Some local authorities in Massachusetts are trying to remove home addresses from the ballot that voters and, in certain situations, nonresidents view online in response to the targeted attacks against state politicians in Minnesota.
Earlier this month, Melissa Hortman, a former Democratic House Speaker, and her husband were shot and killed at their suburban home in northern Minneapolis. According to authorities, Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, who resided a few miles away, were also shot by the suspected shooter, Vince Boelter, who was taken into custody days after the killings.
According to the Associated Press, Boelter was discovered carrying notebooks containing the names, addresses, and plans to locate the residences of his victims.
A bill to exclude addresses from election ballots is now being sponsored by state representative Jacob Oliveira of Massachusetts. In Massachusetts, some previous and current sample ballots can be found online with home addresses for all candidates, including town meeting members, town council members, and school committee members as well as less public figures like municipal gas & light commissioners and library trustees.
The bill’s proposed wording would substitute the city or town for candidates running for state office, or the ward, precinct, or district for candidates running for local office, for the street and number of his dwelling, if any.
Oliveira discussed his initiative, which was sent to the Joint Committee on Election Laws last week, and his personal safety fears with the Globe. Oliveira serves as the senate vice chair on the committee.
Regarding state lawmakers, Oliveira stated, “We don’t have drivers, we don’t have security details.” The public has a misconception that we are alone. We visit large box retailers, Home Depot, and the grocery store. People notice us. The ivory tower is not where we are.
Candidates for the congressional delegation to state representatives in Massachusetts have their home addresses listed next to their names. A sample ballot made available online on Tuesday included the home addresses of Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Lori Trahan, whose residence was the victim of a fake bomb threat last year.
On the other hand, no further ballots including home addresses were found when sample ballots from the other 49 states were reviewed online.
According to The Boston Globe, safety officials in New Hampshire temporarily removed state lawmakers’ personal information off the internet following the attacks.
Citing safety concerns, Oliveira declined to comment on this story.
Molly Farrar works for Boston.com as a general assignment reporter, covering topics such as politics, crime, and education.
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