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by Glenn C. Koenig, Webmaster at Town Wide Mall
For those who haven't voted by mail or in person yet, the town web site has an image of a sample ballot, which shows the complete text of Question 6 at the bottom of the back page: https://www.townofmaynard-ma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3402/Presidential-Sample-Ballot The question asks voters whether they wish to support a "... system of single payer universal health care ... ," here in the state of Massachusetts. Unfortunately, that wording still leaves many unanswered questions. After a search on the web came up with few results, I contacted our state representative, Kate Hogan, to inquire. I did not talk with her in person, but Allison Kenney, the Communications Director in her office, sent me an official statement, issued by Representative Hogan. From her statement, I learned: • The "District" mentioned in the wording refers to the "Third Middlesex Legislative District" which includes Maynard, Stow, Hudson, and Bolton. The question also appears on ballots in towns in some other districts but it is not on ballots in all cities and towns in Massachusetts. • The question is non-binding. That means that, unlike the other five questions, the vote on this question would not create a new law if passed. Instead, a "Yes" vote would recommend that Rep. Hogan support legislation as described in the question. A "No" vote on this question would not recommend that she take any action, either way. However, the vote totals will provide her with a sense of the will of the voters, overall. Note that, even with binding questions, as 1 through 5 are this year, for each one that passes, new legislation will be enacted, exactly as printed in the "Information for Voters" booklet, but the legislators can still modify the law later on if they see fit. • The question is sponsored by a group, "Massachusetts Campaign for Single Payer Health Care." They have a web site here: https://masscare.org/ballot-question-2024/ In her statement, Representative Hogan says, "Ultimately, the solution will be a federal one and will require [a] big commitment to change, but as we know, states can lead the way." She goes on to describe how Massachusetts has been a leader in reform in this area, and how she has taken the initiative to help improve various aspects of state law to benefit Massachusetts residents. I spoke with Maynard's new Town Clerk, Melissa L. Pelletier. She has now been hired to replace our previous Town Clerk, Dianne Reardon, who retired in late September. She told me that she has not received any questions from voters on Question 6 so far, and there has been little publicity about the question, so it's uncertain if it will get significant support. Update 28 October 2024 - After publishing this story, I was contacted by Kimberley Connors, Executive Director of Mass Care (aka the Massachusetts Campaign for Single Payer Health Care - see link above). She told me that the organization was started 20 years ago, but that trying to spread the word about their work has recently become more difficult because of the collapse of many local newspapers. Since I did not contact her before publishing this story originally, I agreed to interview her, and report on our conversation here. "The ballot question is intended to give voters a chance to express their displeasure with the current medical system," she explained. The organization's position is that the profit driven medical and insurance system now in place has created medical “deserts” throughout the Commonwealth (where there is a lack of reasonable medical care available in some local areas). The bankruptcy of Steward Health Care and the closures of two of their hospitals is just the latest example, she told me. (See this news report, one of many, on the situation that unfolded: https://www.healthcaredive.com/news/steward-health-care-close-2-massachusetts-hospitals-judge-approval/723045/ ) "Nashoba Valley Medical Center was used by many residents of Maynard," she explained, "but because of this bankruptcy, the hospital closed when the state could not find any buyers to keep it open." (Story continues with the "Options for Voting" section, right after the Comment section, below.) Comment Although the Town Clerk hasn't received any questions on Question 6 from voters so far, I decided to publish this story anyway, because I am always interested in a better understanding of the issues we face. Democracy depends on an informed electorate. It isn't much good if people just walk into the polling place and think they should mark everything on their ballot, even if they have little idea of what they're voting on. "Get Out The Vote" campaigns seem to indicate that if you just go vote, you've exercised your right. I disagree. In fact, I think leaving a few things on a ballot blank is good practice if you haven't had time to gain a good background on what's at stake. That said, I don't blame people if they haven't been able to satisfactorily understand every issue they are being asked to vote on. As I've said before on this web site (and have posted articles on this topic on my Opinion page here), good government depends on a collaboration of the public, the officials they elect, and reliable sources of information. However, the "Information for Voters" booklet has 40 pages of single spaced text, devoted to just 5 questions. There are 16 pages on Question 4 alone! So, we are faced with a dilemma - struggle through the reports and legal language, then listen to the debates on the radio or TV, or read analysis online, ... or risk ending up in the voting booth without a clear idea of what to do. If the process seems daunting, I recommend at least reading the first two pages for each question, just to get an overview. Then go to the section called "Majority Report" and see what the legislators on the review committee had to say. What I found interesting was their summary of statements from various proponents, opponents, and members of the general public who showed up to give their opinions about the proposed law, for each question. A lot of this is in easy-to-read language, based on the actual people who will be affected by the law, one way or another. Just to be clear, I don't necessarily agree with the ultimate recommendations given in the Majority Report. Also, although I have written this news story on Question 6, I didn't do so to recommend a vote either way; I leave it to you to make up your own mind. Options for Voting The town's Elections web page has instructions for where and how to vote here: https://www.townofmaynard-ma.gov/170/Elections
In person voting on election day is at the Fowler School, Maynard's middle school, located at 3 Tiger Drive. The polls will be open from 7 AM until 8 PM. If you are not already registered to vote, the deadline is Saturday, the 26th of October (tomorrow as I write this) to register. If you wish to vote by mail, and are already registered to vote, the deadline to submit an application for a mail-in ballot is this Tuesday, October 29th, before 5:00 PM, at the Town Building. The form to use to apply for voting by mail is on the Secretary of the Commonwealth's web site, here: https://www.sec.state.ma.us/divisions/elections/download/vote-by-mail-applications/vote-by-mail-paper-application-2023.pdf Print out the form, fill it out, and take it to the Town Clerk's office in the Town Hall. In order for mail-in ballots to be counted, they must be received at the Clerk's office by 8:00 P.M. on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 5. If there is a chance that the mail will not get there in time, there is a ballot drop box to the left of the front door of the building. Ballots returned returned by mail must be postmarked by 5 p.m. Nov. 5, but will be accepted for three extra days. Town Wide Mall is free for anyone to read and carries no advertising, so our only means of support is from donations. Please consider helping with a donation of any amount. Click on the Donate button, below, to see the options.
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