Votes Needed in Upcoming Massachusetts Special Election . . .

Your Massachusetts Gay Neighbors and Relatives Need Your Vote in Upcoming Massachusetts Special Election That Could "Tip the Scales"

Massachusetts voters, it's time to gather and analyze information about voting in the Massachusetts special elections to fill three vacant Massachusetts (state) House of Representatives seats. This election may be decisive in the Massachusetts same-sex marriage issue due to the very close four vote margin during last year's 2004 Massachusetts Constitutional Convention regarding the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court's Goodridge v. Department of Public Health, 440 Mass. 309, 798 NE.2d 941 (2003) decision.

This upcoming special election is less than one month away to fill 3 vacant seats in the Massachusetts legislature:

12th Suffolk County District
18th Suffolk County District
3rd Berkshire County District

For those unfamiliar with your Massachusetts state voting district, or who your state representative is, please go to this Massachusetts Secretary of State, Wm. F. Galvin, Elections Division website and enter your correct street address: http://www.wheredoivotema.com/bal/myelectioninfo.php (What is My State District? Who is My Rep? Where Do I Vote?). If you do not know your zip code, then go to this U.S. Postal Service website at http://zip4.usps.com/zip4/welcome.jsp (What is My Zip Code?).

12th Suffolk County District

FIRST, the Massachusetts 12th Suffolk County (state) District seat that is now vacant after the resignation of former Massachusetts (state) Speaker of the House, Representative Thomas M. Finneran.

I suggest, as do many others including state Representative Marie St. Fleur (D,Dorchester), that this seat be filled by someone who represents the diversity of the neighborhood, one who has demonstrated progressive "blue state" politics in Massachusetts. Linda Dorcena Forry is that person -- a committed public servant born in Boston and raised in Dorchester. Lorry is endorsed and/or assisted by Massachusetts NOW, MassEquality, Suffolk County Sheriff Andrea Cabral, the progressive Commonwealth Coalition, the Caribbean Political Action Committee, NARAL Pro-choice Massachusetts, Milton Selectwoman Marion McEttrick, the Carpenters Union Local 67, The Freedom to Marry Coalition of Massachusetts, DotOUT of Dorchester, Massachusetts, as well as the http://www.barbaraleefoundation.org/women_politics/women_politics_list.htm?cat_id=540">Barbara Lee Family Foundation Women in Politics Program.

The 12th Suffolk County District seat will be filled by a special election. The primary will be held on March 15, 2005 and the general election on April 12, 2005. There are no Republicans or third party candidates running for this seat. Therefore, the "only" decisive election is the Democratic Party primary election to be held on March 15, 2005. Be sure to vote on that day, March 15th, for Linda Dorcena Forry.

18th Suffolk County District

SECOND, the Massachusetts 18th Suffolk County (state) District seat that is vacant due to the resignation of Brian Paul Golden, (D., Allston) a Finneran supporter and an outspoken conservative who has taken a position with the Romney Administration (interview w/ rightwing online magazine National Review founded by Wm. F. Buckley, Jr.).

I suggest, a vote for Tim Schofield, an attorney active in progressive politics and diversified community affairs to replace (the resigned) Brian Paul Golden. Schofield has stated he will vote to uphold the Goodridge opinion; he is opposed to a Massachusetts constitutional amendment that would place gay discrimination into our state constitution. Schofield has been endorsed by The Massachusetts Federation of Teachers, Boston Teachers Union, MassEquality, Massachusetts NOW, United Auto Workers, Commonwealth Coalition, The Freedom to Marry Coalition of Massachusetts, National Association of Social Workers, Citizens for Participation in Political Action, 2020 Democrats, The Sierra Club, Robert Reich, former US Secretary of labor and Mass. gubernatorial candidate, Jamie Eldridge, Massachusetts State Representative, 37th Middlesex District, Carl Sciortino, Massachusetts State Representative, 34th Middlesex District, Dave Friedman, 2002 candidate for State Representative, 18th Suffolk District, and Cathi Campbell, 2002 candidate for Boston City Council. Tim Schofield is committed to "blue states" progressive Massachusetts politics.[br />
The 18th Suffolk County District seat will be filled by a special election. The primary will be held on March 15, 2005 and the general election on April 12, 2005. There are no Republicans or third party candidates running for this seat. Therefore, the "only" decisive election is the Democratic Party primary election to be held on March 15, 2005. Be sure to vote on that day, March 15th, for Tim Schofield.

3rd Berkshire County District

THIRD, the Massachusetts 3rd Berkshire District special election to replace (now resigned) anti-gay legislator Peter Larkin (D, Pittsfield), all three Democratic Party candidates in the Democratic primary support equal marriage rights.

The 3rd Berkshire County District seat will be filled by a special election. The primary will be held on March 15, 2005 and the general election on April 12, 2005. Get out there and vote in one of these Democratic candidates; show a strong vote against any opposing party conservative! Vote for the Democrat in the general election on April 12th!

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For anyone who wishes to . . .

1.) Massachusetts Voters Information, please go to the Massachusetts Secretary of State's website at
http://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/eleifv/howreg.htm

2.) How to Apply for Massachusetts Absentee Ballot may be read at Massachusetts Secretary of State's webpage
http://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/eleifv/howabs.htm

3.) Application for Massachusetts Absentee Ballot (.pdf format) may be downloaded at Massachusetts Secretary of State's webpage
http://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/elepdf/absbalap.pdf

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so I can't vote in the upcoming election, but it is important to keep this topic bumped, especially since there is a bigoted troll running around flooding this forum with bullshit topics from CU.

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The Massachusetts Special Election primary results are in . . .

1.) 12th Suffolk County District = Linda Dorcena Forry (D, Dorchester) won the primary election and has no opposition in the upcoming general election.

2.) 18th Suffolk County District = Mike Moran, Democrat, won. He defeated Tim Schofield. However, Moran is strongly committed to protecting equal marriage rights. Moran is opposed in the upcoming general election by unenrolled candidate Tom O'Brien who also supports marriage equality.

3.) 3rd Berkshire County District = won by former Pittsfield City Solicitor Chris Speranzo. Speranzo supports marriage equality. However, in the upcoming general election, Speranzo will go against Terry Kinnas. Kinnas wants to place discrimination into the Massachusetts constitution. Kinnas is opposed to same-sex marriage.

The upcoming general election for this special election is on April 12. Get out the vote. Particularly in the 3rd Berkshire County District where there's a candidate (Terry Kinnas) on the ballot who opposes same sex marriage!

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