Page 6 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2020 ~ Op-Ed ~ Thank You to Our Election Officials EDITOR’S NOTE: The following Op-Ed piece was submitted by State Senator Brendan P. Crighton (D-Lynn). He represents residents of the Third Essex Senate District, which includes the city of Lynn and the towns of Lynnfield, Marblehead, Nahant, Saugus and Swampscott. T he foundation of our democracy depends on our ability to conduct free and fair elections. This year’s election was faced with a wide range of challenges that were both unprecedented and daunting. Despite these obstacles, we were able to live up to the highest standards of elections because of an engaged electorate and the many people who make elections work on the ground level. Thank you to the clerks of the Third Essex District, including: Lynn City Clerk Janet Rowe, Lynnfield Town Clerk Linda Emerson, Marblehead Town Clerk Robin Michaud, Nahant Town Clerk Diane Dunfee, Saugus Town Clerk Ellen Schena, and Swampscott Town Clerk Susan Duplin. The record-breaking voter turnout this election across our district and state could not have Law Offices of Terrence W. Kennedy 512 Broadway, Everett • Criminal Defense • Personal Injury • Medical Malpractice Tel: (617) 387-9809 Cell: (617) 308-8178 twkennedylaw@gmail.com been possible without your efforts. I would also like to sincerely thank the election officials, poll workers, postal workers, first responders, and law enforcement officers who responded quickly and decisively to many pandemic-related obstacles to ensure that all voters could safely cast their ballots. In this historic election, NBC projected that over 159.8 million Americans voted, constituting a voter turnout rate of 66.8 percent – the highest in over a century. After 6 long days of counting millions of mailed-in ballots and those ballots cast during the early voting period, President-elect Joe Biden made history, securing nearly 79 million votes – more than anyone to ever run for the U.S. presidency. The success of this election, in the middle of a global pandemic, would not have been possible without the efforts of countless advocates fighting for urgently needed election policy changes. While many states were making it harder for people to vote, we in the Massachusetts Legislature Brendan P. Crighton State Senator took action and passed a law in July that guaranteed all registered voters in the state the right to vote early and by mail. The impact of this new law was felt across the Commonwealth as Secretary of State Bill Galvin reported that of the record-breaking 3.6 million votes cast in the 2020 general election, 2.3 million were cast by mail or at an early voting location. Despite the many baseless claims made by President Trump, one thing is very clear: the election was not stolen from him. In fact, his own DHS Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency stated that the 2020 election “was the most secure in history” and that “there is no evidence” that voting systems were compromised. The President’s calls to stop the counting of votes, unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud, and groundless lawsuits are un-American. Legislatures will continue to ignore Trump’s pleas to flip state electors and the courts will continue to throw his lawsuits out, but the President’s actions nonetheless threaten democracy worldwide. If there is anything history has taught us, it is that in order for democracy to function, we need to have free and fair elections. We accomplished that here in Massachusetts and nationwide in 2020, thanks to so many Americans who made their voices heard at the ballot box and the election officials who helped protect our democracy. Once again, thank you all for your selfless and crucial work. The Saving Bank offers free Credit Score service to online and mobile banking customers W akefield – The Savings Bank has launched a www.eight10barandgrille.com We Have Reopened for Dine-In and Outside Seating every day beginning at 4 PM new credit monitoring service for its customers to help them monitor their credit, access their credit information, and help them understand what factors are used to determine their credit score. The new service, Credit Score powered by SavvyMoney, is available free-of-charge for customers through the Bank’s online and mobile banking platforms. Credit Score monitors the WE'RE OPEN! 8 Norwood Street, Everett (617) 387-9810 STAY SAFE! customer’s credit each day and notifies them by email of any changes, including new accounts opened, a change of address or employment, or if a credit inquiry has been made. Through Credit Score, customers can review the information contained in their credit report, including open loans, accounts and credit inquiries, as well as payment history, credit utilization and public records. Accessing Credit Score powered by SavvyMoney and its credit report will not impact the customer’s credit score. Credit scores, which are updated monthly, enable customers to make sound choices when making financial decisions, help them improve their credit, and assess their financial health. Credit Score by SavvyMoney takes the credit profile from TransUnion, one of the three major credit reporting bureaus, and uses VantageScore 3.0, a credit scoring model developed by Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion to make score information more uniform between the three credit bureaus to give consumers a better picture of their credit health. The Savings Bank launched this new service on November 19th, according to Karen M. Benedetti, Vice President of Marketing, and is now available to online banking and mobile banking customers. To access the free service, customers can log into their account and look for the Credit Score banner. First time users will be asked a series of questions to verify and confirm their identity. “Credit Score powered by SavvyMoney is a great opportunity for our customers to keep a close eye on their credit, especially with an increased number of scams and identity thefts being reported,” The Savings Bank President, Bob DiBella said. “This is a free service that does not impact a customer’s credit score, but rather allows the customer to make sure their credit report and credit score are secure and accurate.” For information about Credit Score powered by SavvyMoney, visit the Bank’s website www.tsbawake24.com, or contact The Savings Bank at 1-800-246-2009.
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