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City Clerk warns Lynn residents: fail to return street-census card and you may be put on an 'inactive voter' list
Summary
Lynn's City Clerk and Chief of Elections told councilors that residents who do not return the city street-census/listing may receive an inactivation notice; city will mail prepaid postcards and urged broad outreach to avoid unintended voter inactivation ahead of fall elections.
Lynn’s City Clerk and Chief of Elections told the City Council May 26 that state law requires election offices to send inactivation notices to voters who do not respond to a street-census or household listing. The city mailed a March street listing and will send a follow-up inactivation notice to nonrespondents in June unless residents return the census.
James Lammana said the notices are not intended to prevent people from voting but will place nonrespondents on an "inactive" voter list, which can require proof of residency at future elections. To reduce confusion he said the office will include a perforated, prepaid postcard designed for one-step return so residents can certify their address without buying postage.
"This does not mean that you are unable to vote," Lammana told the council. "This does mean that you're going to be on an inactive voter list come this fall ... and you'll be required to present proof of residency." He urged residents to mail the form or deliver it to city hall and called for coordinated outreach, including social media, robocalls and senior-building engagement.
Council members and elections staff discussed outreach channels and the clerk’s office offered a contact (Sarah Bullock, election coordinator) and promised collaboration with the mayor’s office and councilors on messaging to reach residents who may not be online. The clerk said inactivation letters are scheduled to go out on a June timeline and that in a small number of cases voters who fail to respond to multiple street‑listing mailings can be removed from the rolls entirely, in line with state rules.
