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From YouTube: Election Preparations Update - 8/23/22
Description
Boston Mayor Wu hosts a press conference at the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) to raise awareness of the new polling locations for Boston voters and to encourage residents to make a plan to vote in the upcoming state primary elections, especially for voters impacted by the Orange Line shutdown.
UPDATE: Due to technical difficulties, we have uploaded a brand new copy of today's press conference. You may access it by using this link here https://youtu.be/5WxYXPnwamk
A
Museum
of
fine
arts
in
boston.
It's
a
pleasure
to
welcome
all
of
you
to
welcome
michelle
wu,
the
great
mayor
of
the
city
of
boston
and
anita
tavares,
the
boston
elections.
Commissioner,
we
have
a
few
things
to
share
with
you.
Let
me
just
say
that
we're
really
thrilled
to
be
a
host
for
both
today
and
for
subsequent
election
polling
stations
at
the
museum
museums
exist
to
be
convening
spaces
for
our
community.
A
They
exist
to
allow
our
citizens
to
express
themselves
and
there's
no
greater
value
or
expression
of
that
belief
than
being
open
to
the
democratic
system
in
our
country.
So
it's
deeply
meaningful
to
us
to
be
with
you
today
and
in
future
moments
in
our
journey.
So
with
great
pleasure,
I'd
like
to
introduce
our
wonderful
mayor,
michelle
wu.
B
Thank
you,
matthew
and
good
morning.
Everyone,
the
mfa,
is
an
incredible
treasure
for
our
city,
our
region,
our
country
and
the
valuable
collections
inside
really
have
worth
most
of
all
in
bringing
people
together.
As
you
heard,
this
is
a
space
that
has
been
an
anchor
for
our
cultural
heritage
for
our
connectedness
for
our
communities
for
a
very
long
time,
and
I'm
so
excited
that
it
will
also
be
home
to
the
most
powerful
expression
of
our
democracy
right
here,
where
we're
standing
as
a
one
of
our
newest
polling
locations
in
the
city.
B
I
want
to
thank
also-
and
some
of
them
are
here,
the
employees
of
the
mfa
and
the
leadership
of
this
incredible
institution,
as
they
have
reached
their
first
ever
union
contract
just
about
two
months
ago.
That
includes
the
benefits
that
workers
need
and
deserve
to
help
keep
our
families
rooted
right
here
in
boston
and
demonstrating
the
collective
power
of
our
democracy.
B
So
today
we
are
here
to
add
to
that
right
in
this
very
space.
Last
october,
the
city
of
boston,
expanded
voting
precincts
using
the
most
up-to-date
population
data
and
adjusting
those
lines
for
the
first
time.
In
nearly
a
century,
boston
had
been
boston
is
exempt
from
statewide
regulations
that
require
municipalities
to
update
and
adjust
those
lines
every
10
years,
and
so
we
had
taken
that
to
quite
and
we
waited
a
century
to
do
it.
B
But
now
this
means
that
there
will
be
the
ease
of
access,
reliable,
fast
lines
if
any
lines
at
all
and
more
locations
where
our
residents
can
go
to
make
their
voices
heard.
I
want
to
thank
the
elections,
department
and
all
of
the
team
that
have
been
working
so
hard
for
a
very
long
period
of
time
to
get
every
detail
of
that
right.
So,
thank
you,
commissioner.
Tavares.
I
see
members
of
your
team
here
as
well.
Thank
you
sabino
and
everyone.
B
Just
last
month,
the
city's
board
of
election
commissioners
voted
to
approve
these
new
polling
locations
like
the
one
we're
at
today
at
the
museum
of
fine
arts.
These
locations
will
help
us
create
a
stronger,
more
representative
democracy
by
reducing
the
lines
and
wait
times
and
making
it
easier
for
all
of
our
community
members
to
cast
their
votes.
B
B
B
B
When
you
are
voting
early,
you
don't
have
to
go
to
the
polling
place
that
is
closest
to
where
you
live,
or
the
one
that
you're
assigned
to
vote
at
on
election
day.
The
early
voting
sites
are
open
to
anyone
across
the
city
of
boston,
and
so
you
can
vote
closer
to
where
you
work
you
can
vote
closer
to
where
you're
dropping
the
kids
off
at
child
care.
So
please
check
out
the
list
of
all
those
locations.
B
B
If
you're
already
a
registered
voter,
you
should
have
received
a
mail-in
ballot
request,
form
from
the
office
of
the
secretary
of
state
and
to
and
then
filling
that
out.
You'll
get
the
ballot
back
by
mail
to
vote
then
drop
the
completed
form
into
a
mailbox,
and
you
can
sorry
I
messed
this
up.
You'll
get
the
request
form
you
should
have
gotten
it
already.
You
can
fill
that
out.
Send
that
back
and
then
you
will
get
your
ballot
sent
to
you
in
the
mail.
B
If
you
did
not
get
a
request
form
or
you
still
need
one.
You
can
again
get
that
at
boston.gov
voting
to
get
your
ballot
in
time,
because
we
need
to
build
in
a
little
bit
of
extra
time
for
all
the
mailing
back
and
forth
to
do
a
mail-in
voting
ballot
and
to
get
it
in
time
make
sure
to
send
that
request
form
in
by
this
next
monday
august
29th,
and
then
you
want
to
just
get
that
ballot
back.
You
can
also
drop
the
ballots
off
at
drop
boxes
in
the
city
of
boston
as
well.
B
So
once
you
get
that
mail-in
ballot,
you
can
sit,
it
send
it
back
in
the
mail
or
you
can
drop
it
on
one
of
the
locations
that
look
like
post
office
boxes
but
will
be
clearly
marked
as
ballot
drop
boxes.
Many
of
them
are
at
polling
places
and
third
and
finally,
of
course
you
can
vote
in
person
on
election
day,
tuesday
september
6..
B
B
Just
one
more
reminder
on
our
public
transportation
planning.
If
you
live
along
the
orange
line
or
you
are
planning
to
use
it
to
get
to
a
polling
place
early
or
on
election
day,
you
have
some
alternative
options.
There
are
shuttle
buses
that
are
running
from
forest
hills
to
copley
and
then
from
oak
grove
to
government
center
and
shuttling
in
between
there
are
free.
30-Day
blue
bikes
passes
available
for
all
users
rides
up
to
45
minutes
will
be
free
and
commuter
rail
rides.
B
Boarding
at
a
station
within
the
city
of
boston
are
free
throughout
the
shutdown
as
well
any
station
in
zones,
1a,
1
and
2,
which
includes
every
station
in
boston,
is
free
to
board.
You
just
have
to
show
your
charlie
card,
and
actually,
when
I
took
it
the
last
two
times
I've
taken
it,
they
didn't
even
ask
to
see
the
card
or
okay.
B
Wheelchair
accessible
vans
are
also
available
upon
request
at
any
of
the
stations
so
that
you
can
either
get
on
an
accessible
shuttle
which
requires
a
lift
and
it's
sort
of
a
little
bit
tighter
of
a
space,
and
you
go
through
all
the
stops
until
you
get
to
your
stop
or
you
can
go
on
a
wheelchair,
accessible
van.
That
will
take
you
directly
one
by
one
passenger
directly
to
the
station
nearest
your
destination.
C
C
C
C
C
C
D
D
We
have
also
installed
21
ballot
drop
boxes
across
the
city
to
make
the
return
or
vote
by
mail
ballots
easier,
as
well
as
drop
boxes
at
all
of
the
early
voting
locations
which
will
be
available
during
the
early
voting
hours.
All
of
the
other
drop
boxes
across
the
city
will
remain
open
until
8
pm
on
election
day.
D
All
of
these
now
permanent
measures
allow
more
flexibility
and
voters
more
flexibility
in
choosing
when
they
cast
their
ballot.
Voting
should
be
as
easy
as
possible,
and
we
hope
that
all
of
these
new
options
just
make
it
easier
for
more
people
to
participate,
and
one
last
call
is.
We
are
looking
for
election
day
poll
poll
workers
so
with
20.
New
voting
precincts
means
that
we
need
to
amp
our
volunteers
so
visit
our
website.
If
you're
interested
in
signing
up
to
become
a
poll
worker,
our
poll
workers
are
the
foundation
of
our
democracy.
D
We
rely
very
heavily
heavily
on
them,
so
for
more
information
on
vote
by
mail
in
person,
early
voting
or
voting
on
election
day.
Please
make
sure
that
you
visit
the
election
department
website
at
boston.gov
forward,
slash
elections
or
you
can
call
our
department
at
617-635-vote
or
simply
call
3-1-1.
Thank
you.
D
B
A
A
A
B
So,
okay,
I
have
some
statistics
here
just
so
we
get
a
sense
of
the
numbers.
I
I
will
just
start
by
saying
making
sure
that
our
young
people
and
their
families
have
everything
they
need
is
one
of
the
most
important
priorities
of
of
any
city
government
and
here
in
boston.
We
have
the
potential
to
truly
demonstrate
what
public
education
in
2022
and
beyond
should
look
like
many
of
the
positions.
There
are
vacancies
across
all
parts
of
city
government.
B
There
are
vacancies
across
many
industries
right
now
and
in
education
there
has
been
tremendous
burnout,
the
pandemic
and
all
of
the
stress
and
all
the
needs
that
our
families
have
been
facing
really
end
up
coming
out
in
the
classroom
and
educators.
School
leaders
have
had
to
wrap
their
arms
around
all
of
our
young
people
and
just
try
to
hold
the
world
together
amidst
unspeakably
different,
difficult
circumstances,
and
so
we
are
trying
to
pour
resources
into
the
boston
public
schools.
B
We
have
created
many
new
positions
this
year
as
well,
and
so
with
the
addition
of
social,
emotional
support
staff
in
all
schools.
There's
a
there's
not
just
a
need
to
keep
the
positions
filled
that
existed
previously
in
the
classroom,
but
also
to
now
staff
up
new
positions
that
are
meant
to
support
and
add
extra
infrastructure.
B
So
just
some
data,
we
have
4
500
positions,
245
vacancies,
and
we
are
confident
that
the
boston
public
schools
will
fill
these
roles.
There
have
been
various
outreach
mechanisms
and
job
fairs,
and
some
of
this
will
settle
as
people
figure
out
their
plans
for
the
fall,
and
we
will
go
into
day
one
with
every
single
classroom
and
young
person
having
their
their
teacher,
and
so
this
is
not
at
all
risking
schools
being
able
to
open
or
classrooms
being
able
to
open.
B
We
are
particularly
looking
to
recruit
paraprofessionals
and
substitute
teachers.
Many
of
the
folks
who
had
left
the
system
or
retired
were
in
these
types
of
roles,
and
so
there
are
vacancies
there
and
we've
been
staffing
up,
and
so
I'm
just
encouraging
anyone
who
might
have
an
interest
or
time
we
want
to
get
that
training
get
certified.
B
We
currently
have,
overall
over
11
000
employees
in
the
boston
public
school
system
across
all
those
various
fields.
Okay,
I
could
I
mean,
there's
you
might
have
gotten
this
briefing
already,
we've
already
hired
996
teachers
this
year.
This
is
our
busiest
season
right
now
and
there
will
be
a
large
number
of
applicants
joining
and
being
processed
over
the
next
couple
weeks
too.
B
No,
we
are
no.
We
are
ready
for
the
school
year.
We
have
been
planning
and
even
ahead
of
schedule
this
year
compared
to
previous
years,
because
so
much
extra
effort
and
resources
have
been
going
into
making
sure
bps
has
what
they
need.
We
did
create
many
many
more
positions,
and
so
we
are
looking
to
build
an
infrastructure
and
support
mechanisms
that
really
reflect
all
that
our
students
deserve
we're
not
there
yet,
and
so
there
are
many
openings,
but
rest
assured
this.
This
doesn't
mean
that
we're
crushing
people
together
or
anything
like
that.
B
We
are
just
going
through
our
routine
hiring
processes
and
want
to
please
help
us
spread
the
word
that
there
are
positions
available,
great
jobs,
a
chance
to
work
with
the
most
brilliant
amazing
young
people
anywhere
on
the
planet
here
in
boston
and
in
a
city
that
really
values
public
education.
We
have
recently,
we
just
had
our
cabinet
meeting
earlier
today
and
introduced
to
our
cabinet,
our
new
mayor's
office,
senior
advisor
on
youth
and
schools
and
children
in
schools,
and
so
we'll
be
standing
up.
B
D
D
B
I
did
it
was
great.
It
there's
a
little
more
risk
for
me
as
someone
who
tends
to
be
late
and
has
a
lot
of
things
to
do
getting
out
the
door
with
the
kids
and
this
and
that
the
commuter
rail,
because
it
doesn't
come
as
frequently
as
the
other
lines.
If
you
miss
it,
then
you're
kind
of
stuck
for
a
little
bit
of
time.
But
I
built
an
extra
time
this
morning
got
there.
B
It
is
the
fastest
way
to
get
downtown
from
the
some
of
the
some
of
our
neighborhoods,
because
the
stops
are
at
west
roxbury,
roslindale,
ruggles,
back
bay,
south
station
and
then
on
the
other
other
lines
you
can
come
in
from
hyde
park
or
along
the
fairmount
line
up
in
through
dorchester
to
south
station.
So
it
was
air-conditioned
and
comfortable,
and
I
got
on
early
enough
that
I
did
get
a
seat
and
I'm
very
grateful
to
have
that
option.
C
B
Yeah
any
year
in
our
city,
we
always
have
a
lot
of
extra
logistics
that
come
into
play
when
kids
are
getting
back
to
school.
It
is
whether
the
school
buses
and
the
drivers
are
familiar
with
new
routes
and
new
pickups
and
and
all
that
that
means,
as
people
are
testing
things
out,
it's
kids,
whether
they're
a
little
bit
late
and
the
driver
is
trying
to
wait
for
them
to
see
if
they
made
it
in
time
or
they're
coming
or
they're,
not
coming
so
building.
B
All
that
in
on
top
of
the
orange
line,
pause
in
service
is
a
lot
of
planning.
We
are
almost
there.
I
I
said,
starting
when
we
got
up
to
friday
night
with
the
start
of
the
or
the
subway
down,
we
were
as
prepared
as
we
possibly
could
be
for
that
piece
of
it.
We
still
have
a
little
bit
of
work
to
do
to
be
as
prepared
as
we
possibly
could
be
for
the
start
of
school,
but
we
have
a
little
bit
of
time
to
do
that
as
well.