Celeste DeMarco v. Wellesley, Town of - Town Clerk (SPR 20210583)

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts William Francis Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth Public Records Division Rebecca S. Murray Supervisor of Records March 24, 2021 SPR21/0583 K.C. Kato Town Clerk Town of Wellesley 525 Washington Street Wellesley, MA 02482 Dear Ms. Kato: I have received the petition of Celeste DeMarco appealing the response of the Town of Wellesley (Town) to a request for public records. G. L. c. 66, § 10A; see also 950 C.M.R. 32.08(1). On March 3, 2021, Ms. DeMarco requested “a copy of the Voter List with designations for Early Voting or Mail-In ballots for the March 2, 2021 and November 3, 2020 elections for the Town of Wellesley.” On March 9, 2021, Ms. DeMarco “narrow[ed] [her] request to include only those who requested an application for a ballot for 2020 and for the March 2, 2021 elections.” That same day the Town responded that “[t]here are no records responsive to [her] request for a list of those individuals that requested an application for a ballot for either election.” Unsatisfied with the Town’s response, Ms. DeMarco appealed and this case was opened as a result. On March 11, 2021, the Town provided a supplemental response to Ms. DeMarco’s request, including redacted copies of “all the emails that resulted in an application being mailed to a voter” along with the “lists of voters who requested and/or voted Early by Mail or In-Person . . . or Absentee . . . in the November 3, 2020 Election and the March 2, 2021 Election.” The Town also explained the process for obtaining an application for a vote by mail ballot for both elections. Further, the Town described how an application for a vote by mail ballot could be obtained on-line without the need for a written request. Conclusion In light of the supplemental response provided by the Town, I will now consider this administrative appeal closed. Ms. DeMarco may further appeal the substantive nature of the Town’s supplemental response within ninety (90) days. See 950 C.M.R. 32.08(1). One Ashburton Place, Room 1719, Boston, Massachusetts 02108 • (617) 727-2832• Fax: (617) 727-5914 sec.state.ma.us/pre • pre@sec.state.ma.us

K.C. Kato SPR21/0583 Page 2 March 24, 2021 Sincerely, Rebecca S. Murray Supervisor of Records cc: Celeste DeMarco