Remarks by Liz Breadon
190 remarks on the record, newest first · Page 1 of 8
- Play at 57:18
“Thank you. I think this issue with inactive voting is definitely need to address it. I'm curious, the Lawrence precinct with 80% inactive voters who were had to probably take a provisional ballot. Is the current immigration climate impacting? Are folks afraid to return their municipal census? I'm just curious.”
City Council · Oct 2, 2026
- Play at 58:39
“Thank you. So same day voter registration really seems like a no-brainer to me, but... and these 24 other states have been doing it. Are there particular barriers in Massachusetts that, you know, do we have an exception to the rule? Why is it such a challenge here? Are there particular barriers that people hold up and say we couldn't do?”
City Council · Oct 2, 2026
- Play at 1:00:01
“So in terms of who are the folks that are the most impacted by the inability to register same day voter registration?”
City Council · Oct 2, 2026
- Play at 1:02:04
“So Cheryl, you said you went up to New Hampshire to observe what they did. In terms of their best practices from our neighboring states that are doing this, are there best practices that we should try and emulate?”
City Council · Oct 2, 2026
- Play at 1:02:56
“And I represent Alston Brighton, so 70 per cent of the neighbourhood changed its address on September 1st, which is bad. It's a big problem. So I know one argument that I've heard from an elected official was that, well, having same-day or election-day registration prevents them mailing their residents and having a conversation about policy or whatever. Is there an antidote to that, or is there a counterargument for that? Like, you should be talking to everybody, regardless, but encouraging people to register ahead of time?”
City Council · Oct 2, 2026
- Play at 1:04:21
“What new responsibilities would fall on municipal elections officials or poll workers to do election day registration? You said it's not a numerous task.”
City Council · Oct 2, 2026
- Play at 1:05:51
“I'm a big proponent. In the constituency I came from back home in Northern Ireland, it was considered a major disaster if voter turnout decreased to 60 per cent. That was what's gone wrong. There are good reasons why that was high. How can we, I feel voting is such a sacred responsibility. It's like serving on a jury. And it's been really part of being a citizen and being really engaged. How can we try and, like I think 80 million people didn't vote in the last presidential election. How can we really work with young people and everybody to get them to be more, to actually get out and vote?…”
City Council · Oct 2, 2026
- Play at 1:35:00
“I think the ballot challenge caused hiccups in the polling process the last time. So multiple sheets, I think it's a question of maybe polling workers. No one to one page at a time, and put them in slowly, and don't feed them all in together. It gets chewed up, and then it screws up the whole process. But in terms of thinking about the ballots, The ballot questions, do people just skip those because it's just too hard to think about? Or do the troll, I don't want them to throw the baby out with the bathwater and decide, oh, this is just too much. I'm not even going to bother voting. What's…”
City Council · Oct 2, 2026
- Play at 1:36:53
“The other question, maybe you want to add?”
City Council · Oct 2, 2026
- Play at 1:37:24
“I know the issue, I'll probably ask this question of our elections department folks when they come, but how do we make sure that we have enough election poll workers on election day? because I think it's an onerous commitment. You have to be there very early in the morning and you're working late into the evening. It's not very well compensated, but it is like a civic duty. People take it very seriously. How do we recruit more people and get more people, especially our younger people, engaged in this process?”
City Council · Oct 2, 2026
- Play at 1:39:10
“I also think, I'd love to hear your thoughts on civics education in schools. I know when I was a kiddo, our school closed for election day and all the gear arrived and our principal, we were taught in really tiny country schools. But we actually enacted what was going to happen the next day for the adults. But we had only a little election and explained what voting was all about. But how do we improve our civics education? Because I think that's a big issue as well. How do we get increased voter participation through starting to get them early?”
City Council · Oct 2, 2026
- Play at 1:40:30
“I think it's making it a social event and, you know, let's go for coffee or go for a beer, whatever it is, to make it a social event that you do as a group. Yeah, thank you. Thank you.”
City Council · Oct 2, 2026
- Play at 2:11:45
“Thank you. Good to see you all. Thank you so much. And yes, thank you to the Elections Department for their diligent attention. This is a hugely important issue for us in the city. Just looking forward to recent national reporting on highlighted a Supreme Court decision allowing states to access a new federal voter verification system that combines citizenship, Social Security and other government records to identify potentially ineligible voters. Given Boston's commitment to both election integrity and voter access, can the Election Commission explain what procedures are in place to ensure…”
City Council · Oct 2, 2026
- Play at 2:13:46
“And then also the other issue, you talked about manpower and the great team that you have. You said 1,700 poll workers. What's the current status of recruitment for poll workers and are there vacancies that remain still vacant to be filled? And take your moment to pitch the job for wanted poll workers.”
City Council · Oct 2, 2026
- Play at 2:14:32
“And can poll workers sign up to work in their own district or are they sent other places? Because I think one of the areas, it's an early morning start if you don't have your own transit, your own wheels, your own transportation, you rely on public transit or whatever. How does it work and are there particular areas in the city where you still need more people?”
City Council · Oct 2, 2026
- Play at 2:15:18
“Okay, we'll give it a plug. And how can we as city councillors strengthen accountability around election administration while maintaining confidence in the election outcomes? What do you need from us to support you to do your very important job?”
City Council · Oct 2, 2026
- Play at 2:16:16
“The other thing we talked earlier about accessibility and signage, I just want to say that very often election day falls on the first Tuesday of the month, which happens to be street cleaning day in Austin, Brighton. And people get told when they go in to vote. So make sure that ONS communicates that on an election day, we won't be towing in the vicinity of polling places. I think that might be helpful as well. I'm going to do it for time.”
City Council · Oct 2, 2026
- Play at 2:16:45
“Oh, wow. This is incredible. Just thinking big picture, are there other anticipated challenges for the upcoming election day? Hopefully it'll be a nice day, but...”
City Council · Oct 2, 2026
- Play at 2:17:49
“Yeah. And really encouraging people to make a plan. Early voting's great. Get it done. But also make a plan. And if you have to vote on election day, make sure you have a plan to be there in good time and work. Do it.”
City Council · Oct 2, 2026
- Play at 2:18:08
“Read the questions. Some of them are incredible. They're really long and quite complex. So yeah, that's our homework. Thank you. I have to go off to another meeting, but thank you all for being here. And thank you, Madam Chair.”
City Council · Oct 2, 2026
- Play at 4:16
“Good afternoon, everyone. I call to order today's meeting of the Boston City Council. Viewers can watch the council meeting live on YouTube at boston.gov backslash city dash council dash tv. At this time I ask my colleagues and those in the audience to please silence their cell phones and electronic devices. Also pursuant to rule 42, I remind all in this chamber that no demonstration of approval or disapproval from members of the public will be permitted. Thank you. Madam Clerk, will you please call the roll to ascertain the presence of a quorum?”
City Council · Sep 23, 2026
- Play at 5:34
“Thank you, Madam Clerk. I've been informed by Madam Clerk that a quorum is present. Madam Clerk, I would invite you to come and offer some brief remarks as an invocation since our clerk is absent today. Following Madam Clerk's remarks, we'll do the Pledge of Allegiance.”
City Council · Sep 23, 2026
- Play at 6:38
“Thank you, everyone. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Before we begin our presentations, I'd like to invite the Boston Medical Center Resident Physicians Group to come up for a quick photograph with my colleagues, our colleagues. We will be voting on this legislative resolution later on in the agenda. But for right now, if you'd come forward and ask my colleagues to come up for a photograph with the Boston Medical Center Resident Physicians Group, who are in the midst of contract negotiations right now. I'll put you center, front and center.”
City Council · Sep 23, 2026
- Play at 8:33
“We have two presentations today. Councillor Santana is recognising Bisexuality and Visit Plus Visibility Day. Councillor Webber is recognising Mark Cohen. Councillor Santana, would you like to come forward?”
City Council · Sep 23, 2026
- Play at 18:13
“Thank you, Councillor Santana. Thank you to our friends from the Bisexuality Plus Visibility Group. Thank you for being here. We're now on to Councillor Webber. I invite you and Mark.”
City Council · Sep 23, 2026