Following the recent targeted assaults on state legislators in Minnesota, several local officials in Massachusetts are striving to remove home addresses from ballots viewed by voters and, in certain instances, prevent them from appearing online for non-residents.
Earlier this month, former Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her spouse tragically lost their lives to gunfire at their residence in the northern Minneapolis suburbs. Alleged perpetrator Vince Boelter, apprehended several days following the incident, is also accused of shooting Senator John Hoffman and his partner, who resided just a short distance away. police said .
Boelter was discovered with notebooks containing names, addresses, and strategies for locating the addresses of his intended victims, according to reports from the Associated Press.
Massachusetts State Representative Jacob Oliveira has introduced legislation aimed at eliminating residential addresses from election ballots. Currently, in Massachusetts, certain past and present sample ballots available online include full home addresses for various political positions such as town meeting participants, city councilors, and education board members. This also extends to individuals holding lesser-known roles like municipal utility commissioners and library overseers.
The suggested wording for the legislation aims to eliminate the clause "street and number, if any, of his residence" and instead introduce "the city or town for those running for state-level positions, or the ward, precinct, or district for individuals seeking local offices."
Oliveira spoke to the Globe Regarding his worries about personal safety and his proposed legislation, which was transferred to the Joint Committee on Election Laws last week. Oliveira holds the position of vice chairman in this committee.
Oliveira stated regarding state legislators, "We don’t have drivers, nor do we have security details." He clarified that the common belief among the public—that they remain secluded—is mistaken. "In reality," he continued, "we visit places like the grocery store, Home Depot, and large retail chains. The public encounters us regularly. Our work doesn’t confine us to some remote ivory tower."
In Massachusetts, the residential addresses of individuals running for positions within the congressional delegation to state representatives are listed alongside their names. This includes the home addresses of Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Lori Trahan, whose residence was once targeted. fake bomb threat the previous year were discovered on an online sample ballot made available on Tuesday.
On the other hand, reviewing sample ballots posted online from the remaining 49 states did not reveal any instances where home addresses were included.
Following the attacks, security staff in New Hampshire briefly removed publicly available online personal data related to state legislators. The Boston Globe reported .
Oliveira chose not to comment on the story, mentioning safety issues as the reason.
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