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Home My WebLink About2025-08-22-VISION-rpt (Final Report of the Subcommittee on Local Election Voter Participation) RECEIVED 2 0 2 5 IIS i , 2 3 a i °i TOWN CLERK LEXINGTON MA OUR VOTE, OUR COMMUNITY Addressing Low Voter Turnout in Lexington's Local Elections .A.Report to theLexing-ton Select.Board by the Irision forLi , -to Subcommittee Members: Marian Cohen Margaret Coppe Daniel Joyner, Jr. Fernando Quezada Eileen Zalisk Jeri Zeder(subcommittee chair) Final Report approved by the Vision for Lexington on August 22, 2025. Contents EXECUTIVESUMMARY.........................................................................................................................................1 KEYFINDINGS............................................................................................................................................................1 RECOMMENDEDACTIONS..........................................................................................................................................2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT................................................................................................................................................4 INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................................................................5 WHAT IS THE PROBLEM,AND WHY DOES IT MATTER?..................................................................................................5 SHOULDEVERYONE VOTE?.........................................................................................................................................7 BACKGROUND..........................................................................................................................................................9 WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT VOTER TURNOUT IN GENERAL FROM LITERATURE REVIEW AND SURVEYS.......................9 FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH LOW VOTER TURNOUT..................................................................................................11 FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASED VOTER TURNOUT.......................................................................................13 PROPOSED STRATEGIES TO INCREASE VOTER TURNOUT............................................................................................14 RECENT MASSACHUSETTS VOTING REFORMS AND VOTER TURNOUT..............................................19 VOTING IN LEXINGTON'S LOCAL TOWN ELECTIONS..............................................................................23 FACTORS AFFECTING VOTER TURNOUT IN LEXINGTON........................................................................28 TIMING.....................................................................................................................................................................29 COMPETITION...........................................................................................................................................................29 INFORMATION..........................................................................................................................................................30 OTHER FACTORS THAT MAY CONTRIBUTE TO LOW VOTER TURNOUT IN LEXINGTON'S LOCAL ELECTIONS................33 WHY LOCAL VOTING MATTERS: THE STRUCTURE OF LEXINGTON TOWN GOVERNMENT AND ITS IMPACT ON LEXINGTON VOTERS.............................................................................................................37 SELECT BOARD(ELECTED)AND TOWN MANAGER(APPOINTED)..............................................................................38 SCHOOLCOMMITTEE(ELECTED)..............................................................................................................................39 PLANNING BOARD(ELECTED)..................................................................................................................................40 TOWN MODERATOR(ELECTED)................................................................................................................................41 HOUSING AUTHORITY(ELECTED)............................................................................................................................41 TOWNMEETING(ELECTED).....................................................................................................................................42 RECOMMENDATIONS...........................................................................................................................................45 RECOMMENDATION 1:CONVENE A VOTER TURNOUT TASK FORCE.........................................................................45 RECOMMENDATION 2:CHANGE THE TIMING OF LOCAL ELECTIONS.........................................................................46 RECOMMENDATION 3:PROMOTE VOTING IN LOCAL ELECTIONS..............................................................................47 RECOMMENDATION 4:REDUCE BARRIERS TO VOTING.............................................................................................48 RECOMMENDATION 5:SUPPORT THE TOWN CLERK IN LOOKING AT PROCESSES AND MAKING IMPROVEMENTS......48 RECOMMENDATION 6:ADVOCATE FOR HOME RULE PETITIONS FOR RANKED-CHOICE VOTING AND FOR LOCAL VOTING RIGHTS FOR NON-CITIZEN LAWFUL PERMANENT RESIDENTS.....................................................................49 RECOMMENDATION 7:MODERNIZE DATA ACCESS...................................................................................................49 RECOMMENDATION 8:STUDY HOW TO FOSTER AN INFORMED CITIZENRY...............................................................50 RECOMMENDATION 9:STUDY WHY LOCAL ELECTIONS ARE OFTEN UNCONTESTED................................................50 CONCLUSION..........................................................................................................................................................52 APPENDIX 1:REFERENCES FOR LITERATURE REVIEW...........................................................................53 APPENDIX II:WHAT LEXINGTON CHILDREN LEARN ABOUT CIVICS IN SCHOOL.........................56 ii Tables TABLE 12023 March Annual Town Election,by percent........................................................... 24 TABLE 2 January 24, 2012, Special Town Election,by percent.................................................. 25 TABLE 3 May 3, 2016, Special Debt Vote,by percent................................................................ 26 TABLE 4 Voter turnout when the Annual Town Election in March is held on the same day as a presidential or state primary,by percent....................................................................................... 27 TABLE 5 Residents'Reasons for Not Voting in March 2021 Annual Town Election................. 34 iii Executive Summary This report of the Vision for Lexington Subcommittee on Local Election Voter Participation examines low voter turnout in Lexington's municipal election and makes recommendations on ways to increase turnout. Key Findings 1. Voting in local elections is a singular form of local civic participation. It is the only activity that installs into office the individuals who populate Lexington's elected governing bodies and constitute our town government. These governing bodies make decisions about Lexington's nearly $300 million municipal and school budget that includes public health and safety; transportation; housing; recreation; climate challenges; upkeep and renewal of town and school buildings, roads, and other public infrastructure; and the care of vulnerable residents and other public concerns and emergencies. 2. Despite Lexington's 96 percent voter registration rate, it is typical that some 80 to 90 percent of Lexington's voters do not vote in Lexington's Town elections. Higher voter turnout can ensure that our town government is more representative of the townspeople of Lexington. Higher voter turnout, insofar as it is a marker of community engagement, is valuable in itself. But equally important is that higher voter turnout enables local candidates and local elected officials to be more in tune with, and answerable to, a wider swath of the community.A community in which small numbers of voters have an outsized role in electing candidates into local office is a community that may not be hearing other voices and ideas and is potentially less responsive to people whose needs and concerns differ from those of the people who vote. 3. Low voter turnout in local elections is not unique to Lexington. It is a phenomenon seen across the United States. 1 4. There is no single magic bullet that will serve to transform our community from a low- turnout to a high-turnout town. There are, however,particular, concrete actions that can be taken that may increase turnout, even by small percentage points, and cumulatively may result in a meaningful increase in local voter turnout. These are discussed in the Recommendations section of this report. We developed these recommendations and reached conclusions based on surveys and data that are unique to Lexington, and also by reviewing academic studies that address the issue more broadly. 5. Our review of the literature revealed two major findings: (1) that those who feel connected to a social and cultural expectation that they should be voters tend to actually go to the polls and vote, and(2) that voting is a "sticky"habit.people who vote in one election tend to vote in subsequent elections. These findings suggest that Lexington could substantially increase its turnout rates in local elections if voting becomes a basic community value and expectation. Just as Lexington values our public school system; our low crime rate; our significant local history; our low rates of littering, graffiti and other property-disrespecting activities; our strong recreation programs and facilities; our public conservation lands; and our commitment to diversity and peaceful coexistence, so, too, could we value participation in democratic actions such as voting. Recommended Actions' 1. That the Select Board create and convene a Task Force to work on transforming voting in Lexington's local elections into a central social and cultural value and expectation in our town. We envision a Task Force of appointed residents, including at least one or two high school students from Minuteman High School, Lexington High School, or both, to work year-round on the issue of increasing voter turnout in local elections and reducing barriers to voting. We see this as a multi-year effort that would require the Task Force to engage in regular assessment and experimentation. We propose that the Task Force have a clear end date, with the potential for extending its life or even 1 Consult the"Recommendations"section of this report for in-depth discussion of these action items. 2 making it permanent if the Select Board deems necessary or appropriate. Six to ten years would give the Task Force time to get its bearings, to create and test programs, and be nimble in its work as things change, stagnate, or progress. The charge of the Task Force would include helping people vote. 2. Change the timing of local elections. A home-rule petition to permit the Annual Town Election to occur on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November would, according to research, measurably increase voter turnout. An alternative,but likely less impactful change from a voter-turnout perspective, would be to amend Lexington's bylaws to require that the Annual Town Election fall on a Tuesday instead of a Monday in March, to align with voters' expectations that Election Day is always a Tuesday. 3. Promote voting in local elections. Voter turnout can increase when voters are better informed.A robust program of communications,publicity, and events to inform voters of local-election voting and local civic engagement, including educating eligible voters to make a plan to vote, could improve turnout. 4. Reduce barriers to voting. Barriers to voting can lower voter turnout. Increasing the number of mail-in drop boxes,better assisting those who need help going to the polls, and raising awareness of voting by mail and of voting accommodations for those with disabilities would all reduce barriers to voting. 5. Support the Town Clerk in looking at processes and making improvements. Enabling the Town Clerk to streamline the logistics of administering elections, to consult with experts on the management of events, space, voter engagement, and social media outreach, and to develop a Voter Assistance Hotline could enhance the Town Clerk's ability to be a resource for voter engagement efforts. 6. Advocate in the Massachusetts Legislature for home-rule petitions for voting reforms passed by Town Meeting. Ranked-choice voting and local voting rights for non-citizen lawful permanent residents passed by Town Meeting in 2023 and 2025 are measures that could increase voter turnout. But they cannot be implemented without the granting of 3 home-rule petitions by the Massachusetts Legislature. Town leadership should advocate for these measures,per the will of Town Meeting. 7. Modernize data access to make it easier to study, and increase understanding of, local voter turnout.A unified database related to voting, census, and schools (within the confines of privacy laws) in Lexington, and uniform collection of voting and demographic data across Massachusetts, would help researchers better understand local voter turnout, and be used to craft effective reforms. 8. Study how to foster an informed citizenry. We recommend the convening of a Vision for Lexington subcommittee to explore how to better communicate with residents, specifically about local elections and voting. 9. Study why local elections are often uncontested Contested elections tend to increase voter turnout, yet, in Lexington, elections are frequently uncontested. We recommend the convening of a Vision for Lexington subcommittee to explore why our local elections are often uncontested, the implications for inclusive representation, and relevant reforms. Acknowledgement The Subcommittee wishes to thank Lexington Town Clerk Mary de Alderete for her careful reading and comments on a draft of this report. 4 Introduction What is the problem, and why does it matter? Lexington has a thriving civic culture. When decisions by town officials and staff are opposed or supported by groups of residents, coalitions often quickly form and insistent activism follows. When groups of residents recognize that they have common interests and needs, they band together into affinity organizations that fill our town with new awareness and appreciation for perspectives that might otherwise be overlooked. When residents feel that the town government is insufficiently addressing issues that are important to them, they research, write, and file citizens articles that are brought to Town Meeting. The Lexington League of Women Voters, PTO/PTAs, the Lexington Lyceum, houses of worship, and other organizations and venues often provide forums for public affairs events that are open to all. Widespread volunteerism is a bedrock of Lexington, civically and culturally, as is generous charitable giving to community needs and organizations.2 All of this is a feature of and credit to our community.Yet, none of these activities does one very important thing: establish our town government. Groups and their activities do not elect local officials who are responsible for making decisions about the town's nearly $300 million municipal and school budget; public health and safety, transportation, housing, recreation, and climate challenges; upkeep and renewal of town and school buildings, roads, and other public infrastructure; the care of vulnerable residents and other public concerns and emergencies. These groups and activities do not put into public office the people whose job is to devote themselves, 365 days a year, to listening to and helping constituents; to weighing, considering, and balancing our shared short- and long-term community concerns; to judiciously examining complicated policy questions and putting solutions into practice. Only one activity does that: voting in our local town elections. And yet, despite Lexington's voter registration rate of around 96 percent,3 typically just 10 to 20 percent of eligible voters turn out to vote in our Annual Town Election each spring. 2 2022 Town Wide Survey hl,!p:H Icxx rugl, !2,,ggyl2]i l:l()22 ➢own ude Na[yg llli i m k; 3 Per 5/21/2025 email from Lexington Town Clerk Mary de Alderete to Jeri Zeder: "As of today,Lexington has 23,160 registered voters out of a possible 24,080 qualified residents(age 18 and over),which brings us to the 96% rate of registration." 5 Even in contested candidate elections and in tax override and debt exclusion elections, voter turnout does not come close to reaching 30 percent. The evidence cited in this report is that Lexington's local election turnout rates are 10w.4 These low local voting rates mean that a majority of Lexington's citizenry is not meaningfully expressing its preferences for who should govern us and make the important decisions that affect the present and future lives of Lexington's townspeople. Given this, it would be to the benefit of the community if representation were more robust through higher local election turnout rates.5 The phenomenon of low voter turnout in local elections is not unique to Lexington. Across the Commonwealth and nationwide, voter turnout in municipal elections is similarly low.6 Published studies (discussed later)point to a series of factors for this phenomenon. It is worth noting that, while this report is focused on local election voter turnout, we noticed a dip in turnout for the presidential election in November of 2024. Lexington's turnout in the 2012, 2016, and 2020 elections were 83 percent, 84 percent, and 88 percent, respectively,but turnout in 2024 fell to 78 percent.Time will tell if this is a trend. What we do in Lexington affects not only our town,but the wider world. Our well- regarded school system, for example, educates and shapes individuals who bring the knowledge, skills, and values they learned here with them wherever they go in life. Similarly, Lexington's town culture shapes whether or not we are a community of voters dedicated to a democratically representative government. If we can develop a culture that embraces an expectation of local voting by our townspeople, we will be producing citizens who will vote wherever they go and be good citizens for the world. 4 The Subcommittee defines"low voter turnout"in our town's local elections as the wide gap between Lexington's voter registration rate and Annual Town Election turnout rate. 5 Lawful permanent residents,because they are not U.S. citizens,are ineligible to vote in any elections.In 2025, Lexington Town Meeting adopted Article 26,a citizen petition seeking voting rights in local elections for lawful permanent residents.The vote was 84 in favor,79 against,and 7 abstaining.This Town Meering action did not, however,render Lexington's lawful permanent residents eligible to vote.Lexington cannot act on the adoption of Article 26 unless and until Massachusetts state government grants the town a home rule petition. 6 Even in the contested,historic 2021 Boston mayoral race,in which the ballot included three referendum questions, just 28.9 percent of voters cast a ballot.iu0,im :ll .i� 0 mu. mwnlma 11 u0u l�� d ili�l� lmi., im u0,a, historic clectlon,... low..:voter..:ourno u0/ 7 hl,i, s://recc ords,,Icxx im glglum!!!:,g yl cbi l,uruk/lll)oc� ucw,aspy,?d i"/1 697&d.bumi. �D m mi lll mud 1f, umu 0 mu.� 1v001��.11�� umul�u0��muuw��.1u ... � � .•11u��u��. � ... 1 1M 1M mw� ,mu01m; 114ovewrl be 3 x°020 1 reslm�1.�;�r tial 111 lc ' I.1 lll�lll�lll;!";1v00 m��:!!1��u�u�O;�amumw�� llll��au, °11�ru0��lwt1� l1� ,., � ? �..,�mu�mu lll lll. 1v00i' !l� a u,110 amumwn�,,.1 llll a aumwn mu0 m u0 rl a li 149/2024 11 05 lll°114AI, "➢I: Bi,�➢f,A1 1014 ➢I resl,dcnial lll lll lim° llf:°:. 111?X1.1 J1,lll 11 6 This report addresses factors correlated with low voter turnout in Lexington's local elections, explores in greater depth the importance of local elections, and makes recommendations for constructive actions and measures to potentially increase voter turnout that can be taken by the Town and by the community at large. The specific observations and recommendations in this report reflect the background research and discussions carried out by our Subcommittee from October 2021 to the present date.8 Should everyone vote? Throughout our time of studying this issue, we grappled with our guiding premise: that voter turnout in Lexington's municipal elections should be higher, that the gap between Lexington's high voter registration rate and low voter turnout rate should close. We confronted issues such as: what if more people are motivated to go to the polls because they believe misinformation, disinformation, and propaganda being spread about town policies and candidates?What if we manage to raise the voter turnout rate in local elections, but those voters are not well informed about local issues and how our local government works, or they do not feel invested in Lexington's future?Discussing questions like these helped to sharpen why we advocate for higher voter turnout in Lexington's local elections. The law establishes who can vote.9 Notably absent from these criteria are requirements that voters demonstrate motives, abilities, viewpoints, values, levels of knowledge, or similar characteristics. The ballots we cast are secret ballots. This means that voting by an eligible individual is a matter of personal conscience and choice. In a democracy, to address voters' understandings of candidates and issues, we write articles, hold information sessions, foster discussion, campaign, and raise awareness. The goal is to encourage more people to vote, and to provide more information so that we have informed voters. 8 A word about what this report does not cover.Voting is a complex activity.When,for example,a ballot runs longer than one page and voters do not realize that they must turn it over to complete their voting,it may be said that voters did not"turn out"for those items on the reverse side of the ballot.This report is not addressing phenomena like ballot design,although we do discuss that certain ballot-design issues can be a barrier to those with low-vision. In our Subcommittee meetings,we discussed the impact of misinformation and disinformation on voter turnout,and on the issue of whether it is"good"for Lexington if low-information voters go to the polls.It is possible that agitating Lexington's voters with misinformation and disinformation could increase voter turnout in our local elections,but we do not recommend that as a method of increasing voter turnout. 9 ivool: :!l , . o; o . wn�.auli.0 uu,amul ouamulao ,maulmu o rumui oao .ivown 7 Underlying voting are fundamental ideas about civic engagement, democracy, our social contract, and responsibilities to ourselves, our families, and our communitylo: • Voting gives every person an equal voice. • Voting empowers us to help shape the policies and decisions that affect our lives and futures. • Voting lets us express our values and gives us a say in who represents us and who makes decisions on issues that matter to us. • The right to vote, and voting itself, safeguards other rights and freedoms. • Voting holds elected officials accountable for their actions and decisions. • Voting encourages elected officials to be responsive to their constituents. When so few of Lexington's eligible voters are turning out to vote in our local elections, it is a sign that most of Lexington's residents are not engaged in shaping their future, protecting rights, and holding elected officials accountable in the most direct way possible to voters. Voting is not compulsory in Lexington or anywhere in the U.S. Therefore, to increase voter turnout in our local elections, we must turn to education, persuasion, and articulation of the core social and democratic values manifested in the act of voting. Perhaps by doing so, we will not only strengthen the civic life of Lexington; we will also help to guard against erosions of our voting rights, represented in controversial bills like the SAVE Act,11 by mobilizing ourselves and our neighbors to care about voting. io Adapted from content submitted by the Lexington League of Women Voters. u iugm:llu u u mucSI,,,oresI,AI,P lugWa uures newslde0au s/9 Oivun Oyu know about Oiu b l' :H ,,,Iw oliililoglsgfe,g uuurd auµu<icrigin yotq u,fugMsave act trick 8 Background What we learned about voter turnout in general from literature review and surveys Voter turnout has been discussed in conversations among neighbors and friends, in both academic literature and the popular press and blogs, and has been the subject of various polls. Low voter turnout in general has been widely acknowledged, and it is agreed that voter turnout in local elections is particularly poor. Factors associated with low voter turnout have been identified, and factors that might increase voter turnout have been proposed. As one author stated, "turnout to vote is the most common and important act of political participation in any democracy." (Aldrich 1993: 246)And yet, even though voting is central to democracy and is a key marker of social cohesion and social capital, voter turnout is less well explained than other political actions. Rational choice theory posits that people should make decisions based on what is rational and in their best interests. That would argue that people should vote in order to help secure the futures that matter to them. However, instead of looking forward to actions they can take to ensure outcomes they desire, voters tend to look backward and assess whether their prior choices have been reinforced. Past performances of candidates, for example, matter more than do candidates'promises. This is reasonable in the case of those seeking reelection but is made difficult with new candidates. In the latter case, there is less on which to base a decision, so voting is less likely.All the more reason, as we discuss below, to make sure to communicate, on personal levels (especially in local elections), with potential voters. ,,The folk theory of democracy,"that elections give citizens the power to control their government (Bartles 2016:38), is the core of American thinking about elections. We assume that elections show preferences of a majority, or the `will'of the people. In reality, given low voter turnout, elections serve as referenda on the performance of those already in office or an expression of the passion associated with an issue and express the voice of a minority. Interestingly, while low voter turnout is repeatedly cited in the literature and statistics, a 2018 Pew Research Center survey found that 74% of respondents ranked election participation above paying taxes and following laws as a determinant of good citizenship. Therefore, while we 9 acknowledge the importance of voting,paradoxically, we do not vote in concert with our beliefs. (Root and Kennedy 2018) Two possible explanations for political participation are: 1)people conduct a cost-benefit analysis and conclude their vote might decide an election, and 2)people enjoy voting. Under this view, the challenge is to convince people that their vote does matter, and that voting is an enjoyable privilege. (Shachar and Nalebuff 1999) Why does voting matter, or more directly, why does low voter turnout matter?Those who study this issue posit that voting is a democratic act that leads to more democracy, more consensus, and more egalitarianism. Low turnout means unequal turnout, with those more connected and committed determining outcomes for those less involved. It results in unequal political influence, even in local elections. One factor complicating voting in local elections is that there is rarely a cue available regarding a party moniker. For example, those who would vote `Democrat'or `Republican'do not have the guidance on which they might rely in a national or state election. Instead, voters are obliged to learn more about candidates or issues, and that requires some work. If an incumbent is running, a voter must learn about what that incumbent has, or has not, done while in office. If a candidate is new on the ballot, a voter must learn about that for which the candidate stands, is willing to do, and what qualifications are possessed for the office. If an issue is to be decided, a voter must learn the details of the issue and the pros and cons associated with it. There are, generally, key factors that affect voting in local elections: incumbency; campaign spending; support of local groups or known individuals; and internal dynamics of communities, including `stakeholders'or those with particular agendas they wish to advance. When turnout is low, elections hinge on a highly motivated group (rather than the `average'voter) and results are determined by a small group that is not necessarily representative of the whole population. As noted by the Brennan Center for Justice (2023), local elections are critical in that they shape constituents'daily lives. It is at this level the residents'concerns can make the most difference by creating change not available at other levels of government. Local elections are also important entry points into the political process. It is here that new political leaders can develop and here that grassroots efforts to affect the larger society can grow. 10 Factors associated with low voter turnout12 When asked why they did not vote,people have cited reasons ranging from political biases/preferences (such as not liking candidates, not believing one's vote makes a difference) to practical impediments (such as barriers to voting, including lack of transportation, choice fatigue)to personal factors (such as feeling ill,being out of town). (U.S. Census,November 2020)This range of reasons illustrates why the task of increasing voter turnout is not easy, or straightforward. Rather, it suggests that a comprehensive effort, involving many strategies and tactics, will be needed to get more Americans involved in the voting process generally and in going to the polls. Reaching intermittent voters (those who are registered to vote but do not regularly do so) is important. These tend to be the voters who do not have strong social connections and are less likely to see voting as a civic duty; are dissatisfied with government generally; know less about issues/candidates; are more likely to say issues don't affect them; and say they are too busy to become involved. They are not convinced that their vote matters or makes a difference and do not feel guilty about not voting or feel a responsibility to vote or even generally participating in the social/political world. Electoral research has shown that political competence; civic, cultural, and political motivation; and social integration affect individual voting behavior. The less connected a (potential)voter feels to a community or society, the less likely that individual is to vote. Older citizens, who are more likely to vote than are younger citizens, illustrate the importance of connection. (The gap in turnout between older and younger people has been estimated to be as high as 50 percentage points.)Younger people are more likely to move from community to community, decreasing the likelihood that they are registered to vote; they tend to be renters, and renters vote less frequently than do homeowners; they often do not appreciate the importance of having a voice in local elections because they are less likely to see decisions about issues such as housing affordability or public safety to be relevant to them; and they tend to be more skeptical about the value of their votes in solving community problems. A review of comments from (self-selected) Lexingtonians on The Lexington List, an email-based community forum, on why they did not vote on the June 6, 2022, debt exclusion for lz Findings in this section come from a review of the literature on voting behavior. See Appendix 1 for citations. 11 a new Police Station, found the following reasons: felt ambivalent about the issue or did not feel well enough informed; forgot or did not know there was an election; moved or will be moving soon; came down with COVID or had another health issue; had family issues; felt that an individual vote did not matter; did not understand the wording of the ballot(a perennial problem as the wording of ballot questions is legally mandated). These reasons suggest that residents felt there were barriers to voting including: illness or other reason for not being able to get out of the house; not enough time to get an absentee ballot; not automatically receiving a mail-in ballot; failing to remember there is an election or failing to plan ahead to vote; not understanding the wording of a ballot question; not liking the choices (yes/no) offered. Other reasons cited included a lack of understanding of the issue due to the absence of a campaign (citing pros and cons) of the debt exclusion; misgivings about the role of police in Lexington and in the country; concerns that a new station was not really necessary; and a belief that because Town Meeting and Town officials supported a new Police Station there is no need for additional affirmation by residents. These argue both for the need to provide voters with opportunities to ask questions and express concerns and the importance of voter education. The findings are consistent with those reported in the Report on Town-Wide Survey 2022,13 in which respondents were asked their reasons for not voting in the March 2021 Annual Town election. Respondents said: they were too busy; missed deadlines; that issues did not matter or were not important enough to the respondent; they believed that a single vote does not matter; that local elections do not make an impact; they distrust government; they did not like the choices; they had accessibility issues (transportation, weather, illness, inconvenient polling hours).Again, the message is that more outreach and connection to voters is needed to inform them about issues and remind them to vote. is v0; :ll u 0 amumwn�„ a llll a aumwn mum,; u0 rl u �� ,�dl � "lll mu:: um"c Survgy ➢I,tqDQ J';Q2 9 3() I .::: 12 Factors associated with increased voter turnoutla Research has established that voting history matters in voter turnout. Specifically, those who vote in one election are more likely to vote in the next. Taking actions to vote (including registering to vote, learning how to cast a vote, learning about issues/candidates)requires an initial investment,but after that, political behavior becomes habitual. Voting becomes more or less automatic or expected, and it tends to increase an interest in politics generally, which can lead, in turn, to increased voting behavior. Those who develop a sense of themselves as voters have a psychological impetus to vote and develop a `habit'of voting. Civic participation changes how people view themselves, and voting confirms a self-image as civic-minded and politically involved. In other words, there are psychological benefits to voting as voting creates a sense of political efficacy and increases a sense of civic duty. Two field experiments conducted to evaluate the `contagiousness'of voting found that the tendency to vote is passed from one household member to another and through interactions with others who vote. Discussions with others will increase voter turnout by encouraging the exploration and focusing of ideas. Those interactions with others influence how we become informed about issues/candidates and whether or not we vote. This norm of civic participation declines, however, as voter turnout declines due to fewer encounters with people who vote, reduced social pressure to vote, and a diminished sense of civic responsibility. The probability of voting is linked to the incidence of cooperative and engaged behaviors in other areas such as giving to charities, reading the newspaper, volunteering, belonging to a group, interacting with neighbors or other community members. Social capital is a good predictor of voting behavior as it increases the likelihood that people will have shared objectives and social commitments and will engage in socially interested behaviors. This reinforces the notion of habit formation associated with voting. 14 Findings reported in this section were recorded in the literature on voter turnout and reiterated in interviews with experts in the field and expressed by subscribers to listservs in Lexington.Please consult the List of References for cited literature. 13 Party identification (or partisanship)was generally not found to have much influence on local nonpartisan elections. What does matter is the social structure of the community and the commitment of citizens to the local community and its political system; familiarity with the candidate and his or her orientation; and the role of local organizations, including campaigns and media.Acquaintance with the community and the candidate heavily influence turnout. Voting is a conscious act requiring preparation and plans for voting. Vote planning involves people envisioning themselves voting and identifying barriers they might encounter. It is one technique that can help voter turnout to the polls.A field experiment conducted during the 2008 presidential campaign found that forming a voting plan can increase turnout by 4.1 percentage points, and by 9.1 percentage points among single-eligible-voter households. (Nickerson and Rogers 2010)The `self-prophecy effect'illustrates a powerful connection between implementation intentions and actual behavior. Predicting one will follow through on a plan predicts one's likelihood of doing so. Proposed strategies to increase voter turnoutls It is widely acknowledged that there is no silver bullet for increasing voter turnout. To address the myriad reasons for not voting, many strategies have been suggested to overcome reluctance or resistance to voting and the consensus is that a mix of strategies will be necessary. One suggestion focuses on increasing social connectedness.As was noted in factors associated with increased voter turnout, feeling connected to one's community or society can be a powerful impetus for voting. In this connection, text messages (whether personal or general) have been proposed as a mobilization tool. This is particularly helpful when used with registered voters. Mobilization efforts should stress at least one of three factors that influence voting: impact of voting (and the importance of the individual's vote); convenience (demonstrated, for example,by ease of registration, the use of mail/absentee ballots); community(sense of civic responsibility; representativeness, and community engagement). Identifying how the outcome of an election pertains to the life of a voter will help mobilize potential voters. 15Information in this section reflects reporting in the literature,discussions with experts,and comments by Lexingtonians on listservs. 14 By the same token, personal contact, often through door-to-door canvassing, has been shown to be effective at the precinct level. While less effective in influencing voter preferences, it can affect voter turnout. The degree to which voters feel `contacted'by a candidate/candidate representative, including the number of contacts and the means of contact used, and personal interactions with a candidate will affect turnout. It is helpful to have discussions with individuals about planning to vote—finding the time, learning relevant information about candidates/issues, making logistical arrangements for voting by mail or going to the polls, etc. Preregistration has been shown to increase voter turnout. This is especially true when applied with young people who are still in school, and when utilized during the excitement of political campaigns. Encouraging registration under these circumstances motivates and mobilizes young voters.As we have already demonstrated, voting behavior can become habitual so establishing voting habits early can have lasting effects. (Voting in one election can increase the probability of voting in a subsequent election by more than 50%.) In addition to preregistration, education about democracy and one's role in it, one's rights and responsibilities within it, and information about issues and candidates are essential to creating informed citizens who understand the importance of voting, individually and collectively, and what effects a vote can have on the structure and functioning of society. But civics education that increases interest in and knowledge of politics and political issues, cultivates a sense of citizenship, and expands social networks that support community involvement (including voting) is not enough.A practical component is needed. Education should also address the many obstacles that might keep someone from voting. In addition to providing a philosophical civics education, education should offer applied civics training and impart skills to navigate the registration process.As noted by Holbein and Hillygus, "... many people fail to vote... because... they lack the skills and strategies that would help them follow through on their behavior and intentions." (2020:12)A longitudinal study(Fast Track Intervention) found that children who learned emotional regulation and social-cognitive skills carried those skills into adulthood and were more likely to vote in adulthood.16 These `noncognitive' skills or strategies made participants more likely to overcome barriers (such as 16 v0 � ;!l wnl a l m�� m mwn` a Oma m,; um 2632714 15 life distractions) to a follow-though of actions. Several programs designed to instruct students on the logistics of voting found an increase in voting behavior later in life.17 There have been proposals to extend voting rights to 16- and 17-year-olds in local elections.18 Research has found that reaching young people and educating them about the value and importance of voting improves their social commitment and sense of belonging to the wider society. Those who receive such education in high school develop a stronger culture of civic engagement and have higher voter turnout rates in their 30s. Involving young people at younger ages has been shown to predict future participation in local elections. There is evidence that people do not generally vote upon initial eligibility, typically at age 18. The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (circle.tufts.edu) argues that 18-year-olds are `busy' and adjusting to new social roles and responsibilities, so voting is not a priority. By contrast, younger students have fewer distractions and are therefore more able to deal with `first votes.' Schools can reinforce the value of voting, as can families and social networks, each of which is still strong among those in high school. Further, high schoolers are interested in local issues, many of which directly affect them. In addition, getting young people to serve as poll workers allows them to see democracy and voting in action and makes them feel more connected to the voting process. (This could serve to help satisfy the community service requirement in high school.) Especially in local elections, making role descriptions available and outlining the types of decisions officials make19 in their roles helps voters better understand that for which they are voting. Such information would enable citizens to see how officials impact their daily lives and the direction of their community. This can be accomplished through workshops, events, forums, and use of local and social media. When a local election involves a ballot question, informing the public of the language of the ballot question and the impact of a"yes" or"no"vote in advance of the election can also help inform voters. In states where initiatives and referenda have been used, voter turnout is higher, especially when voting occurs in mid-terms and is not tied to federal elections. This was 17 iv0 :ll aum , ivou�ivol ru 8,,,edauker0?Mh1u �mu mu l mw� 0umq O ,r mum a au0„°, mu au u�mu06ps q!mmi umw��m�! 2 gAd S�hHdivoo 18 Lexington's Town Meeting declined to adopt voting by 16-and 17-year-olds in local elections in 2024.(Article 43 at ATM 024).The Town Meering vote was 71 yes,74 no,and 13 abstentions.Town Meering again declined to adopt voting by 16-and 17-year-olds in 2025(Article 27 at ATM 025).The Town Meeting vote was 76 yes,91 no,2 abstentions. 19 Similar to the"Red Book”produced by the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth's office. 16 especially true among independents and peripheral voters (rather than partisans), who evidence greater awareness of ballot measures under these circumstances. Several institutional mechanisms have been proposed to increase voter turnout: make voter-registration more 'friendly,"including allowing registration when parking permits or library cards are renewed and same-day voter registration that permits registering and voting at the same time; ease qualifications for absentee ballots; have schools distribute registration forms to high school students and landlords provide forms for tenants; have businesses give time off or offer incentives for voting;schedule fewer elections so that when elections do occur, they garner more interest; keep ballots simple and short; hold elections on weekends when people do not have conflicts with work schedules; open polling places for longer hours; use "early voting;" couple elections in which low turnout is expected with national elections; incentivize participation through mechanisms such as cash lotteries or have businesses promote election information; and increase the use of mail/absentee ballots20. (Mail/absentee ballots are most effective with those who find going to polls difficult and their use is enhanced by mobilization efforts.)Many of these proposals, when implemented, have been shown to increase voter turnout. The U.S. Census of 2020 reported on the relationship between method of voting and sociodemographic characteristics of voters. The method most used, overall, was mail-in voting (43%), followed by voting in person on election day(30.4%) and close behind that, in-person voting before election day(26%). This pattern persisted for all age groups, with those 65 years of age and older most likely to vote by mail. Others who were more likely to use mail-in voting included those with higher educational attainment;Asians and Hispanics; naturalized citizens; and those with higher family income. No differences were found by sex of voter. While the majority of voters still chose in-person voting, the use of mail-in voting was significant. Historically, local elections held in off-cycle years lag behind state and national turnout, and this is getting worse. Moving local election day to coincide with state and federal elections has been found to have a significant effect on voter turnout.21 There is near consensus that timing of elections affects voter turnout, especially in state and local elections.According to the National Civic League22, timing is the number one predictor of voter turnout. Timing of elections 21 In Lexington's 2025 March Town Election, 18 percent of ballots were cast as mail-in and absentee ballots. 21 hl ggygrp!]g gorii/�ircc wove/ggy voter turnout rpur i6pal c1ccOu,ons,,i infl, 22fO!M:!l Yuali ralc�ivcuIcAgug,,omli 17 further influences voter composition with respect to partisanship and ideology. Older voters, for example, are more likely to be overrepresented in low turnout elections. The highest voter turnout in local elections occurs when they coincide with high-profile federal elections. The lowest turnout occurs in irregularly scheduled special elections.23 Concerns about voting behavior and voter turnout have been expressed by Lexington residents. Comments compiled from the Town Meeting Listsery in April 2023 focused on voting, voter turnout, and participation in democracy. Listers expressed that Town leadership should excite and inspire citizens to vote and to participate on boards and committees. They believed that Town leaders (including those on elected boards and appointed committees) should take the reins as they do the work of`crafting government.'This would include increasing and improving publicity about Town governance in ways that `normal'residents (i.e., those not already engaged in governance) can understand. 23 An additional suggestion has been to use compulsory voting as a counterweight to low turnout.Research has shown that compulsory voting can increase turnout by between 7%and 16%.(Lijphart 1997)This would require that people show up to vote(even if they leave a ballot blank),thereby assuring high voter turnout.(There are arguments against using this strategy that would have to be considered before adopting the practice.)The penalties for not voting are generally low,but it is seen as an egalitarian instrument that could cause people to pay more attention and be more likely to get in the habit of showing up to vote.(In Massachusetts,constitutional provisions dating back to 1918 authorized the state legislature to institute CV,but no action along these lines has yet been taken.) 18 Recent Massachusetts Voting Reforms and Voter Turnout You can register to vote in Massachusetts24 if you are a U.S. citizen, resident of Massachusetts, 18 years or older, and not currently incarcerated by reason of a felony conviction. You can preregister to vote if you meet the above criteria and you are 16 or 17 years old. In recent history, a number of federal and state laws have led to changes in Massachusetts voter and election laws.25 • The National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA), also known as the Motor Voter Act, is a federal law signed into law on May 20, 1993, that came into effect on January 1, 1995. It allows eligible citizens to register to vote when they apply for, or seek to renew, a driver's license.26 • In 2009, the Veteran Voting Support Act passed, letting overseas service members send in scans of ballots via fax or email. In 2012, Secretary of State Galvin posted downloadable,printable Voter Registration Forms, modernizing elections in Massachusetts. • In 2014 and implemented in 2016, the Election Reform Bill was signed into law, bringing online voter registration, audits of voting machines, pre-registration of 16- and 17-year-olds, and early voting to Massachusetts. Massachusetts already had absentee balloting. Absentee voters must certify that they will be out of town on Election Day; are incapacitated; or have religious beliefs that prohibit voting on a particular day. • In 2018, Automatic Voter Registration was enacted in Massachusetts and implemented in 2020. Voters are automatically registered to vote when interacting with certain government agencies, such as the Registry of Motor Vehicles, division of medical assistance, health insurance connector authority or other agencies verified by the Secretary of the Commonwealth. ht,! :// sccc,, m, mc,,r ia,aus/cl.uv su rr s/lec� muorm s/voier me,souurcc es/regst,crumugmea votc,i in] 25 The Votes Act: Common Cause Massachusetts Massachusetts State Senate Approves Bill to Make Voting Reforms Permanent—NBC Boston Electoral reform in the United States-Wikipedia *Mary de Alderete,Lexington Town Clerk,personal communication 5/22/2024 21hl!M;!l mvoter°mcgWraljon act, 19 • In 2020, for the first time in Massachusetts history, residents had the choice to vote by mail, to vote during an extended early voting window, or to vote in person on Election Day. These reforms, which received overwhelming bipartisan support, helped increase civic engagement and enabled residents to vote safely, securely, and easily. According to Secretary of the Commonwealth's office, 3,657,972 votes were cast in the November 3, 2020, election, topping the state's previous record by nearly 300,000 votes and representing a roughly 76%turnout. 42% of people voted by mail last year and another 23% cast their ballots during early voting. • As of the date of this report, Massachusetts does not allow for Election Day Registration.27 • In 2022, the VOTES Act28 expanded access to the ballot in Massachusetts. The bill was the largest expansion of voting access in Massachusetts in years. The VOTES Act, effective January 1, 2023, made permanent changes, including allowing voters to vote by mail without an excuse, expanding early voting options, making sure that eligible voters who are incarcerated(not by felony conviction29) are able to vote, and ensuring that the Commonwealth joins the Electronic Registration Information Center. The voter registration deadline prior to an election was reduced from twenty-one days to ten. In addition, the VOTES ACT requires the RMV to remove the"opt out" for voting from the driver licensing application.Applicants that wish to opt out may contact their town/municipality directly. Information on all eligible applicants will automatically be sent to the Secretary of the Commonwealth for voter registration. • Ranked Choice Voting, which allows voters to list their candidates from favorite to least favorite, has been slowly gaining ground in both the United States and Massachusetts,but has not been adopted yet by the state. On November 8, 2023, Special Town Meeting passed STM 1-9, a citizen petition seeking authorization from the Massachusetts Legislature for a home rule petition that would establish ranked-choice voting for the election of Town offices.30 The measure is still before the Legislature. 27 In 2008,Election Day Registration passed in the State Senate,33-5,before being stopped in the State House. 21 f017 :!lmwn� 11u �0,um 11l.� 1uullflm,; ld�il iv�l"Oa;m 291v0;17 :!lmwn� ,iu �0umal.� 1 "w ur� llf, llll � l!"lll"u01111i"°iv, 170mi,lOuamu, ,. so f0 17 :!l u 0 mumwn�„i llll aumwn mu0,; u0 rl a 1101 1/Wedmugsm"i.a 14ovemi pry 8:2023 ➢I ID I:Z 20 • In addition to these state reforms, Lexington Town Meeting recently voted on two proposals intended to extend the franchise in its local elections. One proposal would have granted the right to vote in local elections to 16- and 17-year-olds. Town Meeting rejected this measure in 202431 and 202532. The other proposal sought to give lawful permanent residents who are not U.S. citizens the right to vote in local elections. This measure passed, 84 in favor, 79 against, and 7 abstaining.33 However, Lexington cannot act on this without a special act of the Massachusetts legislature. These reforms seem to be affecting Lexington in several ways: • Students aged 16 and 17 with driver's permits or licenses are automatically pre-registered to vote,but voter registration drives conducted by the Lexington League of Women Voters reveal that many of these students are not aware that they are pre-registered. This has implications for how future voter participation and awareness initiatives are conceived and implemented. • Lexington has seen a significant increase in mail-in voting.Administering the mail-in ballot process has added to the workload of the Town Clerk.34 • In Massachusetts, the Secretary of the Commonwealth's office is required to send a pre- addressed,postage pre-paid vote-by-mail application to every registered voter before each statewide election.35 For local elections, there is no statutory obligation to send vote-by-mail applications to registered voters. The annual census materials that the Town of Lexington sends to households include information about the need to contact the Town Clerk's office to request a ballot. While providing this information in the census materials is a good thing, it may not be enough to dispel confusion for some voters, as the next bullet point suggests. 3i Article 43;vote was 71 yes,74 no, 13 abstaining. 32 Article 27;vote was 76 yes,91 no,2 abstaining. 33 Article 26,ht,tp�:ll .Icxx rugl0 g!I! ggyl2294/2,,025 Annual 'Town 34No-excuse early voting by mail in Lexington peaked in the March 2024 Annual Town Election,which coincided with the presidential primary(6,453 voting by mail or 80 percent of total voting of 8,046),an increase over the March 2023 Annual Town Election(408 voting by mail or 15 percent of total voting of 2,813),which was the first use of Vote by Mail in a local election.In the 2025 Annual Town Election,6,151 (27 percent)of eligible voters cast ballots,with 52 absentee and 1,070 voting by mail,for a total of 18 percent of the total vote. 3s ht,!M:!l sccc,, m, mc,,r ia,,auslli.uv su rm s/lec� Dolan s/vOluiu uiui"on'rial,uorm/ ol,c.by uµu<naR,hiuµ] 21 • In Massachusetts, when voters apply for a mail-in ballot, they must specify whether they are applying for"all elections this year"or"a specific election."36 Voters who choose to apply for a mail-in ballot for"all elections this year" will receive mail-in ballots for every election in which they are eligible to vote during the calendar year(unless it is a local election and the municipality has opted out of no-excuse early voting by mail in local elections 31). We heard from several highly committed, frequent Lexington voters that they were assuming they would receive a mail-in ballot for the March 2025 Annual Town Election because they had voted by mail in the November presidential election, and they were surprised when they did not receive one. They were not aware that their application for a mail-in ballot had expired in December 2024 and they needed to reapply starting January 2025. 360„!M:// sccc,, m, 0c,,riia,,aus/cl.uv su rm s/lec� Ouorm s/cl.owrul agdlvgtp hy mwnaH,::°,%Wficafions/VOt , by ➢SjgH 134PPL iwfiglaomu:::2025.pff 37 ht,!://w y sccc,,sm, mc,,r ia,,aus/cl.uv su rr s/lec� muorr s/vOtuiu ufuf n'rial,uorm/ ol,c.by uµu<naR,hiuµ] 22 Voting in Lexington's Local Town Elections We analyzed several Lexington town elections to see what turnout patterns might emerge. Based on the graphs below, it appears that: • In a typical March Annual Town Election-"typical"meaning that only Town offices are on the ballot, and there are no state primaries or referendum questions before the voters - turnout is highest among Lexington's older voters. But these are also some of Lexington's lowest turnout elections. • In special Town elections involving ballot questions about school funding, middle-aged voters -that is, those who are more likely to have school-aged children-turn out to vote in higher numbers than they do in"typical"Annual Town Elections. These elections ask voters whether they are willing to increase their taxes through debt exclusions or overrides, and tend to involve spirited, high-information campaigns. • Overall, local election voter turnout has been higher when the March Annual Town Election falls on the same day as do federal/state primary elections. • The percentage of voters who turn out in Lexington's local elections ranges from approximately 10 percent to 27 percent and is sometimes higher when local elections coincide with federal or state primaries. 23 TABLE 12023 March Annual Town Election, by percent38 There were 22,736 registered voters in Lexington in 2023, and 2,019 cast a ballot in this election. Voter turnout was 9 percent. The majority of voters were 65 and older, and over 80 percent were 50 and older. This pattern of voter age and turnout rate is exemplary of patterns relating age and voter turnout in general. Voter Activity, by ,Age, by Percent 60 8°' .` 40 30.E &" 20 1 .8 1 330 1.8-211330.49 50-64 65wan 6:.20qqOuomu°:FIDIZ 24 TABLE 2 January 24, 2012, Special Town Election, by percent This special election posed a debt exclusion referendum question to voters for renovations to Bridge and Bowman Elementary Schools.39 There were 21,435 registered voters. 5,726 voters turned out to vote, for a turnout rate of 27 percent. The pattern of voting in this case suggests that when an issue of concern to a specific group (in this case,parents of school-aged children) is on the ballot, voters in that group are more likely to vote.As compared with the table above, it can be seen that there were more voters in the 30-50 age range for this special election than would be seen in a general election. Vote r t u irin o ut lby Age, lby it n't 20'12IE.::.;Iecbi iru 36 2 24.4 244.1 20.3 26 15 13,3 16 3,7 7 6 .6 1 6 16 26 30 46 60 66 70 66 Age 25 TABLE 3 May 3, 2016, Special Debt Vote, by percent40 This special election posed a debt exclusion referendum question for the renovation of Clarke and Diamond Middle Schools. There were 21,385 registered voters. 5,473 turned out to vote, for a turnout rate of 26 percent.As can be seen in Table 2.0, when there is a ballot question of concern to a specific age group, voters in that age group are more likely to vote. Vote ir...ruirin ut lby Age, lby ICS it int 20'l 0 IE;;;; e c-fl o ru 30 25.6 25 23 21.6 20 16,3 I6N CD 15 CD 10 10 7.6 5 0.4 1 0 18 20 30 40 50 60 70 60 Age xmumc ..� ljomu lllebm Ill, c.lausuomu FIDIZ ... 26 TABLE 4 Voter turnout when the Annual Town Election in March is held on the same day as a presidential or state primary, by percent • In years when the local March election occurs on the same day as the state- or federal- level primary election(2012, 2016, 2020, 2024), turnout for the local election is higher than when only a local election is on the ballot-but it is never as high as is the turnout for the primary. • Turnout for local (municipal) elections is highest in March elections that occur on the same day as presidential primaries. Voter,,,r u irin o ut ii in IIAAIRCIH lby r I 0f IE.::. ec-do in lby Ye.air, lby it int 196 90 63.1 64.1 67.6 63.1 64.1 67,6 60 73.1 70 62.6 64.4 60 52.2 56 43.6 40 37 35 27.2 30 23.6 19.6 22.7 26 15.9 16.6 9.2 12.4 12.4 10 0 2912 2914 2915 2916 2017 2916 2919 2929 2021 2022 2923 2924 1111111 INational, 1110 State 11111111 IMu.uiniiciiipaa� 27 Factors Affecting Voter Turnout in Lexington As of May 21, 2025, Lexington had 23,160 registered voters out of a possible 24,080 qualified residents (age 18 and over), with a voter registration rate of 96 percent.41 Yet voter turnout in Lexington's local elections was just 27 percent in March 202542 (with contested elections), 35 percent in March 202443 (with contested town races and a presidential primary), 9 percent in March 2023,44 27.10 percent in March 2022,45 12 percent in March 2021,46 44 percent in March 2020 (a local election that coincided with a presidential primary, which had a turnout of 54 percent)'47 and 17 percent in March 2019.48 Lexington is far from the only Massachusetts municipality with low voter turnout rates.49 In fact, turnout for local municipal elections are low across the country.50 The question is, why? Experts link voter turnout to three factors: timing, competition,51 and information.52 ai Email from Lexington Town Clerk to Jeri Zeder dated May 21,2025. 421nO,n � �'il ,�'i M 5 �'� 0 11,7 11I ➢I°ICIA f, ItII Z �11➢f,"lll;r�`1�sur1Id !l�nnrumamum2�.ial�I, a aumw�,mumi, ;umlu !„ ... 431nO;nMn�:!l�nnn ru �0rnruu°nm� rn�llll;rnn�auunnnnnu01,n;nu0nn�lun;nv!„�1:��lnrni �.: � J � . rran� lIrII�l.nn0rn.. 1n0;nr :!lnvn nv nn unn m amumw��..i a llll aumw�;mu; , ;um 1, u l lll � iv 6 2023 Apn ual lbwn 170ccdon FIDIZ as1n0;nr :!lnnununnOrnruuµnn�„iullllauuµunmum,; u0rlul1" llla ] numuau� "lllmu D^, Ouumu lllllllll;'.This March election included a ballot question on the use of gas-powered leaf blowers. 16 iutii"s: w wl� umu,�a1�umuuµu<nit.,�a�u��!➢I ocuur n��mui�"°ente:r/Mew/1 799Narch rch 1 :021 . n�n ual "lll wn JD^,1��don ➢I ID IZ (included a contested election for Planning Board and several Town Meeting seats). 17 Coincided with a Presidential Primary,which had a voter turnout of 54 percent. 1n00 r :!!nv r ununnOlnnumwn� 1111 1ll1 nn auuwn ,u01 1nu0 nml uln l�803/' In rch 3 2020 lll resp m”enfial lll rir nn m lll`lll F'and 1n00 r al r unu Onnnunnn�n 1 llll nnn�au,mwn ,um1 n 11un�°�"�� Annual �lllbwn'u IlH.Ie lion'u lll�lll IF � 11 11 ,nu0nnlwln,nvl� lllnnnn�iu � 2020nunu. ... There were no contested town-wide seats in 2020. When a local election and a state primary occur on the same day in March,voters are offered two different ballots: one for the local election,and one for the state primary.The results of the March 2020 election tell us that 54 percent of eligible voters went to the polls,and all of them voted in the state primary.But,while they were at the polls,a significant number of them chose not to cast a ballot for the local election.This suggests that the rate of voter turnout is related to what it is that voters are turning out for. 41 1n0,nr :!lnunnlnmunuuunnl..lnullllnauuun;nub; , ;umnnrl, unl1" �1lllnnnln0,.1�1 lunuau� "lllnu D?1nnmuunu lllllllll'n .. ... (included contested races for Select Board,Planning Board,and various Town Meeting races). 49 In 2021,Lincoln's municipal turnout rate was 9.46 percent,Arlington's was 19.69 percent,and Concord's was 13.55 percent.1n001"s:Hl nxobs;n er,org/2()2; 1()2/16//rn rwxt r nonu0lns..local n;lect onu few lexn gtonuunjn s are Rely Oo...1no... Onn 01n1 inn s:-: 1n !.Even Boston,with a contested election for an open mayoral seat,had a turnout rate of only 28.9 percent. eyen Years vn ter Ou rn o u0 rnassach u,sells/ so E.g.,hl,!n:H ru nurnnrns.c�ornnl2()18/1 u1/22ln pn ruuoru/why Ades no orw vote jn local rnlrncdon s,,h0uµnnl si nus 1s .�l r nun g.......➢11 �n�1 �...1?yrm nhung� 1n00;;1n�n:!lnvnvnv.rn,�nnnnnn"n lnlnnnOnn,.n~unn0lunauin�,un�nn0u�unul�:d';�"u��"n�"u� "lll"aumm�u�uau0 ,umu Local �n,n�mu�a 12 ht,!M:Hl e lubscrvc orga(:)d';31u12;11,6/u ru mxt r non the local,:°n,lect on~u few 1CXX rul!Pflhnnus nnn"1n Rely::°Op by! 28 Timin Research shows that turnout is higher when local elections occur in even-numbered years on the same day as state and federal elections.53 It is tempting, then, to say we can "fix"this by holding our municipal elections on Election Day in November. However, under Massachusetts state law,54 annual town elections must take place between February and June, in conjunction with Town Meeting.55 The Select Board is responsible for choosing the date of local elections within the confines of the law. The Select Board typically schedules Lexington's local elections for the first Monday in March of each year, as required by the Town's bylaws.56 When Lexington's local elections have fallen on the same day as the Presidential Primary, turnout overall has been considerably higher, but turnout for municipal elections is still considerably lower than is the presidential primary turnout.51 Competition Contested races tend to increase voter turnout.58 In Lexington, most seats go uncontested each year. There are several factors that appear to be related to this: • The number of seats that Lexington must fill annually is large. For Town Meeting, some 63 seats are on the ballot each year(approximately seven for each of nine 53 fi;ti)s:H!exobserve org/2():d';3Ai:d';11,6/u ru rwya mwiomu0;ivs local clection rew lexl ugtonlans are Rely...to go to the polls 1v ! 54 1v01mn :!lnwnnnnlninni,unn1.� 1 "wmur� ➢I, !➢I �m il➢I'i0miili ivii�0m �l� , timu lviit7�!lmw��.i�u��tu�m�;.i��!➢I, �l�w��mu,��m��➢I, �!➢I��mO�l➢IiO��m1�li"iv��i;,mil��l��i�ti��mu��. . 55 An exception is when a local elected seat becomes vacant due to the death or resignation of an official.Then,a special election may be called at other times of year to fill the vacancy, bitime!luµu<nalcg1 slatunumn.ggyll,aws/ xcrncral➢f,news/➢Illartl!"➢"i0leV1 °1vnnmm�i;n,m 1l 1nniiinnu10 In certain circumstances,the Select Board also has the authority to fill the vacancy by appointment, btlpm !luµu<nalcg1 slnotuna~n.ggyll,aws/ xcrncral➢f,news/➢Illartl!"➢"itle Il/('1gpjpK41lSgption"u11,Vacancies of Town Meeting Member seats are governed under Chapter 215,Acts of 1929. 56 iu111ns://ccodc360,,conil1 05352 2111 05°15272. 57 The 44 percent turnout rate for the March 2020 Annual Town Election is an example of this. So is the 52 percent turnout for the March 2016 Annual Election,https:H .Icxx T gi,nnunwnan lnov/�!Donn aunwicrr 01' cn1,er/ le /179"/!➢' Iammcln...t . ... 2016Annual ➢1bwnTu 1^.leclinnnu t t t',which was held on the same day as the Presidential Primary(which had a 58 percent turnout rate),1vitlmn .!lnvnvnv n unulnOnnnu wn�n lnnnn➢!➢I nnn aunwn ,ui1 nnnuOnnrllli n 11 7%Narch rch°.1 2016 Fresldenutial... ➢1'rinlnnn F''DF. 51 ht,!M:H!exobsnnrvc onm111:1(: d';3A1:d';11,6/l rn rw t uµpon"uths local nlection~u rcW lCXl"u1!Pfllan s nnn"1n llkcl ::°Op 11�u Oyu 11nn 1mn�a��:°: Aby; OcclJon"u auu"con"utcstcd:°nlectiotius::°. bin"ud r dcrppn Doran 29 precincts). In additions, there are races for Town Moderator and a subset of the Select Board, School Committee, Planning Board, and Housing Authority.59 • All of these positions are unpaid and the demands of office can, at various times throughout the year, rival a full-time job.60 • Running a contested campaign costs money, and it is hard to defeat an incumbent.61 In 2022, there was a contested race for School Committee. Three candidates were running for two, three-year seats; one was an incumbent. Together, they spent more than $25,000.62 In 2019, there was a contested race for a single one-year seat on the Select Board.63 Together, the two competing candidates (neither were incumbents) spent more than $14,000.64 These monies must be raised by candidates; races are not subsidized by the town. In addition to potentially increasing voter turnout, competitive elections can offer another benefit: improving elected officials'ability to represent their constituents. In competitive races, candidates may court voters by knocking on doors, using social media, and hearing from residents at coffees and other campaign events. This puts candidates in the position of hearing from the people they are going to represent and learning about their concerns and needs. Information Local elections are low-information elections, and low information elections have lower voter turnout.65 The most basic piece of information voters must know to be able to vote is the 59 f0,!M:Hl exobsemver, iEE 2(:)23Ai2/16/uru rwxt mpom the local°clect on rew lexruijpflhjns g!�q by! 60 ht,!M:Hl exobsemver, iEE 2(:)23Ai2/16/uru rwxt mpom the local°clect on rew lexruijpflhjns iq:gym by! 61 Some researchers say that ranked choice voting could encourage competition because it increases the chances that a challenger can defeat an incumbent,ht,t l :Hleyob,server,grg "O236)2116/l rm next:°;rponmhs::local cl atom few lgOD11tgnm rens� u 1 O u.::11 a Ota 01x,1 1r iuyl,but further study is required for a definitive answer, 1vllp :H Yuewariic icc a.oi111Dola 0uc�aI re1"on rulm l oras/what e know about ranked ch6cc yo0umu11lpgmudud,atcs amud::°. pggjpgg!] A�gnl 6 rC 5tgpgq ho runs..Ranked choice voting which allows voters to list their candidates from favorite to least favorite has been slowly gaining ground in both the United States and Massachusetts.Lexington Town Meeting voted in 2023 to apply for a home rule petition to allow Lexington residents to cast Ranked Choice ballots. 62 1v0;,1 .l1m11,1mm1. . 1umu11m1muuwl� .11111;irumullrml1.,,� 1 `1m.rum1. �D1m 1:. 631v0�,1:r�al �lmumllu 1u ;�,lmrru0lmrrlulmll�/1�"llr1�1�1v � �°�,�,� 1 lumuau�l� ll�1 �u 1 �1,1�Ou1�mu ll ��ll`',. . �01�muuw�1�.�1��lll1�111�aumwllmu� 1 1 r :� � �1v0;�,1��.l1m1�1�1�mm1.�.�1��umu11m1�muu~w1��.111��11;ir�umufllrml� �1�.,,��1��`1m�.�rum1. �D, 61 1v0,1� .!! um1, ,Our10m1.au� r 010 0 rpse11rch/lack cMc umulon'radon and mcaduncss b!!p :Hwww,npLgMaO101A)9/1 01645223716/on the sudcflncs o1 m1.lOmwn a mr r0y 1 umu ull y mw Any amwnl,rrugimus:°: dont vote 30 date of the election. It is widely known that major federal and state general elections occur the first Tuesday following the first Monday of November. In Massachusetts, annual town elections happen in the springtime on dates determined by each municipality individually, with the dates varying each year.66 Under Lexington's town bylaws, the annual town election is to occur on the first Monday in March.67 The next piece of information voters need is: Who is on the ballot? Competitive races boost information about both the date of the election and about the candidates themselves, but competition in local elections tends to be the exception rather than the rule. "Additionally, Massachusetts local elections in towns, including Lexington, are nonpartisan: the signifiers D or R, which at a glance can tell voters something about a candidate's presumed views, aren't present on a local ballot."68 Sometimes, the information voters need is not just who is on the ballot, but what issues are on the ballot. In non-candidate elections, specifically those involving referendum questions of various kinds, including overrides and debt exclusions, another source of voter information may come from the campaign committees formed by Lexington residents to promote or oppose the ballot questions. These campaigns typically try to influence the public through websites, emails, postal mailings, letters to the editor, articles, and events. They also conduct get-out-the- vote efforts that may impact voter turnout. While campaigns for candidates or ballot questions can raise awareness of an upcoming election, the substantive information they spread is,by definition,biased in favor of their perspectives. That is where local journalism comes in. But local journalism has been on the decline,69 leaving voters in the dark about election information, about what candidates stand for, about local issues, and about the consequences of voting yes or no on ballot questions. In Lexington, the Lexington Minuteman, a paid subscription publication, is no longer the robust 66 Lexington's Annual Town Election is typically scheduled for a Monday in early March,with the Select Board scheduling them to coincide with the State Primary in years when there's a primary election going on. 67 Town Bylaw Section 118-4.Annual meeting date."The annual meeting of the Town for the election of Town officers and Town meeting members and the transaction of municipal business shall be called for the first Monday of March in each year,provided,however,that if it shall fail to be so called in consequence of any defect in the warrant or other irregularity,it shall be called for a date as soon thereafter as may be practicable." int10H cnndeWi.cnnr n!1 05352721110535272 68 hl,!M:Hl exobsemver, iEE 2(:)23A:)2/16/u ru rwxt rnonu0;ins local.clectionu rew lexuijpflhjn s iq:gym Airy!."In California's nonpartisan local elections,candidates identify themselves by occupation."In Massachusetts, local town elections are nonpartisaninttM!lwww r nr nan nnrii 1p W...iiovernuuµu<ncr I()]/ 69 ht!m://Yuccas.Yuorthwcstcrr,.n,daukst,orun,sl�""",022;l06/rl cyspnnlgi� closc deg inn jn 1oca1 q!aaumnu,A isrn! 31 source that it once was for local election season. The free-to-readers, nonprofit, online-only Lexington Observer, founded in 2021,70 relies on donations for its operations.71 In 2024, the Observer added candidate information to its online edition.Lexington Times Magazine is a free, hardcopy promotional publication that is mailed to each Lexington household several times a year. Those running for elected office often run campaign ads there, and the publication runs candidates' statements, but it does not journalistically cover elections. Other sources of information about Lexington's local elections may come from events hosted by the Association of Black Citizens of Lexington, the Chinese American Association of Lexington, the Chinese Association of Lexington, Indian Americans of Lexington, LexPride, the Merriam Hill Association, the South Lexington Association, and other affinity groups; and from listservs such as The Lexington List and Lex Pol-Rel; and from Facebook groups such as Lexington Mavens, Lexington, MA, Residents, Lexington Parents, and others. The League of Women Voters of Lexington sponsors a Candidates Night for both town- wide and precinct elections every year before the March municipal election. Other organizations hold similar events but usually only for town-wide candidates and selected precincts. The League posts candidate information on its website. Information coming directly from the Town of Lexington can help voters be more engaged with local government.As required by law, the Town mails the Town Warrant to every household in Lexington. Residents can subscribe for free to informational Town emails72 to stay informed about election dates, early voting, opportunities to serve as poll workers, and applying for mail-in ballots.73 Election information is sometimes posted on social media. Code Red is not used to transmit information about elections, nor are election notices placed in the tax and water bills. (It is worth noting that renters often do not receive tax and water bills, so election notices 71 hl QdQ/cdU#sfldc a la 7&342726 2 6 72 iulilmr :!l l u u,lal a wn�.,la 11 lu �lll to Lcydngton 14ewsI Iter m0uyg; 1v001mr ,!! a u0 m. X11. mu 0 mu0r 1 mu0 r 0. l wnlmw��mug 1 1 O,umu` ()()i Okk'I 2334 o3i ZWZ4lll)f35dS lll'trim . Zy16J27JU1121J8JJ lllllr;"'m' � tl 11;°llll,�llmuai�r/�1mwnV' I11,;u�� llK �mullK��lll[�mi.�,lll'll�' �"r/�� 1,1 ��llK;lvlll��uumi�1,�:Y"/ ff,�lulllll�mul;°�r�"/��. mi. .. 1"x.11 . 11llll�lllll,lll 1:�11V' I %i"� 11/arlll�/a�lllJ 73 In an email dated June 20,2025,and forwarded to the Subcommittee chair on June 23,2025,Julia Flood,Web& Digital Engagement Specialist for the Town of Lexington,wrote,"The Link to Lexington has 5,249 email subscribers and Town News&Alerts has 4,146 subscribers.Combined,I believe the number is somewhere around 5,445 unique subscribers total." 32 through this vehicle would not reach them in any case.)The Town offers a course for adults74 called Civic Academy,75 which covers how the town government works generally,but does not currently seem to delve into details about voting.76 The issue of information and how to make it available to all is a perennial one in Lexington. The Town mails postcards and flyers,posts meetings, invites citizens to publicly posted meetings, and the meetings themselves get recorded and are publicly viewable. People can get free subscriptions to town-issued informational emails, and to the Lexington Observer. Yet hundreds, if not thousands, of residents are often not aware of what is going on in town, or of the opportunity to vote in local elections. In light of the importance of information to both increasing voter turnout in local elections, and of having an informed citizenry, we recommend that Vision for Lexington consider studying this topic of communication as it pertains specifically to voting behavior. Other factors that may contribute to low voter turnout in Lexington's local elections The Town-Wide Survey 2022 sought feedback from survey respondents as to why they did not vote in the March 2021 Annual Town Election. The responses are summarized in this table published in the survey report:77 74 According to data collected by Abraham Fofanah,ICMA Management Fellow in the Town Manager's office, between 2009 and 2025,367 residents have participated in Civic Academy.The course was not offered in 2024. Average enrollment per cohort is 24.5. 75 h0;!M:H Icxarumigim g!i!,,ggy!226/(Jyk °. Sri!i.qM 76 iul!M:!l Icxx r�gip!uuµ!g,,ggy!:d';�6/(,,"uvk!! PAdgwr Y 77iv0,i7 :ll um 0 amumwn�„i a llll a aumwn mum,; u0 rl a 11 ,i dll�i lbwn: udc S ury 3() I .::: KMYgd 33 TABLE 5 Residents'Reasons for Not Voting in March 2021 Annual Town Election Reasons for not voting in March 2021 election AD of �re .t t'uses _.._............._.................. __......._...._...._...._.....AA...._...._...._...._..........._...._...._...._...._...._...._...._...._......._...._...._...._...._...._...._...._...._...._...._...._...._...._...._...._...._...A_...._...._........................._...._.................... ..._...._...._ ........... .. ......._................w... l rpt a citizen 4.6- 0_0 .60r_r 1:131:ls r zl.. Missed �i ��l.l.lr�� .. ��i�ts°��tia:c�„ xi��rpt �° k��fllrati�� etc.) 3.7 Issues did bort matter to the respondent/issues weren't it iportant 3.5 _Lr-12—u lr_t(I t111a1 r(_,sP o n d e n t _ elief that individual's vote would not tiave an influ enceelicf the local el `.0 c trerr�s r��ll� clr�rr't: rrr�rl err irrr� e°t 0. Did not like choices offered tl. de e r ssil rlit "sssuuu � .. tr r ,s,)orteitio n, badreath r�, Hlnf:s;s 0." lrrr°orrurc:rrir:rrt eullirr rlrucc lrcrulrs 0.5 Doe..s not trust �,rvr r°rrr�rr;.rrt/tu�vcrr�trre_wr7t :ul er�titir_s (�.�> After the June 6, 2022, referendum election asking voters to approve a debt exclusion to fund the new Lexington police station, which yielded a turnout of 12.48 percent,18 a member of the Subcommittee asked subscribers to The Lexington List79 if they would explain, confidentially, why they didn't vote in the election. The twenty-one responses revealed that some people didn't vote because:80 • They were ill or unable to get to the polls on election day, and they hadn't applied for a mail-in ballot. • They didn't know or they forgot there was an election. • They didn't understand the ballot question as written. • They felt ambivalent or uninformed about the issue.81 • They felt their vote didn't matter. Many of these cited reasons are consistent with reasons given for not voting in the Town-wide Survey of 2022. The Subcommittee also sought feedback from the Commission on Disability on any barriers and challenges to voting that members of Lexington's disability community may face.82 Commissioners reported the following barriers: 78 ht,!Mal Icxur�glglug!i!,,ggyllll?oc�u,rwiemul;4,emruier/Vuc /4148/Ju,ru m 6 ll wn E.Ie,cl'on FDIF. 79 lv0;lll lltlrelaulr uellllleuulm,;emulu wee , tle ll l l� ltu ao Moria ,,V III l wh u,,d.elrut.vot, ,.Jz dos� Qgoglc Doc 81 Unlike most local referendum questions,there were no`Yes'or`No'campaigns putting out information and vying for votes on the police station question. az tm° ewrewru u,tr a rru lll a l�ul"um,; .erre :°..Goo lel.➢ g5� 34 • The need for better understanding of the low vision voting machine so residents could vote independently and retain ballot privacy. • Poor contrast on mail-in ballots, making it hard for low-vision individuals to fill them out.83 • Difficulty getting to the polls, especially among those who do not drive. This is exacerbated by the consolidation of polling places away from within-walking- distance school buildings toward more centralized locations. • Lack of understanding by some poll workers who do not know the rules about allowing voters with disabilities to have an assistant with them to help them vote. • Lack of adequate handicapped parking at the polls. • Lack of adequate information on the status of rides to the polls. According to Dana Bickelman, Director of Human Services for the Town of Lexington: • Barriers to information about town government may affect voter turnout. For example, some people are unable to attend night meetings. Even when night meetings can be attended and participated in remotely, there are those who are unable to handle the technology. • Language barriers exist for some residents who are eligible to vote. • Transportation and parking may be barriers to accessing polling places. • Only one mail-in ballot dropbox in town requires voters to come to the center of town to drop off their ballots. The town's then-Chief Equity Officer Hemali Shah and Senior Services Director Michelle Kelleher told us that the town government does not collect data about voting access among seniors and diverse communities in Lexington. However, Ms. Shah and Ms. Kelleher shared their observations about what they think affects voter turnout: • Homebound and isolated seniors may have trouble getting to the polls. Rides to the polls may be helpful to them, as may be assistance with voting-by-mail. es Ballot design is determined by state law. ijjpHmalggi slatummpyll,awsffignpral aws/Plart,111I111c V 35 • Communications like Link to Lexington 84 and the communications channels of Lexington's housing villages may be helpful in spreading the word about elections and voting. • Free rides to the polls, which rely on volunteers, may be helpful. • There are contrasts between presidential and local elections that tend to result in higher voter turnout for national elections versus town elections. Presidential elections get a lot of media attention, which helps people feel invested in them. In comparison,people don't have very much information about local elections. • People may feel more invested in voting in local elections when someone they know or when someone from their affinity group is running for office.85 • People may feel more invested in voting in local elections when they believe the office in question affects them personally. • People who are less familiar or less comfortable with American culture and government may find it helpful to have opportunities to learn about the process of voting. To the extent that voting in local elections is correlated with civic engagement more generally, it was important to hear that some people who are "new"to serving on Lexington Town committees have sometimes felt that their input was being treated dismissively by other, longtime committee members. This has sometimes caused them to withdraw from civic engagement, and then to feel less invested in the governing of the town. What can be done to help people learn how to get involved and stay involved?What can be done to ensure that they are welcomed and taken seriously when they join Town committees? 84 iv0;!i:HWw ]Cxx y�glp!u!I!g,,ggyli�89/1,uyuk;:°to ➢f,cydrOp 14ewsIctler AnNyc 85 Research from the Brennan Center at NYU reinforces this idea,II oval Lockout un Gcomimua[yMu]gr i',°gmuIg f"j J ausli cc 36 Why Local Voting Matters: The Structure of Lexington Town Government86 and its Impact on Lexington Voters The individuals that Lexington's voters elect to town government are the stewards of how our local tax dollars are spent. They engage in short-term and long-term planning and decide the allocation of resources for public services, public education, and infrastructure for which the town(not the state or federal government) is responsible. Once elected, they can champion specific policy agendas, make appointments to important Town boards and committees,87 exercise judgment over new, unexpected issues, and respond to sudden emergencies, such as the Covid-19 pandemic. These decisions affect the quality of our schools; the safety, habitability and adequacy of our public buildings; the responsiveness and robustness of our public library; the speed and effectiveness of emergency response by our police and fire departments; the soundness of our environmental practices, including waste management; the state of our public lands and recreation resources; services for vulnerable seniors and those with mental health challenges; and so much more. Lexington's elected officials make decisions that shape our day-to-day lives, including what we are permitted to do with our property, how we dispose of our trash, and how local businesses and other commercial entities function in our town. Lexington's elected officials also make site visits to proposed projects, locations of proposed zoning changes, and areas of concern identified by residents. Lexington's elected officials are our community's mediators. When our town is facing large projects and extraordinary expenditures, they ensure that public hearings take place and public input is solicited.When resident interests appear to collide, they convene town staff and community members to study the issue and propose solutions that minimize hardships and address different constituent perspectives. When a neighborhood wants a stop sign or a sidewalk installed, the place to turn is their elected officials, who can offer guidance to citizens on how to access the levers of town government for change. 16 hl :ll m u l u aaum,; llf um 0 amu lbwn Government, a7v0 :!lmu0amumwnm„ al �u;llllammmm., �m°amwnwnu00mmm,, 37 In this section of the report, we summarize the structure of Lexington's town government to help pinpoint exactly where voting has an impact. Select Board (elected) and Town Manager(appointed) Lexington has a Select Board-Town Manager form of government. The source of this form of government is the Selectman-Town Manager Act of 1968,88 which established that the Select Board makes policy and oversees the Town's operations. The Select Board consists of five elected members who each serve three-year staggered terms. The Select Board appoints a full- time professional Town Manager to manage the day-to-day operations of the municipal government. Department and division heads report to the Town Manager.Among the responsibilities of the Town Manager and Town staff are: 89 • Implementing all decisions of the Select Board and Town Meeting; • Submitting to the Select Board a proposed annual budget, including revenue, expenditure, and tax rate projections for the next fiscal year; • Submitting to the Select Board a five-year capital budget and five-year capital improvement plan. In addition, the Select Board and Town Manager are responsible for appointing (some) members to no fewer than twenty-five Town boards and committees,90 with each of these committees and boards having various impacts on the lives of the people of Lexington. The titles of these boards and committees provide a sense of how their work touches the lives of Lexington's townspeople. Some 91 of these boards and committees include: • Battle Road Scenic Byway Committee • Bicycle Advisory Committee • Communications Advisory Committee • Design Advisory Committee • Economic Development Advisory Committee • Fence Viewers • Fund for Lexington Board • Hanscom Area Towns Committee • Hanscom Field Advisory Commission 88 � �;��m.�; �� .i��mw� ��➢➢ � umw��;mu�;! , 1,. !➢,II r 1 201.Pff 19 hl,!M:!l Icxx ri i !a !1!4,,ggy!2;42!"➢"a mu:°➢' Ianagcr 91This list is not exhaustive. 38 • Historic Districts Commission • Historical Commission • Housing Partnership Board • Human Rights Committee • Lexington Center Committee • Lexington Council for the Arts • Noise Advisory Committee • Registrars of Voters • Sustainable Lexington Committee • Tourism Committee • Town Celebrations Committee • Town Report Committee • Transportation Advisory Committee • Tree Committee • Trustees of Public Trusts • Vision for Lexington • Water and Sewer Abatement Board • Zoning Board of Appeals Many of these committees are advisory,but some, such as the Historic Districts Commission and the Zoning Board of Appeals, are quasi-judicial, handing down decisions that have the force of law. The appointment choices that the Select Board and Town Manager make to these boards and committees do matter. School Committee (elected) School Committee is composed of five members who each serve three-year staggered terms. The role of School Committee is to hire, supervise, and evaluate the Superintendent of Schools; develop school policies and educational goals consistent with requirements of law and Massachusetts goals and standards; approve the schools'operating and capital budgets; advocate for school concerns with Town officials,boards, and the community; and lead Lexington schools in areas not covered by state or federal law. In addition, School Committee is the liaison between the Lexington School Department and the community.92 Members also have roles on various 92 Annual Report 2023,p. 159 and Town website 39 subcommittees within School Committee 93 and serve as liaisons to other boards and committees in Town9a According to the most recently published Annual Town Report,95 there were 6,805 students enrolled in Lexington Public Schools in academic year 2023-2024. There was one pre- kindergarten school, six elementary schools, two middle schools, and one high school in Lexington. The operating budget for the schools was $134,730,244. The schools'budget is developed by School Committee and presented to Town Meeting for approval. (It is important to note that Town Meeting has `approval'authority,but not authority to determine the overall school budget.) Planning Board (elected) The Planning Board is composed of five elected members and one appointed, non-voting (Associate)member who is chosen by a majority of the Planning Board to serve for one year. Planning Board members serve for three-year staggered terms. The Board is charged with municipal planning and subdivision control as adopted by Lexington in accordance with General Laws, Chapter 41, Section 81-A, under Article 52 of the March 1948 Annual Town Meeting. It is responsible for the review of special permit applications; administration of Subdivision Regulations and control laws and site plan review; planning and preparation of zoning initiatives and amendments and rezoning petitions; review and evaluation of unaccepted-street adequacy determinations; and preparation and implementation of the Comprehensive Plan and other planning initiatives. The Planning Board drives the development of Lexington's zoning bylaws, which require Town Meeting approval, and then administers the implementation of those bylaws. The Planning Board substantially influences where buildings, including homes, are built, how they are used, and how land gets developed and for what purposes. The Planning Board is supported by the Planning Office (whose staff is appointed by the Town Manager) and receives study results and recommendations from the Planning Director. 93 Subcommittees include Policy;Finance;Bargaining;DEI;PK-5 team;6-12 team; special education;long range master planning; Superintendent's working groups. 94 Appointed roles and liaison assignments include Vision for Lexington Committee;Cary Memorial Library Trustees;Cary Library Executive Trustees; Select Board;PTA/PTO Presidents'Council;Lexington Education Foundation;Massachusetts Association of School Committees. 91f0i� :llmammi. . umui0amuwn� .iali�llf,umllllau, , .� imrumi. �'D � � ;mii�umi. �'D .ma ''lll"amu� umuiimamu, 40 The Planning Board has Special Study Committees, with members appointed by the Chair of the Planning Board. Members serve on these committees until the special committee completes its task and submits a report. The length of service on such committees is generally not longer than one year. Board members also serve as liaisons to other boards and committees in Lexington.96 Town Moderator(elected) The Town Moderator is elected annually to a one-year term to preside over the business and conduct of Town Meeting, as included in the Warrants for Annual Town Meeting and Special Town Meetings. The Moderator facilitates Town Meeting sessions and preserves order and decorum. Operating procedures and rules are dictated by statute,bylaws, tradition, and Roberts' Rules of Parliamentary Practice. The Moderator may be aided by an Assistant Moderator, whose name is submitted to Town Meeting for its approval. The Moderator sets the tone for a civil, deliberative, and productive Town Meeting. The Moderator is responsible for appointing members to the Appropriation Committee, the Capital Expenditures Committee, and Cary Lecture Series. Housing Authority (elected) The Housing Authority 97 consists of three elected members, one Governor-appointed member, and one tenant member appointed by the Select Board, each serving five-year staggered terms. The responsibility of the Housing Authority is to provide safe, stable, and quality affordable housing for low- and moderate-income residents and to deliver such services with integrity and mutual accountability. The Authority also creates living environments that serve as catalysts for the movement from dependency to self-sufficiency. The Authority administers 340 units of state and federal affordable and low-income housing for elderly, families, and disabled individuals, 68 Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers and four Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MRVP)project-based vouchers. Working with the Lexington Planning Department, LexHAB, and the Lexington Housing Partnership, the 96 Annual Report 2023,p. 133 and from the Town website. 17 iv0 i al u n m amumw��i..,i a leu J. 1�: , m,mi. "ll"a n State �� ffl6 ls. 41 Authority promotes development of more affordable housing in Lexington. The properties overseen by the Housing Authority are Countryside Village, Greeley Village, and Vynebrooke Village. Town Meeting(elected)98 Town Meeting is the legislative branch of Lexington's town government. In 1929, Lexington adopted a Representative Town Meeting form of government.99 This means that voters who live in Lexington elect Town Meeting Members to represent them as their citizen/legislators (in contrast to Open Town Meetings, in which voters may attend Town Meeting, debate the articles before the Meeting, and vote on the articles directly). Town Meeting enacts municipal by-laws,passes the operating and capital budgets each fiscal year and appropriates funds for those budgets, and adopts certain"local options" available under state law. Decisions of Town Meeting affect how much we pay in taxes, what we are and are not allowed to do with our property, and what public safety and other Town-offered services are available to residents. It also passes resolutions that identify community values and aspirations. Lexington Town Meeting meets each Spring and other times when necessary, and: loo • Is constituted of elected members representing each of nine precincts, as well as at-large members who may or may not be elected. These include the Select Board, Town Moderator, the Town Clerk, the School Committee Chair, the Appropriation Committee chair and the Capital Expenditures chair, and state representatives and state senators.101 • Currently has 189 elected members, with 21 citizens from each precinct serving for three- year staggered terms. • Is presided over by the Town Moderator, who is elected annually. Each year, the business of Town Meeting is determined by the Town Warrant, which is made up of business items called articles and is mailed to every household in town. The Select Board"determines the content and order of articles in the Warrant."102 Citizens can also submit 99 0,1 :ll�muu �; . uu. 00m. w� aulsum; Om �uµunly�mum. c 11� � 1� d� 0 � .�mm. v00 :llrmw�. �m�0ml �::: m�mmmu 0. lrllauplgids/2()23A)3/2()21 1UH.1, 1 100 blip :Hwww:,Icxrugi,g!img,ggy!5�6/About, "➢I own ➢' Icclin 101 , .,,. , lQl�,l?� ,1 201j")dr 102 blip :ll a .Icxx rugl,gmuuµu<ng ggyl566/Aboau0 "➢I"omu ➢' Icclin 42 warrant articles, following certain procedures.103 Warrants are publicly available on the Town's website.104 Town Meetings may be attended by the public in person, and may be viewed on LexMedia and elsewhere. Unless specifically allowed to speak on a particular article, the public cannot participate directly in Lexington Town Meeting discussions. The public cannot participate in Town Meeting votes. The 2024 Amiga] lFowri Meetirig ,13g13 t'0s offers a good overview of the importance of the decisions of the Town's elected officials to the lives of Lexington residents. The F . 025 �!I„ gA106 approved by Town Meeting amounted to $290,052,759. Of that amount, $143,914,762 was budgeted for Lexington Public Schools and the Minuteman High School, and$72,296,815 for shared expenses between the"school side" and the"municipal side."In FY 2024, the property tax levy was $227,334,427, of which 76.7%was paid by residential property owners. The average property tax paid for a single-family dwelling in Lexington in FY2024 was $18,501.75.107 In addition to appropriating funds for the municipal and school operating budgets, a non- exhaustive list of other actions taken by Town Meeting includes: appropriating funds for the senior services program and for various capital projects and infrastructure improvements; prohibiting of single-use food containers and single-serve plastic water bottles; authorizing the Select Board to pursue affordable housing on Lowell Street; and appropriating design funds for the Lexington High School Construction Project. Town Meeting also appropriated funds for police, fire, and school maintenance, the public library, roads, and snow removal, and established rates for water, sewer, and cemetery charges. Beyond their role in Town Meeting as an entity, Town Meeting Members, as individuals, serve as a conduit for residents to be engaged with their local government. They are often better known to their precinct neighbors, and therefore perceived as more easily accessible than are the elected members of the three major boards (Select Board, School Committee, Planning Board) when constituents have concerns they would like to raise. los m;0 :!l u u 0 mumw� 1 ;/�l� m m�m,umu u0:r ,a ll1'qddons. 105 2024 Annualjbwn Mccl,un q= 106 ll )'2025 b udgpl,, 117 bm,lpm :Hwww.Texan"gi,umuuµu<ng,ggyl ) uc�auuµiieru;m( qn1,caMgw/13147/1"Y2025 (Jassfflwation ➢1lacke ,1:.1 2024. 43 Separately and together, the decisions made by the those elected to the offices described above have profound impacts on how Lexington residents live each day and plan for their futures. Higher voter turnout in local elections could ensure that more voices are heard and residents are better represented. 44 Recommendations Recommendations 1 through 6 identify activities that our research and analysis suggest may increase voter turnout in Lexington's local elections. Some of these ideas will be more easily implemented than will others. Recommendations 7 through 9 address issues that may not directly affect voter turnout,but that we nevertheless believe are important. Recommendation 1: Convene a Voter Turnout Task Force Our over-arching findings are: (1)that those who feel connected to a social and cultural expectation that they should be voters tend to actually go to the polls and vote, and(2)that voting is a sticky habit: people who vote in one election tend to vote in subsequent elections. This suggests that, over time, Lexington could considerably increase its voter turnout rates in local elections if voting becomes a basic community value and expectation, akin to other values and expectations that many believe define Lexington: our respected public school system; our low crime rate; our veneration of our local history; our low rates of littering, graffiti, and other property-disrespecting activity; our strong recreation programs and facilities; our public conservation lands; and our commitment to diversity and peaceful coexistence.Advancing a social and cultural value and expectation that living in Lexington means voting consistently in its local elections will require constant, explicit, year-round discussion of local-election voting. We therefore recommend: That the Select Board convene a Task Force to work on transforming voting in Lexington's local elections into a central social and cultural value and expectation in our town. The Task Force could consist of residents (including at least one or two high school students from Minuteman High School, Lexington High School, or both) to work year-round on the issue of increasing voter turnout in local elections and addressing barriers to voting. This would be a multi-year effort that would require the Task Force to engage in on-going experimentation and assessment. We envision a Task Force with a clearly defined end date, but also with the potential for extending its life if results of its actions are proving to have desired outcome or the members feel more work is needed. This Task Force may even become permanent. Six to ten years would give the Task Force time to get its bearings, to create goals, strategies, and tactics and evaluate their 45 effectiveness, and to be nimble in its work as things change, stagnate, or progress. 108 The sections of this report titled "Factors associated with increased voter turnout"and "Proposed strategies to increase voter turnout,"which summarize the research literature, could serve as starting points for ideas. Most importantly, the Task Force would have the latitude to be innovative and creative, and would be responsible for assessing the impact of its work, by answering the questions:Has voter turnout in Lexington's local elections increased? Recommendation 2: Change the Timing of Local Elections Studies have found that the timing of elections to coincide with the standard U.S. Election Day—the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November109—can increase voter turnout. We therefore recommend: Changing the timing of Lexington's local elections. Lexington is required by law to hold its Annual Town Election in the spring; however: • We could ask for a home-rule petition to have the date of the Annual Town Election mimic the date of federal elections, so that it occurs on the Tuesday following the first Monday in November. The swearing-in of those elected to townwide offices and Town Meeting would occur a month or so before Town Meeting. Example: hold the Annual Town Election in November 2025 and install those elected in March 2026 • We could change the day of the local election from Monday to Tuesday so that "voting day"is more in keeping with citizen expectations for state and federal elections. This could be done through a bylaw change, especially if Lexington continues to hold its Annual Town Election in March. ioa Examples of activities the Task Force might work on include: • Ways of helping people to vote—to get to the polls,to use mail-in ballots,to overcome language and ability barriers,to make advance plans to vote;it might work on keeping a steady drumbeat of communications about voting in local elections;it might develop local civics education programs and news articles and outreach to various affinity groups in town. • Raising awareness of voting among youth,perhaps through"I Voted"sticker contests in school;targeting youth through program collaborations with the schools,Cary Library,League of Women Voters,Boy& Girl Scouts,and other groups;and helping high school students be aware of their voter registration status. • Keeping the community apprised of voting rules and polling locations and any voting issues that may arise. • Working with Cary Library and/or the Community Center to create voting programs for Lexington newcomers,those whose first language is other than English,older adults,and others.These programs would cover topics like civic education in Lexington,what ballots look like and how to fill them out,and what do to if you need assistance and the polls. i09 ht,t m :!lwww.overscasvol, fouurudati omu gml?g� qAb CIqoJon dn aurdled,:states amwne:ruca::°hicsday 46 Recommendation 3: Promote Voting in Local Elections Studies have found that voter turnout can increase when voters are better informed. We therefore recommend: Promoting voting in local elections through communications,publicity, and events. • Create an official town voting-awareness day with enhanced communications that raise awareness of local voting, and how to make a plan to vote. • Establish a budget and a program for an information campaign about voting by mail. • Establish a robust program promoting local election voting and local civic engagement. Such a program may include: o Increasing Town-generated communications about elections and civic obligations. To achieve this may involve increased Town staff time for the purpose, but also engaging private associations, civic groups, religious communities, listservs, social media outlets, and so on to participate in the effort. It appears to the Subcommittee that Lexington residents rely heavily, and increasingly, on listservs and social media for information, making these informal outlets indispensable to informing the public. o Making the Town's webpages on voting and elections more streamlined and user- friendly, using models from other municipalities, states (such as Colorado"o), and organizations such as Note.org and Turbo Note.org. o Using banners and signs on all Town buildings including the Town Office Building, Cary Hall, Cary Library, the Community Center, the DPW building, and every school building to alert the community about upcoming elections;posting sandwich boards at key intersections around town. o Offering a Lexington Community Education course on American government and voting and its relationship to citizenship and the civic and collective good, with particular emphasis on local elections. o Informing newcomers to Lexington about town government. 47 o Printing a booklet for voters similar to the "red book"issued by the Massachusetts Secretary of Commonwealth's office."' Recommendation 4: Reduce Barriers to Voting Studies show that barriers to voting can reduce voter turnout. We therefore recommend: Reducing barriers to voting. • Increase the number of mail-in ballot drop boxes perhaps one at the Community Center, another at Cary Library. Such additional drop boxes would require 24/7 monitoring and closure at 8:00 p.m. every Election Day. • Assist those who have trouble going to the polls,particularly in the form of o information about how to vote by mail o information about how to access the existing services that give rides to the polls o raising awareness of voting accommodations for people with disabilities, such as the use of low vision voting machines and the option to bring a companion for assistance. • Engage the Commission on Disability to assess whether ballots have poor contrast for those with low vision and make improvements. Where necessary, lobby the Secretary of Commonwealth to improve contrast on ballots. • Enable those for whom English is not a first language to receive voting assistance. • Make Lexpress free, if financially feasible, on local election days. • Apply for grants, such as the League of Women Voters Lotte E. Scharfman Citizen Education Grant Program,for programs that promote civic participation through voting. Recommendation 5: Support the Town Clerk in Looking at Processes and Making Improvements The Town Clerk can be a resource for enhanced voter engagement efforts,but we must keep in mind that new laws in Massachusetts intended to make voting easier for residents have changed the nature of some of the Town Clerk's work. We invited the Town Clerk to comment on 2�24,, m,rwn, m,m�m��:!l .s�,c�.,, mm��.mwn��auslm��.u��usu�amusl��l�,c�mu�amusl�?au�uluc��m,;u�amuslumu�"�am�vru��mu�amu �"�am ��am�,m�s �; lc�a��e�r.... 48 an earlier draft of this report. We present her feedback to the Select Board in the form of this recommendation: Support the Town Clerk in looking at processes and making improvements. • Provide a dedicated transport vehicle and staff specifically for the transporting of ballots and equipment.A dedicated transport vehicle would further enhance the efficiency of elections operations, streamline processes, and ensure timely and secure delivery, complementing the current excellent efforts of Lexington's facilities team. • Provide logistical support in the form of increased storage space and dedicated mail space. • Create a Voter Assistance Hotline, especially during election season. • Support the Town Clerk in consulting with experts on events management, space management, voter engagement, social media outreach and dissemination of information, voter friendly web design, and other expertise the Town Clerk may flag. • Provide funds for volunteer staffing needed for improvements. Recommendation 6:Advocate for Home Rule Petitions for Ranked-Choice Voting and for Local Voting Rights for Non-citizen Lawful Permanent Residents. In 2023, Special Town Meeting passed STM 1-9, a citizen petition seeking authorization from the Massachusetts Legislature for a home rule petition that would establish ranked-choice voting for the election of Town offices. In 2025, Town Meeting passed Article 27 granting voting rights in local elections to non-citizen lawful permanent residents. To be implemented, both measures require the Massachusetts Legislature to grant home-rule petitions. We recommend: That Town leadership advocate in the Legislature for passage of both home-rule petitions so that Lexington can put them into practice,per the will of Town Meeting. Recommendation 7: Modernize Data Access We found it challenging to access data about voters and voting in Lexington. Better access to certain demographic information could improve our understanding of what we need as a community regarding voting. In addition, our research found that academics who study local voting and local voter turnout tend not to focus on Massachusetts because it is hard to mine the data. We therefore recommend: 49 • Modernizing how Lexington collects and maintains data related to voting, census, and schools (within the confines ofprivacy laws) in a unified database. • Petitioning the state to modernize, centralize, and make uniform the collection of voting and demographic data across the cities and towns of the Commonwealth. Recommendation 8: Study How to Foster an Informed Citizenry We recognize that the issue of information-sharing is a perennial one in Lexington. Despite what appear to be the Town government's best efforts, and despite outreach by candidates especially when local elections are contested, hundreds, if not thousands, of residents are often not aware of what is going on in town, and of the opportunity to vote in local elections. In light of the importance of information to both increasing voter turnout in local elections, and of having an informed citizenry, we recommend: The convening of a Vision for Lexington Subcommittee to explore how to better communicate with the residents of Lexington,particularly about local elections and voting. We appreciate that a subcommittee of Vision for Lexington, Enhancing Communication in Lexington, has already investigated how to improve communication by looking at best practices and recommending several actions for implementation, but the issue of information-sharing regarding voting in particular is worthy of a separate subcommittee investigation. The subcommittee should include in its study the power of horizontal communications (informal networks among residents). Recommendations from such a subcommittee could enhance other Town efforts to foster a widely informed citizenry that participates in local elections. Recommendation 9: Study Why Local Elections are Often Uncontested112 We found that contested races tend to increase voter turnout.Yet, in Lexington, most seats go uncontested each year, dampening enthusiasm for voting. Three factors may be related 112 As a way of boosting the likelihood of competitive elections,we considered recommending that Lexington create a public fund to help partially finance local-office political campaigns.We decline to do so,however,based on advice from a State Ethics Commission attorney,who wrote in an email dated July 9,2025,"such a fund could create conflict of interest law issues...for any municipal official/employee/board member who seeks to participate in crafting the public fund program or making decisions about it,while they are potentially interested in taking advantage of that program as a candidate.Further,the program may raise an issue under the conflict of interest law provision generally restricting having a financial interest in a municipal contract." 50 to this: the large number of elected seats that must be filled each year; the costs of running a contested campaign; and the fact that all of these positions are unpaid, while the demands of office can, at times, rival a full-time job. We recommend: That the Select Board and the Vision for Lexington see the phenomenon of frequently uncontested elections in Lexington's local races as an issue worthy of study and convene a committee that explores why our local elections are often uncontested, the implications for inclusive representation, and relevant reforms. 51 Conclusion The decisions made by local elected officials impact our daily lives, often more than do those made by state and federal officials. By voting for local elected officials who represent local values, each voter contributes to the formation of policies and programs that promote the well-being of the community. Lexington will benefit from embracing as a community value the expectation that its citizens turn out to vote in local elections. Just as Lexington's identity includes community commitments to public school education and preservation of the local cultural heritage, Lexington should adopt an assumption that its identity includes a community commitment to voting in local elections and should similarly invest in that identity. The recommendations in this report offer actionable ideas for promoting the role of"local-election voter"as a core identity of a Lexington resident—an identity that gives Lexington citizens the power to speak up for themselves and to enable citizens to participate in a basic and vital tenet of democracy: voting. 52 APPENDIX 1: References for Literature Review 1. Aldrich, John. 1993. "Rational Choice and Turnout."American Journal of Political Science 37(1): 246-278. 2. Bartels, Larry M. 2016. "Elections in America." The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 667:36-49. 3. Root, Danielle and Liz Kennedy. 2018. "Increasing Voter Participation in America." Center for American Progress m lm // „ �marmmm. i ��m tF i am mm.m, amm. / i �� / ric m m.4sirig voteir lmgqidp?gtmmrt a m:memmica/ 4. Shachar, Ron and Barry Nalebuff. 1999. "Follow the Leader: Theory and Evidence on Political Participation."American Economic Review 89(3): 525-547. 5. Brennan Center for Justice. 2023. "Voting Laws Roundup: June 2023." wwwwtmm ertria,riceritem-,,oig/amtmt':°°° ammm�z/mmt m t mm �m m t ima,m pmt/ a trig IpAm m mmamw tmitm °° tm tt � . 6. Factors Associated with Low Voter Turnout: a. Augenblick,Ned and Scott Nicholson. 2016. "Ballot Position, Choice Fatigue, and Voter Behavior." The Review of Economic Studies 83(2): 460-480. b. Brennan, Jan. 2020. "Increasing Voter Turnout in Local Elections."National Civic League 109(1). aji-fi.dt/t tgt asirig voteir ttmtim„mout t lm.mc mm]...m lectioris/ c. Carlson, Jamie, Erik Engstrom, Jason Roberts. 2007. "Candidate Quality, the Personal Vote, and the Incumbency Advantage in Congress." The American Political Science Review 101(2): 289-301. d. Cohen, Marian and Ruth Remington. 2022. "Final Report on Town-Wide Survey 2022." Vision for Lexington Committee hlW ://www.lecirigIppur p,,,imam lllI) (.timer t("eri eii/ "ie %/112/:/0:/:/...'III°'owir j(je e. Holbein, John and D. Sunshine Hillygus. 2016. "Making Young Voters: The Impact of Preregistration on Youth Turnout."American Journal of Political Science 60(2): 364-382. f. Tawfik,Amal, Pascal Sciarini, Eugene Horber. 2012. "Putting Voter Turnout in a Longitudinal and Contextual Perspective:An Analysis of Actual Participation Data."International Political Science Review 33(3): 352-371. g. The Pew Research Center. 2006. "Regular Voters, Intermittent Voters, and Those Who Don't: Who Votes, Who Doesn't, and Why." h. U.S. Census Bureau,November 2020. Table 10. Reasons for Not Voting, by Selected Characteristics. 7. Factors Associated with Increased Voter Turnout: a. Conway, M. Margaret. 1969. "Political Participation in a Nonpartisan Local Election." The Public Opinion Quarterly 33(3): 425-430. b. Denny, Kevin and Orla Doyle. 2009. "Does Voting History Matter?Analysing Persistence in Turnout?American Journal of Political Science 53(1): 17-35. c. Gerber,Alan, Donald Green, Ron Shachar. 2003. "Voting May be Habit-Forming: Evidence from a Randomized Field Experiment."American Journal of Political Science 47(3): 540-550. 53 d. Holbein, John and D. Sunshine Hillygus. 2016. "Making Young Voters: The Impact of Preregistration on Youth Turnout."American Journal of Political Science 60(2): 364-382. e. Knack, Stephen and Martha E. Krop£ 1998. "For Shame! The Effect of Community Cooperative Context on the Probability of Voting."Political Psychology 19(3): 585-599. f. Krantz, Laura. 2021. "Gen Z is coming of age with real purpose: college students set record for voting in 2020 election."Boston Globe October 28. im lmm, // !Wmamm am 11 am�Wmm. :umm/ / / /armmm ;iam/ sti ients ote(! hi,storic. Results. g. Nickerson, David. 2009. "Is Voting Contagious? Evidence from Two Field Experiments." The American Political Science Review 102(1): 49-57. h. Pons, Vincent. 2018. "Will a Five-Minute Discussion Change Your Mind?A Countrywide Experiment on Voter Choice in France." The American Economic Review 108(6): 1322-1363. i. Subscribers to listservs, hlW :H((;l cs.gpgg!��,gp!pl(iocii merit/(!/l ... 1 ism Ao(i ... ° (`:jy6MA.1,119MlR[m/Pdit 8. Proposed Strategies to Increase Voter Turnout: a. Arceneaux, Kevin and David W. Nickerson. 2009. "Who is Mobilized to Vote?A Re-Analysis of 11 Field Experiments."American Journal of Political Science 53(1): 1-16. b. Berinsky,Adam J.,Nancy Burns, Michael W. Traugott. 2001. "Who Votes by Mail?A Dynamic Model of the Individual-Level Consequences of Voting-by-Mail Systems." The Public Opinion Quarterly 65(2); 178-197. c. Brennan, Jan. 2020. "Increasing Voter Turnout in Local Elections."National Civic League 109(1). riatimmlimmlcivi leagg amm-gi icj mmmmticle/incmemm irig voter tmmmmnoul in loca] elections/ d. Conway, M. Margaret. 1969. "Political Participation in a Nonpartisan Local Election." The Public Opinion Quarterly 33(3): 425-430. e. Dale,Allison and Aaron Strauss. 2009. "Don't Forget to Vote: Text Message Reminders as a Mobilization Tool."American Journal of Political Science 53(4): 787-804. f. Donovan, Todd, Caroline Tolbert, Daniel A. Smith. 2009. "Political Engagement, Mobilization, and Direct Democracy." The Public Opinion Quarterly 73(1): 98- 118. g. Generation Citizen. 2017. "Young Voices at the Ballot Box: Lowering the Voting Age for Local Elections in 2017 and Beyond."National Civic Review 106(2): 29- 38. h. Hajnal, Zoltan L. 2018. "Why Does No One Vote in Local Elections?" The New York Times October 22. ii!W�://wwwwrl lirrmemr.corri/201 /10/22/ piriiori/wily lives 11011110rie...vote in !m:mcmm]...ele(,tiorls"]Itm!d/rim.aji-m,IYmJlhlm:mr:wm!tllPo itioriI i. Katz, Daniel and Samuel J. Eldersveld. 1961. "The impact of Local Party Activity Upon the Electorate." The Public Opinion Quarterly 25(1): 1-24. 54 j. Kogan, Bladimir, Stephane Lavertu, Zachary Peskowitz. 2018. "Election Timing, Electorate Composition, and Policy Outcomes: Evidence from School Districts." American Journal of Political Science 62(3): 637-651. k. Kramer, Gerald H. 1970-1971. "The Effects of Precinct-Level Canvassing on Voter Behavior." The Public Opinion Quarterly 34(4): 560-572. 1. Maciag, Mike. 2014. "Voter Turnout Plummeting in Local Elections."August 28. m. Maciag, Mike. 2016. "Millennials Let Their Grandparents Decide Local Elections."December 13. v (F�.� 91lim.g,SX)111, n. Oliver, J. Eric. 1996. "The Effects of Eligibility Restrictions and Party Activity on Absentee Voting and Overall Turnout."American Journal of Political Science 40(2): 498-513. o. Patterson, Samuel C. and Gregory A. Caldeira. 1985. "Mailing in the Vote: Correlates and Consequences of Absentee Voting."American Journal of Political Science 29(4): 766-788. p. Rainwater, Brooks and Olivia Snarski. 2019. "Voting in Local Elections Matters. This is What Cities Can Do."Bloomberg News November 4. imiiim ://www.i)loomi)gjl-g.(.om/riews/a,ii-,ti(.Ies/2019 i i 04/bow 04/bowcifi s can i ivigpi-ate° 12!991imm;fifim s, . q. Root, Danielle and Liz Kennedy. 2018. "Increasing Voter Participation in America." Center for American Progress rig Wm g pggi ippljamir°° meirica/ r. Sondheimer, Rachel Milstein and Donald P. Green. 2010. "Using Experiments to Estimate the Effects of Education on Voter Turnout."American Journal of Political Science 54(1): 174-189. s. Holbein, John and D. Sunshine Hillygus. 2020.Making Young Voters: Converting Civic Attitudes into Civic Action. Cambridge University Press imiiim ://(19j.(Kg/1 01017/9781108770446. t. Comments on listservs about voting 4-19-2023, imiiim ://m;ami;s.gpg llm ,gpurpl(:Iociimerit/(I/l 8R bT)fxcy7mid ...Vl, 9Cb3 m1gQ!1w 24KA. /e(i t. ....................... u. Notes from Why Americans Don't Vote, by King and Hale, imi;iimm, //m;a.mc m, gggglm gg!n/(:Io iimm l/mI/i Y40 mm 'i"' JIJ° F /m ./fl1 A"mil' i M01TR SIP 2/ ypm / ,'Rr gJIB /m mi d m im w v. Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE). Youth Poll. im //m; �r �m wmmi m miw w. U.S. Census Bureau.2020. liftp5://www.cerisils.gpy x. Lijphart,A. 1997. "Unequal Participation: Democray's Unresolved Dilemma. Presidential Address,American Political Science Association, 1996."American Political Science Review 91(1): 1-14. 55 APPENDIX II: What Lexington Children Learn about Civics in School The Lexington Public Schools civics curriculum is based in the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks for History and Social Science,'13 a 217-page document detailing age-appropriate student learning goals for content and skills-development. Here, the Subcommittee presents a summary of the Frameworks, with a focus on the teaching of civics. This section quotes extensively from the Frameworks. The Frameworks hold that, "The primary purpose of a history and social science education is to prepare students to have the knowledge and skills to become thoughtful and active participants in a democratic society and a complex world."'14 The Frameworks expect that students will: • Know the fundamental ideas central to the vision of the 18th century founders, the vision that holds us together as one people of many diverse origins and cultures. • Understand the intellectual and political tensions and compromises in the Founders' ideas and how successive generations in the United States have worked to resolve them. • Know how democratic ideas have been turned into institutions and practices, and the history of the origins, growth, and struggles of democratic societies on earth,past and present. • Understand what economic, social, cultural, religious, and international conditions have helped to shape democratic practices. • Understand the purposes, principles, and practices of the United States government as established by the Constitution, which includes their rights and responsibilities, and how to exercise them in local, state, and national government. • Understand that, in the United States, the Constitution has continued to be vibrant and relevant through amendments and decisions of the federal courts. • Understand how individuals, groups, organizations, and governments have addressed obstacles to democratic principles by working within the structure set forth in the Constitution. • Are knowledgeable about local, state, and national politics and policies, and understand the current condition of the world and how it got that way. • Are prepared to discuss complex and controversial issues and ideas with people of different views, learning to speak with clarity and respectfulness. 113 Sources for this section of the report are from the following: • l�uu,l:��:!! .:. .mi.l�lm.u~wl��l��l��l.au�"umu�mmlul�m,;ul�mu!]��11 u��ul�:i:�ml�pl l m.::i�auumil�iu1��l�lumumi.l��iummwn��! • High School course descriptions: uulml :!l .ual la lall;.l uuµlpl 1.ul auuµun,l a &l YQ1b;XAMM64:: leu➢I3l,hu➢) z.wt9➢KaIW9l7lll3vkrm t �&dU • Emails from the Lexington Public Schools'K-5,6-8,and 9-12 Social Studies Curriculum Coordinators and Department Heads. 114 ium,Olm :!www,,d c,,.riiass,,cdauk"l"r�iriieworks/hss1:d';lll 12;I,,) f,page 12. 56 • Develop and practice habits of civic engagement and participation in democratic government.115 Pre-K through Grade 5 The Frameworks state that the goals of the elementary school curriculum pre-K through fifth grade—are to: • promote respect for people of diverse backgrounds and human rights, and develop students'understanding of characteristics of leadership and informed action; • build students'conceptual knowledge of history, geography, civics, and economics; • encourage inquiry, questions, and development of reasoning and research skills; • build content knowledge about the geography and history of students'cities and towns, state, and nation; and • build content knowledge about the narratives of United States history, including the interactions of Native Peoples, Europeans, and African Americans in the colonial, Revolutionary War, Civil War, Reconstruction, and 20th century Civil Rights periods.116 Grades 6-7 In sixth and seventh grade, the Frameworks aim to: • extend students'knowledge of the physical and political geography of the world • expand their capacity for geographical reasoning • strengthen their ability to develop research questions and conduct inquiries • introduce the cultural achievements of ancient and classical civilizations worldwide • establish foundational knowledge about types of societies and governments in preparation for Civics in grade 8 and World History and United States History in high school"' Grade 8 Under the Frameworks, the focus of eight grade is on United States and Massachusetts government and civic life.'18 The curriculum covers: • The philosophical foundations of the U.S. political system. • The development of the U.S. government. • The institutions of the U.S. government. • The rights and responsibilities of citizens. • The Constitution,Amendments, and Supreme Court decisions. • The structure of the Massachusetts state and local government. itst,!,Ps;!www,,d c rwiass,,cdaukfr" irwiew rks/l ss/2;()1 12 pdf,page 12. iibm,,ip�;!ip�:Hwww,,doc,,riiass,,cdu/friuµiiew arks/l ss/2;()1 12 I,,) f,page 26. 117 m,,lpm :!www,,d c,,riiass,,cdauk"f"r�iriieworks/hss/2()1 12,,I,-)df,page 83. m,lpm :Hwww,,doc,,riiass,,cdu/friuµiiew urks/l ss/?(')1 8 12 jm)df,page 104. 57 • Freedom of the press and news/media literacy!19 Among the rights and responsibilities of citizens explicitly taught is the right and responsibility of voting. In addition, students are expected to be able to: • Explain the different ways one becomes a citizen of the United States. • Describe the rights and responsibilities of citizens as compared with non-citizens (e.g., voting, serving as a juror, paying taxes, serving in the military, running for and holding elected office). • Distinguish among civic,political, and private life. • Define and provide examples of fundamental principles and values of American political and civic life (e.g., liberty, the common good,justice, equality, tolerance, law and order, due process, rights of individuals, diversity, civic unity, patriotism, constitutionalism, popular sovereignty, and representative democracy). • Describe how a democracy provides opportunities for citizens to participate in the political process through elections,political parties, and interest groups. • Evaluate information related to elections (e.g.,policy positions and debates among candidates, campaign financing, campaign advertising, influence of news media and social media, and data relating to voter turnout in elections). • Apply knowledge of the meaning of leadership and the qualities of good leaders to evaluate political leaders at the community, the state and national levels. • Explain the importance of individuals working cooperatively with their elected leaders. • Explain the importance of public service, and identify career and other opportunities in public service at the local, state, and national levels. • Analyze issues involving liberty in conflict with equality or authority, individual rights in conflict with the common good, or majority rule in conflict with minority rights. • Examine the varied understandings of the role of elected representatives and discuss those who have demonstrated political courage or those whose actions have failed to live up to the ideals of the Constitution. • Examine the role of political protest in a democracy. • Examine the influence of public and private interest groups in a democracy, including policy research organizations (e.g. Pew Research Center, Brookings Institute, Heritage Foundation) in shaping debate about public policy.120 Notably, eighth grade students in Lexington engage in a mock Town Meeting as part of a unit on local government.121 119 ht,tpe:Hwww,,doc,,riiass,,cdu/fririieworks/l ss/2;()i 12 I,,) f,page 104. 120 bllp:Hwww,,doc,,riiass,,cdu/friuµiiew urks/l ss/2;()i 12,,I,-)df,page 107-108 121 Email from School Committee member Kathleen Lenihan to Jeri Zeder dated 05.28.2025 at 8:19 a.m. 58 High School, Grades 9-12 Per Lexington's high school graduation requirements,122 students are expected to take four years of social studies, or 16 credits out of 104 total credits. Ninth graders must take World History I; sophomores must take World History 11; and juniors must take U.S. History. Through the United States History I Content Standards established by the Frameworks, specifically related to civics, students should be able to:123 • Explain the main argument of the Declaration of Independence, the rationale for seeking independence, and its key ideas on equality, liberty, natural rights, and the rule of law. • Explain the reasons for the adoption of the Articles of Confederation in 1781 and evaluate the weaknesses of the Articles as a plan for government, the reasons for their failure and how events such as Shays'Rebellion of 1786-1787 led to the Constitutional Convention. • Describe the Constitutional Convention, the roles of specific individuals (e.g. Benjamin Franklin,Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, George Washington, Roger Sherman, Edmund Randolph), and the conflicts and compromises (e.g., compromises over representation, slavery, the executive branch, and ratification). • Explain the main argument of the Declaration of Independence, the rationale for seeking independence, and its key ideas on equality, liberty, natural rights, and the rule of law. • Explain the reasons for the adoption of the Articles of Confederation in 1781 and evaluate the weaknesses of the Articles as a plan for government, the reasons for their failure and how events such as Shays'Rebellion of 1786-1787 led to the Constitutional Convention. • Describe the Constitutional Convention, the roles of specific individuals (e.g. Benjamin Franklin,Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, George Washington, Roger Sherman, Edmund Randolph), and the conflicts and compromises (e.g., compromises over representation, slavery, the executive branch, and ratification). • Analyze the consequences of the Civil War and Reconstruction (e.g., the physical and economic destruction of the South and the loss of life of both Southern and Northern troops; the increased role of the federal government; the impeachment of President Johnson; the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments; the expansion of the industrial capacity of the Northern U.S.; the role of the Freedmen's Bureau and organizations such as the American League of Colored Laborers, the National Negro Labor Council, the Colored Farmers'National Alliance and Cooperative Union; the accomplishments and failures of Radical Reconstruction; the presidential election of 1876; and the end of Reconstruction). • Analyze the campaign for, and the opposition to, women's suffrage in the late 19th and early 20th centuries; describe the role of leaders and organizations in achieving the passage of the 19th Amendment(e.g., Carrie Chapman Catt,Alice Paul, Ida B. Wells- Barnett the National Woman Suffrage Association,National Women's Party, League of Women Voters). • Analyze the strategies of African Americans to achieve basic civil rights in the early 20th century, and determine the extent to which they met their goals by researching leaders izz m,Om :!lumu0umuuµunuml� ,lOu�m. ufilr�m.au�0uumu a° auua° rung u0 ! 123 m,lpm :Hwww,,doc,,riiass,,cdu/fririieworks/l ss/2,01 8 A2I,-) f,page 121-128 59 and organizations (e.g., Ida B. Wells-Barnett,W. E. B. DuBois, Marcus Garvey, Booker T,Washington, and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People). Through the United States History I Content Standards established by the Frameworks, specifically related to civics, students should be able to:124 • Explain and give examples of the roles that government may play in a market economy, including the provision of public goods and services, redistribution of income, protection of property rights, and resolution of market failures. • Analyze how the government uses taxing and spending decisions (fiscal policy) and monetary policy to promote price stability, full employment, and economic growth. • Using primary sources such as campaign literature, news articles/analyses, editorials, and radio/newsreel coverage, analyze the important policies, institutions,trends, and personalities of the Depression era(e.g., Presidents Herbert Hoover and Franklin D. Roosevelt, Eleanor Roosevelt, Frances Perkins, Huey Long, Charles Coughlin, Charles Lindbergh). Students may research and complete a case study on any one of the following policies, institutions, or trends: o the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation o the Securities and Exchange Commission o the Tennessee Valley Authority o the Social Security Act o the National Labor Relations Act o the Works Progress Administration o the Fair Labor Standards Act o the American Federation of Labor o the Congress of Industrial Organizations o the American Communist Party o the America First movement and anti-Semitism in the United States • Evaluate the effectiveness of the New Deal programs enacted during the 1930s and the societal responses to those programs. • Explain the long-term consequences of important domestic events during the war. o the War's stimulus to economic growth o the beginning of the second Great Migration of African Americans from the South to industrial cities of the North and to California o A. Philip Randolph and the efforts to eliminate employment discrimination on the basis of race o large numbers of women in the workforce of munitions industries and serving in non-combat jobs in the military, including as pilots, clerks, computer scientists, and nurses o the internment of West Coast Japanese Americans in the U.S. and Canada o how the two world wars led to greater demands for civil rights for women and African Americans. 124 h m,,ip�:Hwww,,doc,,riiass,,cdu/fririieworks/l ss/?,(')1 8 A2I,-) E page 129-138 60 • Research and analyze one of the domestic policies of Presidents Truman and Eisenhower (e.g., Truman's Fair Deal, the Taft-Hartley Act of 1947, the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 or the Social Security Disability Insurance Act of 1956). • Analyze the roots of domestic communism and anti-communism in the 1950s, the origins and consequences of, and the resistance to McCarthyism, researching and reporting on people and institutions such as Whittaker Chambers,Alger Hiss, FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, Senators Joseph McCarthy and Margaret Chase Smith, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, the American Communist Party, the House Committee on Un-American Activities, and congressional investigations into the Lavender Scare). • Analyze the causes and consequences of important domestic Cold War trends in the United States (e.g., economic growth and declining poverty, the G. I. Education bill, the decline in women's employment, climb in the birthrate, the growth of suburbs and home ownership, the increase in education levels, the impact of television and increased consumerism). • Analyze the origins, evolution, and goals of the African American Civil Rights Movement, researching the work of people such as Martin Luther King, Jr., Thurgood Marshall, Rosa Parks, Malcolm X, John Lewis, Bayard Rustin, Robert F. Kennedy, and institutions such as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, and the Congress of Racial Equality. • Using primary sources such as news articles/analyses, editorials, and radio/television coverage, research and analyze resistance to integration in some white communities, protests to end segregation, and Supreme Court decisions on civil rights. o The 1954 Supreme Court decision in Brown a Board of Education o the 1955-1956 Montgomery Bus Boycott, the 1957-1958 Little Rock School Crisis and Eisenhower's civil rights record o King's philosophy of non-violent civil disobedience,based on the ideas of Gandhi and the sit-ins and freedom rides of the early 1960s o the 1963 civil rights protest in Birmingham and the March on Washington 0 1965 civil rights protest in Selma o the 1968 assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. • Evaluate accomplishments of the Civil Rights movement (e.g., the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the 1965 Voting Rights Act) and how they served as a model for later feminist, disability, and gender rights movements of the 20th and 21 st centuries; collect and analyze demographic data to investigate trends from the 1964 to 2010 in areas such as voter registration and participation, median family income, or educational attainment among African American, Hispanic American,Asian American and white populations. • Using primary sources such as news articles/analyses, editorials, and television coverage, research Massachusetts leaders for civil rights and the controversies over the racial desegregation of public schools in the 1960s and 1970s, including: o the establishment of the Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity (METCO)busing plan involving Boston, Springfield, and suburban school districts o Court-ordered desegregation and mandated busing in the public schools of Boston and other Massachusetts cities 61 • Using primary and secondary sources, analyze the causes and course of one of the following social and political movements, including consideration of the role of protest, advocacy organizations, and active citizen participation. o Women's rights, including the writings on feminism by Betty Friedan, Gloria Steinem and others; the availability of the birth control pill; the activism of the National Organization for Women and opposition to the movement by conservative leaders such as Phyllis Schlafly; passage of the Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution(1972), and its failure to achieve sufficient ratification by states; Title IX of the 1972 Education Amendments to the 1964 Civil Rights Act, the 1973 Supreme Court decision,Roe a Wade, the appointment of Sandra Day O'Connor as the first woman Justice of the Supreme Court in 1981, and increasing numbers of women in elected offices in national and state government o the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer(LGBTQ) Civil Rights Movement, the impact of world wars on the demand for gay rights, the Stonewall Rebellion of 1969, the Gay Pride Movement, and activism and medical research to slow the spread of AIDS in the 1980s; the role of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court in Goodridge a Department of Public Health (2004) and the role of other state courts in providing equal protection for same sex marriage in advance of the United States Supreme Court decision in Obergefell a Hodges (2015) o the disability rights movement such as deinstitutionalization, independent living, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act(1975), the Americans with Disabilities Act(1990), and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (1990) o the environmental protection movement (e.g., the 1962 publication of Rachel Carson's Silent Spring; the 1970 federal Clean Air Act; the 1972 Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act; the 1972 Federal Water Pollution Control Act and subsequent amendments) o the movement to protect the health and rights of workers, and improve working conditions and wages (e.g., C6sar Chavez and Dolores Huerta and the migrant farmworkers'movement, workplace protections against various forms of discrimination and sexual harassment) o the movement to protect the rights, self-determination, and sovereignty of Native Peoples (e.g., the Indian Civil Rights Act of 1968, the American Indian Movement, the Wounded Knee Incident at the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota in 1973, the Indian Self Determination and Education Assistance Act of 1975, and the efforts of Native Peoples'groups to preserve Native cultures, gain federal or state recognition and raise awareness of Native American history • Research and analyze issues related to race relations in the United States since the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, including: the Fair Housing Act of 1968 and its impact on neighborhood integration;policies, court cases, and practices regarding affirmative action and their impact on diversity in the workforce and higher education disparities and trends in educational achievement and attainment, health outcomes, wealth and income, and rates of incarceration; the election of the nation's first African American president, Barack Obama, in 2008 and 2012. • Using primary sources such as campaign literature and debates, news articles/analyses, editorials, and television coverage, analyze the important policies and events that took 62 place during the presidencies of John F. Kennedy (e.g., the confrontation with Cuba over missile bases, the space exploration program, Kennedy's assassination), Lyndon Johnson (the Great Society programs, the Civil Rights and Voting Rights Acts, the Vietnam War and anti-war movements, the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act, the assassinations of Martin Luther King, Jr., and Robert F. Kennedy), and Richard Nixon(the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency, diplomacy with China, d6tente with the Soviet Union, the Watergate scandal, and Nixon's resignation). • Analyze and evaluate the impact of economic liberalism on mid-20th century society, including the legacy of the New Deal on post World War II America, the expansion of American manufacturing and unionism, social welfare programs, and the regulation of major industries such as transportation, energy, communications and finance. • Analyze the presidency of Ronald Reagan (1981-1989) and the rise of the conservative movement in American politics, (e.g.,policies such as tax rate cuts, anti-communist foreign and defense policies, replacement of striking air traffic controllers with non-union personnel. • Analyze how the failure of communist economic policies and U.S.-sponsored resistance to Soviet military and diplomatic initiatives contributed to the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, and the end of the Cold War. • Analyze some of the major technological and social trends and issues of the late 20th and early 21 st centuries (e.g., the computer and technological revolution beginning in the 1980s, scientific and medical discoveries such as DNA research, major immigration and demographic changes such as the rise in Asian and Hispanic immigration). • Evaluate the effectiveness of the federal government's response to international terrorism in the 21 st century, including the 2001 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon near Washington, D.C., the Homeland Security Act, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, and the Afghanistan and Iraq Wars. In addition, relevant high school electives include AP U.S. Government&Politics, Introduction to Law, Introduction to Economics, and Class, Race, and Gender. Grade 8 and Grade 11 Required Civics Proiects As required by Massachusetts law Chapter 296125, all eighth graders and eleventh graders complete a civics project. The curriculum guide 126 provided by the state describes the goals 127 of this project, envisioning that students will: • Develop civic dispositions and a sense of self-efficacy • Develop and practice civic skills • Build civic content knowledge • Develop and practice literacy skills, including digital media literacy • Conduct inquiries and determine next steps 121 hI, luwn,nn nnu uum,unn llll, l nn uunnulll::, n l n 0 l nn� In nu u0 nmd�n , 126 hI,,lpm :Hwww,doa,rnassxdauk"m1Mm strucljomul6ycs,!!prgJgpm,°,gpudqbooklumudgx,hInilI// 127bm,,jpm :Hwww,doa.,n"nassxdauk"m1Mn,,struc0u n~ul6ycs!prgJgpm, gpudqbookJndgx,hmuµu<ilIMcssons/1 n2)1Y,, h ugh,::°,K Q1.:: 63 • Develop and practice social-emotional skills • Become more academically engaged • Develop cultural competence and social political awareness 64