Today’s Links:
Articles:
Read the bill: MA Senate Bill 2924
WBUR/AP – Gov. Baker signs bill ensuring mail-in ballots, early voting in Massachusetts
AP – State high court hears arguments in GOP mail-in voting suit
CBS – Republicans challenge Massachusetts’ new mail-in and early voting law
Groups Taking Action: Common Cause Massachusetts, Massachusetts Voter Table, League of Women Voters MA, MassPower
You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.
With so much bad democracy news lately, we’re happy to share good news from Massachusetts, where Republican Governor Charlie Baker has signed new legislation which expands early voting, expands voting by mail, and extends the voter registration deadline before an election.
Massachusetts had previously limited early voting to the Presidential and midterm elections, but has now expanded it to all elections. The new law also requires cities of 25,000 people or more to have Saturday and Sunday hours, and adds a week of early voting.
Mail voting has also expanded. A portal will be created for Massachusetts voters to apply for early voting by mail with no excuse needed, allows for return by mail or dropbox, requires accessible ballots for the disabled, and facilitates mail voting by eligible incarcerated voters.
Voter registration deadlines have been moved closer to the election, ending at 5 p.m. 10 days prior, vs. the previous 20 days. It also adds voter registration documents in Spanish, Portuguese, and Chinese, and authorizes additional languages as necessary. Massachusetts already has automatic voter registration which allows voter registration at the DMV and other agencies, but now allows someone to opt-out by contacting the agency later.
Convenient voting helps people exercise their freedom to vote and promotes participation in their democracy, a concept that all Americans should stand for. Details on the new Massachusetts law are linked at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org
Granny D said “Democracy is not something we have, but something we DO.”
For the American Democracy Minute, I’m Brian Beihl.