Cambridge City Councilor Marjorie Decker has won reelection to a 6th term. After two days of hand counting ballots, the Cambridge Election Commission announced the results this evening. Decker secured the 8th of nine council seats, overcoming the daunting obstacles of a write-in campaign, in which her name did not appear on the official ballot.
Dear Friends,
I know that many of you are interested in the results of the election. As of this evening, the Cambridge Election Commission is still counting the votes. There will be no official results until at least Thursday.
While I do not have results share with you, I'm very pleased by the positive signs we have seen so far. We do know that turnout amongst my supporters was high. Officially, there are some 3,590 auxiliary ballots that have been set aside. These ballots contain those where a write-in or sticker was added. Unfortunately, these ballots cannot be counted by machine and must be tallied by a hand count, which takes time.
Voter turnout in Cambridge is very low today. I'm making one final personal request, asking you to please
come to the polls and vote before 8:00 tonight. And of course, I have to ask again for your vote!
With turnout being as low as it appears to be, I need every last vote that I can get. Because my name does not appear on the ballot, in order to vote for me you must EITHER write-in or place a sticker with my name on the ballot - then fill in the oval for #1. Your #1 vote is critical to this victory!

For ten years on the Cambridge City Council, Marjorie Decker has been a strong voice for our community, for the issues of concern to our families, and for social justice in Cambridge.
Cambridge City Councilor Marjorie Decker has recorded a short video for Cambridge Community Television's 2009 Election programming. Please tune into CCTV or view the online video to learn more about Marjorie Decker's candidacy for reelection.
Cambridge City Councilor Marjorie Decker announces her run for re-election on a sticker campaign. Due to an internal campaign misunderstanding, Councilor Decker did not file her nomination papers on time with the Cambridge election Commission. While her name will not be printed on the ballot, she will run by way of write-in campaign. People voting will have to write her name in or use a sticker and then give her their rank vote as if her name were printed on the ballot.
"I take full responsibility for my campaign not having filed the nomination papers on time. I certainly would not choose to run my campaign by way of write-in. I have spoken with many of my supporters about the extra challenge a write-in campaign requires. Their feedback has been consistent - that my background, approach to issues, and ability to get results makes my voice on the council important to them and worth the extra effort needed to organize a write-in/sticker campaign. As a result, I am going to move forward and feel confident that this will be a rewarding election."
On April 13, 2009 Councilor Marjorie Decker successfully passed a policy order resolution that calls for the creation of a City of Cambridge Listserv. This service, similar to the town of Arlington's " Arlington Parent Journal" would create an online forum whereby Cambridge parents and families could share information and resources.
"Being a new parent can be intimidating. This Parent Listserv provides new parents with the venue to either get support from, or give support to other new parents, as well as get tips from more experienced parents who may, for example, know where the best play groups are, which library branches offer story time, or who can even provide child health and safety tips. I saw a gap in city services offered to parents and new parents, and took the initiative to make Cambridge a more child friendly city," said Marjorie Decker.
The offical policy order is as follows:
Policy Order Resolution
O-14
IN CITY COUNCIL
April 13, 2009
COUNCILLOR DECKER
COUNCILLOR DAVIS
COUNCILLOR KELLEY
COUNCILLOR MAHER
COUNCILLOR REEVES
VICE MAYOR SEIDEL
MAYOR SIMMONS
COUNCILLOR TOOMEY
COUNCILLOR WARD
WHEREAS: There is technology available which would be able to connect different Cambridge parents and families with one another to allow them to share parenting information and resources; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with the Assistant City Manager for Human Services to create a Cambridge Parent/Family listserve comparable to the town of Arlington's "Arlington Parent Journal," which allows parents and families to share relevant/useful parenting information with one another; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to report back to the City Council on this matter.
In City Council April 13, 2009
Adopted by the affirmative vote of nine members.
Attest:- D. Margaret Drury, City Clerk
A true copy;
ATTEST:-
D. Margaret Drury, City Clerk
The following is the latest information, as of June 2009, on how the H1N1 "Swine" Flu Virus is affecting Cambridge. For further information on H1N1 efforts throughout the Commonwealth, please visit http://www.mass.gov/dph/swineflu.
Cambridge & Massachusetts Residents Infected with H1N1 Flu
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