After receiving complaints about alleged voter fraud in the District 2 City Council race, Boston’s election department is reaching out to voters.  According to Mass Live, Boston City Hall officials have confirmed they have received complaints through the Chinese Progressive Association and the election department will not process absentee ballots from Ward 3 Precinct 8 and Ward 5 Precinct 1 until the end of day on Election Day.  This will allow voters a chance to send in a singed request to “spoil” their vote at the polls.

Earlier this week, the Chinese Progressive Association and the Chinese Progressive Political Action , released a statement alleging voter absentee ballot fraud – in particular calling out the District 2 candidate campaign of Mike Kelley.

Allegedly elderly voters were asked to sign an absentee ballot application and then their blank ballots were taken away in signed but unsealed envelopes. 

The statement then quotes a one of the complainants and describes the operation of what happened on or around October 19th:

“On about October 19th, a woman unknown to me ‘helped’ me apply for an absentee ballot. I did not know that it was an application for absentee ballot, but I was told that I would get a yellow envelope. About two days later, the same woman along with another man came back to my apartment. They took my yellow envelope and told me to sign my name on that yellow envelope. Later, I found out that I was asked to sign an absentee ballot application and they took my absentee ballot. I did not see my ballot or mark the ballot. I was only asked to sign the envelope.”

District 2 Candidate Mike Kelley’s campaign released a statement and called the allegations a “desperate smear campaign politics against against us while endorsing our opponent.” It went on to call the CPA’s and CPPA’s tactics and allegations as “outrageous and  unfounded.” 

Lydia Lowe, board member of the CPPA responded to the Kelley campaigns statement. “I am extremely disappointed in the Kelley campaign’s response to these serious violations. Just because our members chose the other candidate is not a reason to belittle voters’ rights and allow this type of unlawful abuse. I notified the Kelley campaign a week ago to ask that they investigate and get their Chinatown team under control for a fair election, and am truly disappointed in this response. A number of voters have filed affidavits and the facts will speak for themselves,” said Lowe.

The election department will be sending out a mailing to every voter who requested an absentee ballot in the above mentioned precincts.  The mailing will also include information on voting options and a phone line for voters in both English and Chinese.  There will also be information sessions in Chinatown on Thursday, November 2nd.

Ed Flynn’s campaign also received a letter from the Election Department.  You can read it here.