Residents living in Ward 8, Precinct 2 will no longer vote at the VFW beginning in November.
Following a persistent campaign from dozens of residents, the City Council voted to change a polling location due to the presence of a large “All Lives Matter” sign at the location.
Beginning this November, those who live in Ward 8, Precinct 2 will no longer vote at the Veteran of Foreign Wars building on Mystic Avenue, but instead at the Senior Center, which is already an approved polling location for Ward 8, Precinct 1.
Approximately 50 residents attended that City Council’s Aug. 14 meeting to voice their displeasure and discomfort with the presence of the “All Lives Matter” sign at an official polling location, saying it could intimidate voters. Some residents have been requesting since 2016 that the city move the polling location or that sign be removed or covered – at least during elections.
Medford Democratic City & Ward Committees
Medford, Massachusetts
At its July 26 meeting, the Medford Ward 8 Democratic Committee unanimously passed a resolution condemning the “All Lives Matter” sign posted at the Medford VFW. The VFW is the polling place for residents of Medford’s ward 8, precinct 2, which spans from Medford Square to South Medford along the Main Street corridor. Committee member and secretary Mimi Gordon introduced the motion to adopt the resolution.
The sign was posted in response to the “Black Lives Matter” movement, which calls attention to the dramatically increased risk of violence—especially by law enforcement—toward African Americans. While the phrase “All Lives Matter” sounds innocuous on its face, the committee asserts that the phrase is a direct rejection of “Black Lives Matter,” making it offensive to blacks and other minorities, along with those supporting the “Black Lives Matter” movement.