Massachusetts residents do not have to show an ID to vote, but some think we should join the 36 states that have that requirement.
voting
Posted inCourts
SJC hears arguments on whether to allow permanent voting by mail
THE SUPREME JUDICIAL COURT is poised to decide whether to overturn the new law allowing Massachusetts residents to vote by mail for any reason. Gov. Charlie Baker on June 22 signed the VOTES Act, a bill passed by the Democratic-led Legislature allowing no-excuse mail-in voting along with expanded early voting, electronic voting for people with disabilities […]
Posted inCourts, State Government
MassGOP challenges vote-by-mail law
PERMANENT MAIL-IN voting is now the law in Massachusetts – unless Republican Party chair Jim Lyons has his way. The conservative GOP chair filed a lawsuit with the Supreme Judicial Court on Thursday challenging voting by mail as unconstitutional, a day after Gov. Charlie Baker bucked many in his party by signing voting-by-mail into law. […]
Posted inPolitics
Legislature moves toward adopting permanent voting by mail
THE MASSACHUSETTS LEGISLATURE is poised to adopt permanent voting by mail, but not same-day voter registration. A committee of House-Senate negotiators on Wednesday released the final version of a voting reform bill, which will be subject to an up or down vote in the House and the Senate. The Senate plans to take up the […]
Posted inPolitics
Senate leaders push mail-in voting, same-day registration
THE MASSACHUSETTS SENATE will vote next week on an expansive election reform package that includes same-day voter registration, permanent voting by mail, expanded early voting, and provisions to make it easier for incarcerated people to vote to cast their ballots. The package, backed by the Democratic state Senate leaders, includes many reforms that liberal-leaning voting rights activists have been […]
Posted inPolitics
Turnout numbers highlight wealth, racial disparities
IN THE WEALTHY towns of Dover, Sudbury, and Carlisle, more than 90 percent of registered voters cast ballots in the November election. In the poorer cities of Springfield, Lawrence, and New Bedford, 55 percent of voters or fewer turned out. While the presidential election drew record turnout in Massachusetts, voter turnout statistics highlight yet […]
Posted inPolitics
Senate OKs bill expanding voting options
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE THE SENATE PASSED expanded vote-by-mail legislation Tuesday that would allow voters to avoid the polls, but still participate, during the upcoming primaries and general election if they feel unsafe due to the ongoing pandemic. The Senate approved vote-by-mail legislation that would offer registered voters three options to cast a ballot: during […]
Posted inPolitics
We must act now to protect the primary election
THE MASSACHUSETTS STATE primary on September 1 is now less than 100 days away. If we want to avoid the horror stories we’ve seen from states like Wisconsin and Florida, then the Legislature needs to take action — and fast — to ensure we can have a high-participation election while protecting public health. So what does […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
Advocates call for reforms to aid inmate voting
AS COMMUNITIES ACROSS the state prepare for municipal elections on Tuesday, one group of would-be voters might be more inclined to cast ballots if the process were simpler. Thousands of inmates being held in state or county correctional facilities are eligible to vote, but bureaucratic confusion and inconsistent policies across different jurisdictions often stand in […]
Posted inPolitics
Ranked-choice may be headed to ballot
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE SUPPORTERS OF RANKED CHOICE VOTING plan to file an initiative petition by next week to put the voting reform on the 2020 ballot in case they are unable to advance it through the Legislature before then. “While we will continue advocating for the successful passage of two ranked choice voting bills […]