SEAN D. OSBORNE

SEAN D. OSBORNE

Name: Sean D. Osborne
Office Sought: Town Meeting Member Precinct 2
e-mail address: sdo2591 [at] gmail.commichaelschanbacherlexpb [at] gmail.com (
)phone number: 781-862-7940

Community Activities: 

  • From 2013 to 2015, I served on the Sidewalk Committee with fellow citizens who cared about pedestrian safety. I was impressed by how well the committee worked with our neighbors, the Town Engineer and other DPW staff.
  • From 2014 to 2019, I served on the Lexington Human Rights Committee. While LHRC Chair (2015 to 2019) one of my goals was to develop, champion and implement anti-bias and racial justice training and programming for Lexington residents, students, Lexington Public School faculty and staff, town employees, and private businesses. The Lexington Interfaith Clergy Association and LHRC brought Quabbin Mediation’s Training Active Bystanders to Lexington in 2017.
  • In 2017, I co-founded the Association of Black Citizens of Lexington (ABCL). I created the Black History Project of Lexington. During my time as ABCL President (2017 to 2021) and Historian (2022 to Present), ABCL has proposed and supported town meeting articles and worked with town staff and elected officials to address concerns with town policies and procedures. One proposed article was to create, fund, advertise and fill the position of Diversity Officer. Lexington now has a Chief Equity Officer.
  • In 2018, I reached out to members of Church of Our Redeemer and First Parish to discuss my initiative to start a White People Dismantling White Privilege and Institutional Racism program in Lexington. The initial meetings focused on vision, learned experiences, and lived experiences. It took time and compromise to build a skeleton on which the two congregations could build. The outcome was the Dismantling Racism in Our Town course which encourages participants to be a change agent in their community.
  • In 2020, I was voted onto the Lexington Historical Society Board of Directors. I served as chair of the Governance Committee from 2021 to 2023.
  • In 2022, I was appointed to the Appropriation Committee. The Appropriation Committee is required to create a report that includes our analysis and recommendations regarding all anticipated appropriation of funds and other financial matters that may come before Town Meeting. I continue to learn so much while working with the Select Board, School Committee, Capital Expenditures Committee, and town staff during the budget meetings.
  • In 2023, I worked with Quabbin Mediation to successfully apply for a Community Endowment of Lexington grant to create a Training Active Bystanders in Mandarin course. The first course was taught in January 2024 in Lexington. The next two courses are scheduled for March and May 2024.

Article 43 on the 2024 Town Warrant is asking if the Town will authorize and request the Select Board to petition the General Court of the Commonwealth for Home Rule Legislation to allow any citizens in the Town of Lexington, who have reached the age of 16 or older, to register and vote in municipal elections within the Town, or to take any action in relative thereto. Would you support this article? Why or why not?

I support civic learning and democratic engagement for all residents. Working on a campaign, advocating for policy changes, and learning how government is supposed to work and does work are opportunities for democratic engagement that are open to all citizens of the Town of Lexington regardless of age. 

I do not support this article. 

Until 16-year-olds have the full responsibilities of 18-year-olds, who are considered adults, they should not have the opportunity and responsibility to vote. 

When a Massachusetts resident turns 18, they have a lot of responsibilities and opportunities:

  • Vote
  • Serve on a jury
  • Open a bank account without a co-signer
  • No longer have junior operator restrictions
  • No longer have passenger restrictions or time restrictions
  • Liable for their own traffic violations and accidents
  • Can obtain a commercial driver’s license
  • Eligible to purchase their own car
  • No longer protected by child labor laws
  • Can legally make and sign contracts
  • Can enlist in the military without parental consent

Someone who cannot legally make and sign contracts should not be able to make a contract with an elected official as a voting constituent.