{"id":1986,"date":"2025-04-24T10:40:21","date_gmt":"2025-04-24T14:40:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.commoncause.org\/massachusetts\/?post_type=press&p=1986"},"modified":"2025-04-24T10:40:21","modified_gmt":"2025-04-24T14:40:21","slug":"massachusetts-must-strengthen-voting-access-as-federal-attacks-increase","status":"publish","type":"press","link":"https:\/\/www.commoncause.org\/massachusetts\/press\/massachusetts-must-strengthen-voting-access-as-federal-attacks-increase\/","title":{"rendered":"Massachusetts Must Strengthen Voting Access as Federal Attacks Increase"},"template":"","class_list":["post-1986","press","type-press","status-publish","hentry","press_type-press-release"],"acf":{"details":{"summary":"Voting rights coalition calls for comprehensive voting reforms\r\n","featured_image":"","press_type":146,"authors":"","related_issues":false,"related_work":false,"location":24},"sidebar":{"helper_enable_sidebar":false,"helper_media_contact":{"heading":"Media Contact","manually_enter_person":false,"person":"","name":"","role":"","phone":"","email":""},"helper_links_downloads":{"heading":"Links & Downloads","links":null}},"page_layout":[{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_wysiwyg","_acfe_flexible_toggle":"","component_wysiwyg":{"content":"
BOSTON, MA<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 As the federal government continues to limit the freedom to vote, Massachusetts must take immediate, decisive action to assure the broadest access to the ballot in\u00a0the Commonwealth.<\/div>\r\n
<\/div>\r\n
The Election Modernization Coalition issued the following statement in response to President Trump\u2019s\u00a0executive order<\/a>\u00a0on elections and Congress\u2019s advancement of the anti-voter SAVE Act:<\/div>\r\n
<\/div>\r\n
\u201cAt a time when Congress is trying to make it harder for Americans to participate in elections, Massachusetts has the responsibility to lead the nation in affirming that voting is a fundamental right, not a partisan privilege. We call on the Massachusetts legislature to immediately pass comprehensive voting reforms \u2014 including Same Day Voter Registration \u2014 to safeguard democracy in the Commonwealth.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/div>\r\n
<\/div>\r\n
Same day voter registration is a proven, secure, and effective way to increase voter participation, particularly among young people, communities of color, and working families. Twenty-two other states and Washington, D.C. have already adopted this reform. It\u2019s time for Massachusetts to catch up.<\/div>\r\n
<\/div>\r\n
The SAVE Act and President Trump\u2019s executive order aim to roll back over 15 years of progress made in Massachusetts election laws by restricting vote-by-mail, automatic voter registration, online voter registration, pre-registration, and more.<\/div>\r\n
<\/div>\r\n
    \r\n \t
  • Vote-by-mail:\u00a0<\/strong>The SAVE Act would block ballots from being counted if they\u2019re received by an election official after polls close on Election Day. Current state law allows for ballots cast on Election Day to be counted if they\u2019re received up to three days after polls close in state general elections.<\/li>\r\n \t
  • Automatic voter registration (AVR):<\/strong>\u00a0Massachusetts' AVR system, established under the VOTES Act, registers eligible voters automatically when they use state agencies like the Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV). The SAVE Act would disrupt this process by requiring in-person verification of citizenship documents before registration can be completed. This change would eliminate the convenience of automatic registration and impose additional burdens on both voters and election officials.<\/li>\r\n \t
  • Online voter registration (OVR):<\/strong>\u00a0The SAVE Act's in-person documentation requirement would effectively end online voter registration in Massachusetts. Voters would no longer be able to register or update their information online; instead, they would need to appear in person at an election office with the necessary documents, creating significant barriers, especially for rural residents and those with mobility challenges. \u200bIt would also make it impossible for third-party groups to conduct in-person voter registration efforts.<\/li>\r\n \t
  • Pre-registration for 16 and 17-year-olds:<\/strong>\u00a0Massachusetts allows 16- and 17-year-olds to pre-register to vote, ensuring they are automatically added to the rolls upon turning 18. The SAVE Act would require these young registrants to provide proof of citizenship in person, potentially deterring them from completing the registration process and reducing future voter turnout.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
    <\/div>\r\n
    Key Voting Rights Bills Before the Massachusetts Legislature<\/strong><\/div>\r\n
    The following bills, currently under consideration in the Massachusetts Legislature, would remove barriers to voting and ensure equity in elections:<\/div>\r\n
    <\/div>\r\n
      \r\n \t
    • Same Day Voter Registration<\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
      House Bill 856<\/em>\u00a0(Rep. Carmine Gentile) and\u00a0Senate Bill 505<\/em>\u00a0(Sen. Cindy Creem) would allow eligible voters to register or update their registration in-person on Election Day or during early voting days. This reform would eliminate the arbitrary voter registration cutoff period, ensuring that no eligible voter is turned away at the polls due to registration issues.<\/div>\r\n
      <\/div>\r\n
        \r\n \t
      • Separating Municipal Census & Voter Registration<\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
        House Bill 2673<\/em>\u00a0(Rep. Shirley Arriaga) and\u00a0Senate Bill 503<\/em>\u00a0(Sen. Cindy Creem) would decouple the municipal census from voter registration. Currently, failure to respond to the municipal census can result in voters being placed on an inactive voter register. This bill seeks to maintain the municipal census for data collection and jury selection purposes, while ensuring that voters are not penalized if they don\u2019t complete the census.<\/div>\r\n
        <\/div>\r\n
          \r\n \t
        • Disability Voting Access Oversight<\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
          House Bill 2136<\/em>\u00a0(Rep. Kate Donaghue) and\u00a0Senate Bill 504<\/em>\u00a0(Sen. Cindy Creem) would require the Secretary of the Commonwealth to arrange inspections of every\u00a0polling place and early voting site at least once every four years to ensure compliance with federal and state disability accessibility laws. This bill would reduce barriers faced by voters with disabilities and ensure that all polling places are accessible.<\/div>\r\n
          <\/div>\r\n
          ###<\/div>\r\n
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