CMA 2022 #172 : A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 22-47, regarding utilization of Code Red for text alerts regarding new polling locations for the primary election on September 6, 2022

1 CITY OF CAMBRIDGE BOARD OF ELECTION COMMISSIONERS 51 Inman Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139 ▪ Telephone [phone removed] ▪ TTY: [phone removed] Fax: [phone removed] ▪ Email: Elections2@cambridgema.gov ▪ Website: www.cambridgema.gov/election COMMISSIONERS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Ethridge A. King, Jr. Tanya L. Ford Larry W. Ward Charles J. Marquardt ASSISTANT DIRECTOR Victoria A. Harris Lesley Waxman To: Owen O’Riordan, Acting City Manager From: Tanya Ford, Executive Director Election Commission Christina Giacobbe, Director of Emergency Communications Re: Policy Order #3, dated August 1, 2022 Date: August 31, 2022 In response to Council Order #3, dated August 1, 2022, we offer the following response regarding utilization of Code Red for text alerts regarding new polling locations for the primary election on September 6, 2022. The city currently uses CodeRed to notify residents via telephone, SMS (text), and email of emergencies within the city, such as snow emergencies, large scale water outages, or other significant service disruptions. This system serves as our reverse 911 system that the city uses to keep the public informed of timely emergency information. Although the current CodeRed platform does allows residents to receive non-emergency automated calls and/or text messages for city-wide and neighborhood events and meetings, the system has not been marketed for this purpose and has not been utilized in this manner. The Cambridge Alert Network (CodeRed) alert system is currently marketed for emergency notifications. The request for utilizing Code Red to notify residents of polling locations would require obtaining telephone numbers from registered voters. Currently, the voter registration information that is collected and maintained by the Election Commission does not include telephone numbers. As a result, we would not be able to ensure notification to these residents via text. If the city wishes to utilize the system for these types of non-emergency messaging, it will be imperative moving forward with a pilot program for non-emergency messages that the city set clear expectations with voluntary subscribers as to the types and frequency of community notifications they may receive by opting into the general notification program. Additionally, because of voluntary subscribership, this determines who will be contacted, how they will be contacted (email, text, or phone) based on what the subscriber signs up for. This allows the subscriber to determine how they would like to be contacted and there would be no guarantee that if text messages were sent that all

2 subscribers would receive such message as some subscribers only have their landlines included in their profile. In terms of notification to residents of polling location changes, the Elections Commission has taken the necessary steps to notify every Cambridge resident via mail during the week of July 26, 2022. Additionally, registered voters receive post cards at their residence prior to the election informing them of their specific polling location, including identifying the location on a map. The city has also updated this information on the website in July as well as highlighting those polling changes on the website. The city on behalf of the Election Commission will continue to provide polling information on the website and include this information in the Daily Update and through social media platforms through September 6, 2022. We would be happy to discuss other options for consideration for these non-emergency notifications or how we may continue to support residents with voter information. Please let me know if you require any additional information or would like to discuss further.