are going to vote. How they going to show ID? Some of our colleagues asked that question and I see mailing ballots where they requested ID when they voted for the first time to return your mail and ballots you need
ID. So why don't we implement that instead of just taking it away from all people they actually need it from people that cannot move and actually need it. Why don't we somehow make an amendment and request for them to return it, send a copy of the IDs, and from there I want to start again the conversation why we
don't have ID to vote cuz it's on the table and you guys can see who voted in favor of the mailing votes and you guys can see cuz those are public records who actually are against the IDs when they come to vote. So again, even though I
voted no on the mailing votes at the beginning, I feel uncomfortable today following it through again because I have a prison and all people there, they're not going to be able to make it and me voting it down again is deny them a way to vote. Thank you, Council President.
Uh yes, can I ask the Madame Clair to um clarify Lozone, you have the floor. Can I ask the madame clair to clarify about the item that the council have in
front of us? Can you please clarify? Madame Clair, which part? What part of it? What part would you like me to clarify? The item that we have now in front of us in front of the council at this time is a motion to opt out a vote by mail for
the November 4th final election. Okay, that's what's before the body. Uh, thank you madame clair. Council president, you have another question. No. All right. Council, vice president infante. Thank you to you, council president. Um, I have a few questions for the elections
department if I may. Yes, sure. Election name address for the record, please. Richard Reyes, 42 Canton Street, also the assistant city clerk for the election department. May I? Sure. Thank you, council president. This is a
uh Mr. to raise a yes or no. Did the elections department receive communication uh from the state on the way that the city through the elections department handled the presidential election?
Yes, we had we always have uh communication from the state regardless of what election it is to let us know how many complaints we got. For the last four years, we have not gotten one complaint regarding my office. only complaints that the state gets every
year, especially on local elections, it's regarding vote by mail, literature going inside the polling locations, and candidates going inside. And how many voters, how many individuals came out to vote for the presidential election? On the presidential election of November
2024, we had an estimate vote by mail of 8,046. Persons who voted in person was 2004. Not one complaint from the presidential elections. And is that a historical stat or have we
seen these numbers prior in other elections? Um council vice president infante before you continue madame clerk can you call the role for council plant. Council plant presenting you have the floor.
Thank you. Present. Yep. Thank you. I'm sorry. Were those numbers historical or have we seen similar outcomes in previous It was 43%. So yeah, I consider as an historical for us because we did a high
number of ballots and vote by mails and um there was no complaints. Um so it was like about like 43%. I'm sorry 43%. So no issues on that one. Um prior to that just to clarify on the 2020 elections during co We had also a
presidential election and also no complaints and when we had a high number also would vote by mails. It seems to me that honestly during the local elections it's our main problem. Thank you. I have another question. Has any individual within your office experienced
intimidation for trying to do their job while while managing municipal elections? It's just yes or no. I'm not looking for an explanation. Yes. Thank you. Can you repeat that? Yes. Okay. Um, councelor, I have another question. I do. I have several questions actually.
Do you and I have pertaining to votes in general? And if you don't have the answers right now, that's okay. You can give it. You can provide it to me later on. Do you know off the top of your head total numbers of early votes that we had for the preliminary election? On this one, yes, I do.
We had a total um, you mean vote by mail and everything? I'm going to go through I'm going to go through through the list. Um, early voters. Early voters in person, we had 874 people who voted in person. Okay. And then in person on election day? No, in person an early voting at city
hall. Okay. And what is do you have the number for in person on election day as well? In person about 6,70 about 13% of the voters that we have. Okay. Do you have the the number of total absentee votes?
Absentee was um around 28 to 32. Okay. And the total of mailin votes mailin votes request citywide was 798 which out of the 798 district B requested 332 of that.
Thank you. My next question is has the election department councelor's question the last question was how many how many mail votes and then the answer the answer to me so can you repeat the last portion I
wasn't able to hear correctly so citywide for vote by mail request citywide was 798 okay 874 people voted early voting here at city hall on election day 670 people
voted in person on election day, September 16th. Out of the 798 requests, 332 of those were just for district B. So basically almost 50% of the vote by
mail request was from district B. Um I I do I have two more questions. I'm going to hold off on the second one till later on. cancer back. Can you ask to send it to us all of this information? Can you can you send Can you send a a document with this information?
Absolutely. Question. Thank you. My last question for for the moment, has the elections department received for this preliminary election for this year, let's say this year, um has the
elections department received formal reported complaints regarding potential or alleged voter intimidation or voter fraud situations? Well, about voter intimidation, yes, we have, but not in written. But we do have
three formal written complaints by voters regarding their ballots being picked up. And my I have a follow-up question to that. Within those letters, do these voters um explain or name certain individuals? You don't have to I don't want the
names, but I just want you to know, are these names consistent? No. Okay. Thank you. You're welcome. I'm all set up for now. Um the same people same people or not. Uh council president mosa for now. All right counselors any other questions?
Councelor Marmo say I through you council president I think it's important for me to speak on beha uh in regards to this item because I am one of those counselors when this item was before us way back when it was initially proposed. So I think it's
important for me to give an explanation as to what my stance was back then and what my stance will be for today. Um since this item is before us and I do have to make a decision. Back then I did
have a concern in regards to the most vulnerable community which is the elderly and disabled. not knowing back then because there wasn't any solution or any um proposals as to how we would be able to um provide
that avenue for the elderly and the disabled to be able to vote by mail without um having any issues that we're currently seeing um and we speaking of today is the reason why I back then did not
opt out because if you're not able to provide me as to how we're um going to be able to assist the elderly and the uh and the disabled community to be able to participate in these elections, I wasn't ready to take that opportunity away from
them. Um, however, I must say that I am put in a position to which it is coming before me and I am hearing
the many concerns and in light of new information in light of videos that have uh that I'm hearing that people are have seen um I must say that it is quite disappointing. I am disgusted. I'm appalled that we have elected officials
that we have uh aspiring candidates seeking elective office intimidating being belligerent causing fear to voters asking them questions as to who they are voting cuz I have heard that as well. Um because of
these reasons and because in light of this new information um I do have a different stance today. Um, I think we need to do better. I think these practices and tactics and methods only show desperation of some of these
candidates. And because of this, um, I am leaning towards um, being in favor of opting out. Um, I feel like I'm put in a position now unless cuz I've heard many good ideas. So if at later point in time
we're able to provide what are the the the opportunities that we could give the elderly and the disabled on how we could secure those votes then maybe we could revisit and have those discussions at a later point in time uh through you council president you
know that I'm always advocating for nobody my male. Yes. And I have always complained, you know, not on this election, but I also on the election on the 23, I sent a letter to
the secretary of state telling, you know, all the problems that this caused to us. voting by mail was because of the pandemic because of the co but are we as a council are not supposed to
say we don't want it that by mail after the pandemic we are not supposed to approve that March or April I asked my city my fellow just to vote against the mayor by vote uh the um the vote by mail
due to all the problems that we haven't passion. We did have a lot of problems in here but nobody supported nobody. Everybody was practically against maybe two more council
well with me at that time. I send a new letter and everybody knows and that letter had been circulated everywhere. Yes. you know, regarding the problems and regarding also the cost because it's
a lot of cost, money and time for you guys, knowing all of this, but everybody discard it and nobody put attention looking in here, you know,
I agree with some of the things that some of my fellow said, you know, like we have so many people right now registered waiting for the vote for Mayo and if I'm looking on this uh on the
shadow they said a public hearing uh a public hearing was supposed to be published in the newspaper. No. Yes. No, it's not. that proposed to be public
on the new paper a week ago. According to session clarification, councelor Levy, yes, excuse me. Do not mislead the conversation. I'm not misleading the conversation. Excuse me. You do not mislead. I'm not misleading the conversation.
Excuse me. Okay. Let the speaker to speak up. Excuse me. You cannot have a conversation stepping over somebody else. If you're having a conversation through the city council president, okay, it got to be through the city council president. Do not mislead the conversation the the
conversation about the public hearing. Public hearing it's about when you have a public hearing for an ordinance, you can you post that on the newspaper when it's not for an ordinance, you can have a public hearing for anything else just like we did it. So the city clerk will
clarify on that and then she will get you the answer that you're looking for. So but that do not miss the conversation. What is sitting here? Not yet. The city clerk will with this you ask the city clerk to clarify on that. She will
okay. Yes. M clerk. I council I believe you're speaking about section 3.8 8 of the legislative process in the charter 3.8D which is specifically referencing ordinance changes in loan orders and it says
publication and public hearing required for any proposed ordinance or loan order except any submitted in accordance with 3.8B shall be published once in full in a local newspaper and in any additional manner required by law by the ordinance. Such publication shall also state the
time no less than seven no more than 14 days following the publication and the place at which the city council or the standing committee of the council will hold the public hearing. Further said publication shall be posted on the city website reserved for the publication of such matters and any other such manner of notice intended for public but that
is specifically with regard to proposed ordinances and loan orders and this is neither an ordinance nor a loan order. So the publication in the newspaper is not required. All right. And also just to add on that,
we have changed our own shadow without a public hearing. And if you want to if you want to hear more about that just back then in 202021 when we changed the chart of not having an election in three months as he call
it without a public hearing. So council let you have the floor. So that's is what know what I have it in here. council president, you know, it's like a we have to make it a publication at least a week before having this
meeting. Do you mind reading it? Yes. Thank you. Can I read it? Yeah, of course. You have the floor. In accordance to the op opt out of the vote by mail provision of the GLC 54
session 25V A1. It is clear that a a vote to the opour is to be established by the provision in movies conducted number one at a public hearing and two recorded by a public note no less than
45 prior to the preliminary election. A public hearing according to the city the city of Laurian shadow a public hearing must be advertised person to the provision of shadow section 3.8D right we just
for the record of the public we we just read the 3 point 3 section 3.8 which is specifically for uh uh ordinance and law authorization. So, we're not talking about the sentent, but I guess that you're not reading the law.
You're reading a text message or some information you're getting. So, can you read the law where we actually um what you what you are referring to? Okay. So, recorded by a public at a regular or a special meeting of the
Lawren City Council. Any other counselors? Council councel Rees and this is I wanted this for the record. Thank you. For the the clarity, the transparency and the integrity. Council, give me one minute, please. Council Levy, you have the floor.
Oh, I just finished. All right. I can continue. All right. Next time if you have anything else to add, I appreciate it if you just ask for the floor. Councelor Rees. Thank you. the record uh when we
submitted this item uh 78-205 I supported to eliminate voting by mail but no no let me finish you did the opposite no let me finish go ahead we had the item through the conversation
we have we can follow how opportunity have our constituent to receive the voting by because when my colleagues mention the idea I support him but after that a lot
of person call and say I'm feel comfortable to receive my voting by mail and I change my mind and I supporting be uh the I don't I'm not supporting to eliminate the voting by mail I
supporting to send the vote to our constituent because They explain why they need it. They mention they have different condition. They have people with disable. They have person cannot be present for some reason. Yeah. I support
him. We have the iron in front us through the beginning before the election. And I'm very curious by why we bring it back after the primary and not before to do
some clarification or some concern through our constituent. Uh I want to clarify that point because I want to maintain my position because I am supporting I continue to supporting to the boarding same by mail and I want
to say that for the record. Um, according to the law, the city council can take a vote to act out 45 day prior to the election. That's the state law. Madame Clerk, can
you clarify on that? Yeah. If if the council were to opt out of vote by mail, you have to vote out. You have to opt out for each election separately. So, you had previously opted out for the you I you didn't opt out. you chose to not
opt out for either election, which you could do because you were not opting out. However, if you want to opt out, you have to do for each election separately. And the state does look at it as two different elections. And you are 46 days before the next election day, which is November 4th. So, you are within that 45 you're outside that 45day
window. Um, this this is the last chance if this is something that you do choose to do. Um, but you have the right to opt out of that election and it's 45 days before that election. So, it's not like that election is tomorrow. It is very close. If you're a candidate, 45 days
goes by extremely fast. But, I do people saying we're in the middle of the election. It's actually two separate elections. You had a preliminary, now we move on to the finals. Um, and it is 45 days prior to that date. So, there is time. Um, whichever way you choose to
go, the elections department will support you. But I do want to make sure people understand that you are opting out and you're opting out 46 days prior to the election. So, it's not like it's tomorrow. Thank you, Madame Chair, for clarification for the public because I know the deadline when we want to submit
something like that. Thanks, Council President, if I may. Yes. Before we go to you, I believe that everybody have spoken. Yes. So, we got on the second round. Council Luzon. Uh I I I asked Madame Claire to
clarify the item in front of us. So I think uh just to make sure that the people that are watching and the people that are present uh understand uh what is this council is uh have in front of us the item. So we haven't mentioned
Alente votes. Uh I I hear your concerns. I hear the concern of the some of your constituents. I also have constituents uh some in favor, some against it. Uh but we are not talking about absentee
votes and we're not talking about early election voting. So um through you council president, can can I ask uh Richard uh Mr. Rodriguez to
Rees? Too many richers. Rees too many richers. too many Richards and we had uh Mr. Rodriguez here last night. Um can you please explain uh how many days we're going to have for
early voting and what are the requirements for our people just to make sure we for the early voting in person or vote early voting in person? Early voting in person is going to be the last week of October from the 25th, which is a Saturday,
which is also the last day to register to vote for the final election. And it runs all the way through the 31st, Halloween at 1:00. It ends on Friday. Is that 10 days? That's actually seven days. Seven days. Okay. So, seven days. Thank
you for clarification. Can you uh go over the absentee vote because I hear my colleagues just to clarify with the vote by mail and absentee. Thank you. Absentee always existed since way before I even started and I've been doing this for 24 years. Absentee
is for a voter who's going to be out of the city on election day. Somebody anybody in any nursing facilities anybody who's disabled. absentee gets controlled a little bit better because a person is signing under the pains and perjuries that that person is going to be out of
the city. So to clarify a lot of the questions being thrown around, people still get a ballot by mail, but it's called an absentee, especially the elderly, especially the disabled. That's always existed. The only thing is that a lot of
people don't hear about it is because vote by mail took its place and absentee basically is still there. It still exists and some people still use it, believe it or not. So, they're not going to go without voting. Okay, we have different options. Vote in
person on election day or absentee ballot. It existed way before vote by mail started in 2020. Uh cons you council president. My other my other question is uh I noticed that
uh the election department um I don't know if was they were concerned but I know they kept uh separate all the applications um I don't know if that is an appropriate question council president
I could just clarify why we did some certain procedures a little bit different um on this election anybody who brought in at least more than a certain pack. It could be 10 or more. We'll put them in a folder, write the person's name, what time, and the date that they brought it in. We did that
just to cover ourselves because in 2023, a lot of voters were calling saying that they never submitted an application. So, for this election, my staff and I took it upon ourselves, which we asked the state and they said it was perfectly fine, to keep track of anybody who's
bringing applications. So in case the voter calls and says, "I never submitted that." You could pull out the fold and say, "This person on this date at this time brought your application in." So, and I know some of my colleagues voted against
voting in uh by mail. I was one of the ones that voted in favor, but I I'm for not differentizing the voters. I know that we have my district has an orderly community. I think I have the most elderly community or the most housing
uh in the city. Is that accurate? District B. Yes, we have a few elderly complexes in district B. So, I think we have about three or four. Stay stay on the stay on topic around the vote by mail not on the specific council president. I just wanted to make
if I may council president if I'm not a voter. I don't want to get into the specific per district because and then we're going to have to speak on each one. All right, let's stay on the focus of you. Okay, thank you council president. My apologies for that. No, no problem. Um, so district three, what was the
district that submitted more vote by mail application? And I know you mentioned it at the beginning. I just wanted to repeat that again. Can I ask that? I really don't want to get into districts because and then we're going to have to u
Oh, you mentioned that early. I'm kind of Yes. Thank you, council president. May I just clarify um clarify other things too that I heard thrown around. First of all, me and my staff, well, some of us are not here. We just want to
make sure that we're ready whether which plan we have plan A, we have plan B, and we have plan C. If you guys want vote by mail, we're going to do vote by mail. We're ready for it. We could tackle that. If you guys don't want it, we also have options that in case it doesn't pass. We're going to notify all 747
people who requested a ballot in November 4th, we're going to send them a notice. It's under vote by mail. It's no longer going to take place, but we are going to offer them absentee for the people who qualify. So, we're having everything ready for each plan. Whatever gets thrown at us, me and my three staff
members, we're ready to take it. Appreciate it. Thank you, Council President. Um, and I think uh the point that I wanted to put out there is that even though
some of my colleagues were against bold by mail, they were some of the ones that submitted more application than anyone else. So, it doesn't make sense. Okay. Um, and I don't know if this is uh
a a a question that I can ask now, council president, but knowing that this is public information and that we owe to the community to be transparent, especially during um in every meeting,
but it's is is can we can I ask how many applications every candidate submitted? Is that a correct? Uh a no because we're going to have to go on each individual. It's about 30 something candidates, right? But I think council president, if I may
I don't have the names in front of me to be honest with you right now, but you don't have information, but I mean if they do, they can send it over by email. Okay. But can I can I do that request? Can you send that via email? You can send uh request to the city clerk and I'll be more than happy to
um Thank you. Thank you, Councelor President. Yep. Council President, any other questions? Council President Fante, thank you. I have two things. Um, I have first a comment. I want to go back to employee intimidation regarding elections.
Um, I was informed of a alleged situation. I'm going to say alleged because I was not there in person, so I don't want to um assume or anything. Um but a alleged situation that occurred
last week in the third floor regarding a city clerk office employee um when this individual was asked about the process of submitting a formal complaint to the
state. It is my understanding that allegedly this employee was intimidated by a a current city counselor. And I'm saying allegedly again. And I want to clarify I was not there. I don't
know what exactly what happened, but this information did come to me. And it's really upsetting because if we're out here advocating for something publicly, then we need to continue that behavior. We need to stick with that behavior behind closed doors as well. So
that's one thing. Uh my last question, council president, if I may. Sure. And it's to Mr. Reyes. Going back to absentee voting clarificate. Uh absentee voting. Can you clarify? You mentioned you mentioned voters who
are outside of the city and also you mentioned voters, elderly voters and those who may be uh who are disabled. Can you clarify that if a elderly voter and slash or a disabled voter that is in
Lawrence that is not leaving the city, can they still request an absentee ballot if the mailin ballot does if we do opt out from the mailin ballot? Well, we had a plan in place. I believe I spoke to Eileen about this. We're
planning to meet with all the managements from the elderly complexes around the city. To avoid all the assumptions and all the fingerpointing and everything about candidates going in there getting ballots, what we're going to try to do is have a meeting with them. We're going to bring applications,
absentee ballot applications. They could apply. They're going to return them to us. Once the ballots arrive and we get them ready, one of my staff or police officer or the city clerk or myself will hand deliver those ballots to those elderly persons and we will go pick them
up. Thank you for that clarification. And I know I said two things, but one last thing. I was one of those four votes that voted against mail and ballots. I don't the climate, the political climate in our community, I I don't think is a safe
way to for our voters to vote. um through mailin ballots. And I still stand by by that by that um decision that I made earlier this year. I actually I do have also a few members,
few voters in my district that requested mail-in ballots. In fact, I've never even went I've never gone near mailin. And the first time that I requested to see the list, I recall you, Mr. Rehea saying to me, "Counselor, this is the
first time you've ever asked to see this list." I stay away from mailing ballots because of of the history behind it. I don't want anything to do with mailing ballots. I don't think um candidates are responsible enough to ensure and protect
our constituents voting rights through mailin ballots. And I still am against having mailin ballots in the city of Lawrence until we until we figure out a better way to to protect those votes. U any other counselors? Councelor Mu? Um I have a question through you,
Council President. Um I think oftent times the issue is the fact that uh I I think it becomes public record information as to who received a mail-in ballot. if we is it possible that that you know whoever requested a mail-in ballot because again I do agree
with the fact that it is not on the voter as to why this process has become tainted. It's because of us elected officials and candidates that are running. Um, is that feasible for
that information not to be available to anyone and whoever requested a mailin? Then there's certain extracts that are not public, but unfortunately the EV the AV are public records.
Okay. I was just trying. All right. Um, any other counselors? Any other counselors? Uh, madame clerk, please call the role. Can you motion? Uh, councelor blank, you have something. The motion is no.
Right. The motion is to u motion is to act out of vote by mail. Madame Clair, please call the role. No, you just want to vote. I'm going to go the other way since we started last time. Um, council Reyes
present. Council Mamo. Yes. Council Del Rosario. Abstain. Councelor Luzon. Yes. Council La Plant. Yes.
Council Levy. Yes. Council Vice President Infante. Yes. Council President Rodriguez. Yes. What's the count? Six in favor, one abstension, and one voting present. So, six votes. Motion
carries. order. All right. Uh at this time is any other action that need to be taken. Madame clerk. All right. Uh motion carries and uh we are going to continue with the
agenda. Communication from mayor, city officials, city of Cheney. There is none. Committee report. Uh there is no committee from any of the reports. No reports from any of the committees. And uh at this time, Madame Clerk, if it is anything else, um I'll entertain a
motion to adjoin before we adjoin. Madame clerk, I would like I would like to make sure that there is anything else uh pending. Can you just uh go through the paperwork [Music] by a separate vote?
And this is uh this is in regard to the November 4th election. Can you say that for the record? Madame clerk, you have the you have the um you have the vote. You have the uh the floor before we join. Sure. Just to clarify what we just did. Um
per the Secretary of State vote by mail order. Per the Secretary of State vote by mail is required for all local elections, including special elections in preliminaries unless the city or town opts out. to opt out. The city council must hold a public hearing in a public
roll call vote not to allow vote by mail at least 45 days before the election. That is what just occurred. It's 45 days before the election. We just had a vote where six counselors after holding a public hearing, six counselors voted in a roll call vote to opt out of vote by
mail. So we have met the criteria. That was for a November 4th, 2025. We have that on that uh general election. Yes, that was in the motion that was made by of a motion. That was part of the motion. Yes. All right. Anything else? Anything else? All right. At this time,
I entertain a motion to adjurnn. Motion to adjurnn. There's a motion to adjurnn. Properly second. All those in favor, please say I. I. Any nays? I I roll. Roll call. Roll call, please. On the motion to adjourn. Council areas.
Yes. Council Marmal. Yes. Yes. Council del Rosario. Yes. Council Luzon. Yes. Council La Plant. Yes. Council Levy. Yes. Council Vice President Fonte. Yes. Council President Rodriguez. I vote yes. Thank you.
Thank you.