A voting drive that really hits the street.

Byline: DIANNE WILLIAMSON

COLUMN: DIANNE WILLIAMSON

A scene in the movie "The Candidate" shows political operatives rousting homeless people and drunks from alleys and bringing them to polling places to vote on Election Day.

Something similar is happening here, except it's far less seedy and much more organized.

From the PIP shelter in Main South to a group home on Burncoat Street, local activists are lobbying transients and residents of group homes to register to vote Nov. 6. They're having some success; of the 1,371 newly enrolled voters since August, close to 200 are homeless, transient or residents of group homes and shelters.

Many applaud the effort as a means to increase voter rolls and involve disenfranchised citizens in the election process. But at least one City Council candidate who represents that population is questioning the methods and motives of this voter drive, which is spearheaded by a supporter of her opponent.

The issue, according to District 4 Councilor Barbara Haller, is that these new voters are allowed and even encouraged to file absentee ballots. That makes it easier for them to vote - up to 20 days before the election - and she believes many are voting for her opponent, Lynne Simonds. The treasurer of Ms. Simonds' campaign, Dave McMahon, is a founder of the Worcester Homeless Action Council, which organized the voter drive.

"I think registering people to vote is always a good idea," said Ms. Haller, who is seeking her third term representing the blue-collar Main South. "But I think it's gone beyond that."

According to records from the city's Election Commission, 71 voters have come to City Hall since Oct. 17 to cast absentee ballots. Eleven list their address as 142 Burncoat St. (the Faith House, for formerly homeless women); eight list 660 Main St. (the Aurora Program, for those leaving the PIP); seven list 2 Sigourney St. (Miranda House for women); and seven list the PIP shelter.

Mr. McMahon noted that the canvassing drive is citywide and not targeted to a single district, a point to which Ms. Haller readily concedes. Mr. McMahon said he helped register 10 voters from The Salvation Army, which is in District 5, and nine from the veterans shelter in District 2.

"We've tried to reach out to every program in the city, and I've been delighted with the response we've gotten so far," said Mr. McMahon, who is also director of Dismas House. Asked about his connection to the Simonds campaign, he said, "The work I do for Lynne I keep very separate from the work I do trying to bring people to the polls. It's nonpartisan. We don't endorse any candidates."

They likely don't have to. Known as a dedicated and hard-working councilor for her district, Ms. Haller is also known for taking strong stands against the very programs peopled by those now encouraged to vote. She's called for closing the PIP shelter and has crusaded to limit the number of transitional housing programs in Worcester's inner city. She's also an opponent of the controversial Housing First concept, because she believes it would take homeless people out of shelters and place them in permanent housing without offering needed services.

As part of its campaign drive, WHAC distributes a voter's guide that notes Ms. Haller's opposition to Housing First. The guide also lists her as "very supportive" of the closing of the emergency shelter, while Ms. Simonds is listed as "not supportive."

Ms. Haller applauded efforts to register homeless and transient people to vote, but she questioned why they're allowed to file absentee ballots, which enables voters to either mail in their vote or wander into City Hall any day during business hours. According to state elections laws, the ballot is to be used by those unable to vote on Election Day for three reasons: they'll be absent from the city; they have a physical disability; or due to religious beliefs.

"If that's what we need to do to get people to vote, we need to talk about that," Ms. Haller said. "I don't believe WHAC is endorsing anyone. But I don't think there's any secret that they're not supportive of my re-election, for sure. If they've stumbled on a loophole, let's put it out in the open and let people use it as a voting tool."

Neither city nor state election officials indicated they had any problem with the absentee ballot drive. City Clerk David Rushford, also Worcester's election chief, said that Mr. McMahon met with him more than a month ago to discuss his efforts. Mr. Rushford also said that his office has no directive to demand proof that people qualify to vote absentee.

"We welcome people to participate in the process," Mr. Rushford said. Similarly, a spokesman for the Secretary of State said nothing prevents homeless people from applying for absentee ballots.

This is the third time that Ms. Simonds, a liberal neighborhood activist, has sought to unseat Ms. Haller. And while the number of newly registered transient voters may seem small, it wouldn't take much to swing an election in a district that typically records the lowest voter turnout in the city. In 2005, Ms. Haller defeated Ms. Simonds by just 271 votes.

Last week, Ms. Simonds said she has nothing to do with the voter drive organized by her campaign treasurer.

"This is not just to get votes for Lynne Simonds," she said. "I don't think anyone is breaking any rules."

Asked if she believed the voter drive was beneficial to her campaign, she said, "Barbara is not kind to the homeless. ... But people don't register to vote unless they want to."

Ms. Haller disputed the characterization, saying that Ms. Simonds "is better at making people feel they've been victimized and excluded."

Contact Dianne Williamson at [e-mail]

NAME: WORCESTER CITY COUNCIL