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The face of Haverhill elections has changed dramatically through the efforts of the Latino Coalition of Haverhill.
The Coalition helped push through Haverhill’s adoption of ward representation and has followed with nine voter registration events as well as one planned next month in the Mount Washington neighborhood.
“Voting is a critical part of empowering the citizens of Haverhill,” said Latino Coalition board member Fermin de la Cruz. “Every voice should be counted.”
Those voices were amplified, starting in January of 2020, when the group joined with Greater Haverhill Indivisible to present a forum, “Exploring the Possibility of Neighborhood Representation.” It featured attorney Oren Sellstrom, litigation director for Lawyers for Civil Rights, and the group’s Executive Director Iván Espinoza-Madrigal. The following year, the firm and the Coalition sent a “demand” letter that stopped just short of threatening outright legal action if Haverhill didn’t introduce ward-based city councilors and school committee members.
The measure went on to win, by a 2-1 margin, wide voter support in a non-binding referendum in 2021 and Beacon Hill support in 2022.
Now, the Latino Coalition plans to offer additional voter registration in time for National Voter Registration Day. At the invitation of Haverhill City Clerk Kaitlin M. Wright, voters may register Thursday, Sept. 26, from 10 a.m. to noon, at Somebody Cares New England, 358 Washington St., Haverhill.
Previous registration drives took place at MakeIt Haverhill and Northern Essex Community College job fairs, MultiCultural Celebration, Jacqueline’s and Canela Market, National Night Out and Calvary Baptist Church’s Back to School Celebration.