"MassGOP" Texts Burlington Residents With Special Election Message

A little after 11:00 on Wednesday morning, many Burlington cell phones received a message urging a "No" vote at Saturday's special election. Recipients, who were not happy to receive a message they didn't sign up for, took to social media to figure out where the message came from and why it was sent to them.

Unsubscribing from messages from the number, which had a 508 (South Central/ Southeastern Massachusetts) area code, revealed that the message had been sent from "MassGOP," a fact that further upset many – both because they say they've never given permission for the party to contact them and because they take issue with a state political party getting involved in a local election with no candidate on the ballot.

"A new school shouldn't be a right-left issue," said Yes to BHS PAC member Michelle Huntoon.

Adam Senesi, Chair of the Republican Town Committee, said the text wasn't paid for, and didn't come from, the NO New Taxes PAC, of which he is also treasurer. However, he said, "Any person or entity that wants to send assistance is welcome. We’re doing everything capable to prevent students from having to go to school in a building that’s under construction and protect residents from a misguided project that will create housing insecurity for vulnerable populations."

Chair of the NO New Taxes PAC Jeff DiBona said, "The GOP wanted to express their support and that's their right to so, and even though it bears the committee's logo, it did not come from the committee." He went on to say he doesn't "want the committee tied in with any political party on a nonpartisan issue."

An email reply from MassGOP obtained by Burlington Buzz didn't deny the text came from the party but didn't outright take credit, either. "The MassGOP opposes all tax increases and your phone number and the others texted is from publicly available voter data," wrote Executive Director John Milligan.

According to the Federal Communications Commission website, cell phones can't be called or texted without prior consent from the recipient. Of note, Burlington Buzz has learned some community members also received "Yes to BHS" texts, though the source of these texts is not known and initial reports suggest they were not as widespread as the "No" texts. Huntoon says her PAC has texted individuals but not compiled numbers to send mass texts.

Voting continues through Saturday on this special election, which would authorize a debt exclusion for a $333 million addition-renovation project at Burlington High School, and Huntoon says rather than swinging the vote to the "No" side, the text message should motivate "Yes" voters to "knock on some doors, talk to your neighbors, and make your plan to show up and vote."

Editor's Note: This article has been updated to add an official statement from the Chair of the NO New Taxes PAC