City Clerk Expresses Confidence in ‘Vote By Mail’

Chelsea City Clerk Jeannette Cintron White is confident that the ‘Vote By Mail’ option for the Sept. 1 State Primary will go smoothly in the city.

Cintron White explained the different phases of the process that will allow Chelsea voters to cast their ballots by mail, meaning they would not have to go to the polls to vote on Sept. 1, the day of the Primary Election.

“The state has mailed to every registered voter in Chelsea a card that says, ‘Official 2020 Vote By Mail Application,” said Cintron White. “Residents can return the application by mail (The state is paying the costs of postage via Business Reply Mail) or drop it off at our office. As soon as we get the ballots in our office, we would send them a ballot.”

The deadline for submitting Vote By Mail applications is Aug. 26 at 5 p.m. “Early ballots for the State Primary must be returned by 8 p.m. on Sept 1, 2020, to be counted,” added Cintron White. “The mail-in ballots may be returned in person, by mail, or by dropping them off in the green mailbox outside of the Washington Avenue City Hall Entrance.”

Some have suggested that the new Vote by Mail option could lead to voter fraud, but Cintron White discounts those opinions.

“I think people in Chelsea trust the process here,” said Cintron White. “I think people feel safe voting by mail and we encourage them to do so. I don’t see why people would be opposed to it.”

Due to the coronavirus, it is expected that many residents will choose to vote by mail in the Sept 1 Election. That option will also be available for the Nov. 3 Election.

The State Primary election season is heating up in Chelsea. Councillor-at-Large Damali Vidot is running against State Rep. Dan Ryan in the Democratic Primary. The U.S. Senate race, featuring U.S. Sen. Edward Markey and Congressman Joe Kennedy III in the Democratic Primary, is generating significant interest in Massachusetts and nationwide.

All the election-related activity and the new Vote by Mail process has made it a busy time for the City Clerk’s Office at City Hall that is led by Cintron White, a popular 1999 graduate of Chelsea High School, who will be celebrating a milestone birthday this week.