"It will shut people out of the democratic process by only allowing — and not requiring — municipalities to provide hybrid participation options."

“Election officials need to prepare for the fall, and they need to do it as soon as possible,” said Common Cause Massachusetts Executive Director Pam Wilmot during a virtual press conference alongside about a dozen groups last week. “We’ll see what the Legislature decides, but time is absolutely of the essence and it needs to go now.”

On Wednesday, Common Cause Massachusetts Executive Director Pam Wilmot said a resolution “absolutely cannot wait another month.”

"Election officials need to prepare for the fall, and they need to do it as soon as possible," said Common Cause Massachusetts Executive Director Pam Wilmot during a virtual press conference alongside about a dozen groups. "We'll see what the Legislature decides, but time is absolutely of the essence and it needs to go now."

“Regardless of what we do, we’re going to see an increase of absentee balloting from the current rate of 3 to 5 percent to 70, 60, 80, 90 percent,” said Pam Wilmot, executive director of Common Cause Massachusetts, which supports universal vote-by-mail. “When you add on the request process, it’s astronomical.”

Supporters of a bill enabling people to register to vote as they cast their ballots are mounting another push for the long-sought reform as a key legislative deadline approaches and another election season unfolds in Massachusetts.