Hello, Salem -
You’ve probably read in the Salem Gazette and the Salem News that Ward 6 councilor candidate Jerry L. Ryan has filed a lawsuit against the City, the City Clerk, and the Board of Registrars. There will be a hearing on 19 December in Lawrence Superior Court about whether the City should be enjoined (legally forbidden) from swearing in Megan Riccardi in January, pending resolution of the entire lawsuit.
The League of Women Voters exists to empower voters and defend democracy. Democracy is hard and sometimes frustrating, but it is better than all the alternatives. We urge Salem voters to stay informed, engaged, and constructive as we express our American freedoms and move towards a new city council in 2020.
Here are a few things LWVS wants you to know:
The lawsuit talks about the difficulties one voter had on election night that led to him leave the Ward 6 polling place without voting. Our understanding is that this voter contacted a community organization and obtained their support in meeting with the Clerk shortly after the election. At the 15 November Board of Registrars meeting, Councilor Dominguez, who assisted the voter after the election, reported that after meeting with the Clerk and discussing what happened, the voter was satisfied that nothing “inappropriate” had occurred. (No voter suppression.) We’ve made inquiries, and to the best of our knowledge, the voter has not re-opened a complaint. Moving forward, LWVS is dedicated to working with all stakeholders to make sure that all voters have an excellent voting experience in the future.
Overall, the lawsuit says Mr. Ryan is disputing 11 ballots, including the one not cast by the voter mentioned above.
It is quite possible that Ward 6 will have to have a new election, given the one-vote margin of victory. If the Court agrees with Mr. Ryan on just one of the ballots he has complained about, that would render the 5 November election defective.
Whether you are pleased with the outcomes of the 5 November election or not, and whether you are pleased with the eventual outcome of this lawsuit or not, please remember that we are all in this together, doing the important work of sustaining, protecting, and defending democracy.
Respectfully submitted,
Judith Reilly
Voter Services & Civic Engagement Chair
League of Women Voters - Salem