{"id":249,"date":"2023-10-24T10:32:30","date_gmt":"2023-10-24T14:32:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.commoncause.org\/massachusetts\/press-releases\/data-suggests-same-day-voter-registration-could-eliminate-need-for-99-of-2022-provisional-ballots\/"},"modified":"2023-10-24T10:32:30","modified_gmt":"2023-10-24T14:32:30","slug":"data-suggests-same-day-voter-registration-could-eliminate-need-for-99-of-2022-provisional-ballots","status":"publish","type":"press","link":"https:\/\/www.commoncause.org\/massachusetts\/press\/data-suggests-same-day-voter-registration-could-eliminate-need-for-99-of-2022-provisional-ballots\/","title":{"rendered":"Data Suggests Same-Day Voter Registration Could Eliminate Need for 99% of 2022 Provisional Ballots"},"template":"","class_list":["post-249","press","type-press","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","press_type-press-release"],"acf":{"details":{"summary":"Why Massachusetts needs same-day voter registration","featured_image":5819,"press_type":146,"authors":["{\"site_id\":\"1\",\"post_type\":\"person\",\"post_id\":7814}"],"related_issues":[107,462],"related_work":false,"location":24},"sidebar":{"helper_enable_sidebar":false,"helper_media_contact":{"heading":"Media Contact","manually_enter_person":false,"person":null,"name":"","role":"","phone":"","email":""},"helper_links_downloads":{"heading":"Links & Downloads","links":null}},"page_layout":[{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_wysiwyg","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_wysiwyg":{"content":"<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A new analysis by the Election Modernization Coalition of provisional ballot data from the 2022 statewide election highlights the immediate need for same-day voter registration in Massachusetts.<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The data shows that two-thirds of provisional ballots cast in the 2022 statewide election were rejected for administrative reasons, resulting in 1,600 fewer votes counted. 99% of those rejected ballots might have been counted had Massachusetts had same-day voter registration so that voters could solve problems with their registration and then vote.<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The memo sent to the Massachusetts General Court, including the source data, is available here: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.commoncause.org\/massachusetts\/resource\/memo-on-provisional-ballots-cast-in-2022-general-election\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/www.commoncause.org\/massachusetts\/resource\/memo-on-provisional-ballots-cast-in-2022-general-election\/<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Provisional ballots are offered to voters if their personal information is incorrect or missing from the voter list when they check in to vote. Provisional ballots should be a last and final resort to ensure that every eligible voter has the opportunity to cast their vote.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Same-day registration will streamline the process of resolving issues of a voter's registration status and eliminate the need for the time-intensive provisional ballot process. Voters and election officials will be able to quickly, easily, and definitively determine a voter's eligibility to vote and can allow that voter to cast a ballot without the need for a provisional ballot. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cSame-day voter registration would free town clerks and city election officials from the cumbersome provisional ballot process, and enable the election official assigned to provisional ballots to instead offer voter registration to people who encounter a problem,\u201d says <\/span><b>Geoff Foster, executive director of Common Cause Massachusetts<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. \u201cOur lawmakers have the opportunity to enact same-day and other essential election reforms this session with the passage of the Voting ACCESS Act.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cCasting a vote should be a simple and accessible act for all citizens,\" says <\/span><b>Cheryl Clyburn-Crawford, executive director of MassVOTE<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. \u201cThe high number of rejected provisional ballots in the 2022 election is a clear indicator that our system needs improvement. Same-day voter registration would not only reduce administrative obstacles, but also empower voters to participate fully in our democracy. Let\u2019s make the right to vote a reality for every eligible citizen.\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\"Enacting same-day voter registration in Massachusetts will not only help voters who show up at the polls and discover a problem with their registration. It will ease the burden on election officials in dealing with provisional ballots and voter<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">s\u2019<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> questions <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">about their<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">registration status,\" said <\/span><b>Patricia Comfort, executive director of the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cShowing up to the polls to vote is enough of a challenge for many voters, and administrative issues should never be a barrier to their vote being counted,\u201d says <\/span><b>Shanique Spalding, executive director of the MA Voter Table<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. \u201cSame-day registration addresses registration issues promptly, empowering voters of color, low-income voters, and unlikely voters. It ensures that every eligible voter who wants to can exercise their right to vote and have their voices heard in our democracy.\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cOur coalition has been laser-focused on removing barriers to voting\u2013we pushed for online voter registration, early voting, and other reforms to bring MA into the 21st century,\u201d said <\/span><b>Janet Domenitz of MASSPIRG<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. \u201cThis new analysis shows it\u2019s well past time for same day registration.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\"Provisional ballots are confusing and cumbersome, and they result in qualified voters having their ballots thrown in the trash,\u201d said <\/span><b>Gavi Wolfe, legislative director at the ACLU of Massachusetts. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cUntil Massachusetts adopts same day registration, this will continue to happen every election cycle. It's time to fix our democracy so every vote finally counts.\"<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\"Same-day registration is a commonsense policy that will boost access to the ballot box for all Massachusetts residents, including traditionally disenfranchised groups\" says <\/span><b>Jacob Love<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><b>staff attorney at Lawyers for Civil Rights<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. \"By reducing antiquated barriers to voting, like the onerous and confusing provisional ballot process, same-day registration\u00a0 brings us closer to a truly open and equitable election system. That is why the Commonwealth must enact the Voting ACCESS Act this session.\"\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cCasting a vote should be a simple and accessible act for all citizens,\" says <\/span><b>Cheryl Clyburn-Crawford, executive director of MassVOTE<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. \u201cThe high number of rejected provisional ballots in the 2022 election is a clear indicator that our system needs improvement. Same-day voter registration would not only reduce administrative obstacles, but also empower voters to participate fully in our democracy. Let\u2019s make the right to vote a reality for every eligible citizen.\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cSame-day voter registration is a vital step toward making our democracy truly inclusive, ensuring that every eligible voter, including those with disabilities, can participate fully in our democracy,\" said <\/span><b>Barbara L'Italien, executive director of the Disability Law Center, Inc. (DLC).<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \"By enacting same-day voter registration, we will take a large step towards making the voting experience in Massachusetts equitable and accessible for all citizens.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>"}}]},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.6 (Yoast SEO v27.1.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Data Suggests Same-Day Voter Registration Could Eliminate Need for 99% of 2022 Provisional Ballots - Common Cause Massachusetts<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.commoncause.org\/massachusetts\/press-releases\/data-suggests-same-day-voter-registration-could-eliminate-need-for-99-of-2022-provisional-ballots\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Data Suggests Same-Day Voter Registration Could Eliminate Need for 99% of 2022 Provisional Ballots\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.commoncause.org\/massachusetts\/press\/data-suggests-same-day-voter-registration-could-eliminate-need-for-99-of-2022-provisional-ballots\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Common Cause Massachusetts\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.commoncause.org\/massachusetts\/press-releases\/data-suggests-same-day-voter-registration-could-eliminate-need-for-99-of-2022-provisional-ballots\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.commoncause.org\/massachusetts\/press-releases\/data-suggests-same-day-voter-registration-could-eliminate-need-for-99-of-2022-provisional-ballots\/\",\"name\":\"Data Suggests Same-Day Voter Registration Could Eliminate Need for 99% of 2022 Provisional Ballots - 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