ELECTION DAY REGISTRATION

UPDATE

April 29, 2009.  Volunteers from across Massachusetts spoke out for Election Day Registration at the Democracy Day Lobby Day at the Massachusetts State House. 
March 30, 2009.   Massachusetts Freedom to Vote Act: State Senator Jamie Eldridge and Representative Jay Kaufman filed the Massachusetts Freedom to Vote Act, a new piece of election reform legislation. This bill brings together many reforms to modernize our voting system, protect people's right to vote, and help cities and towns save money. [More Information]

March 17, 2009.  The Worcester City Council unanimously passed a resolution supporting Election Day Registration. In words of Councilor-at-Large Frederick C. Rushton "This sends a strong message that we want to enfranchise as many voters as possible. Let's remove barriers, like (voter) registration dates. The more people we can have voting, the clearer the (public's) voice is. We should implore the state Legislature to move forward on this."

February 13, 2009.  Cosponsors announced for Election Day Registration Bill. (See below)

January 12, 2009. The Election Day voter registration bill for the 09-10 session was filed by Senator Cynthia Stone Creem and Representative Gloria L. Fox.

BACKGROUND

Election day registration allows citizens to register to vote and vote on the day of elections at their polling place. Currently, Massachusetts voters must register 20 days before Election Day.

Maine, Minnesota, New Hampshire, and Wisconsin allow election day registration and North Dakota does not have any registration requirements. In 1998, 16% of those who voted in Minnesota's general election registered that day. All of the above states have a higher voter turnout rate than any other states and have experienced no problems of "fraud."

Political scientists concur that this is the only proven procedural way to significantly boost voter participation, especially among younger and low to moderate-income voters.

According to MassVOTE:

States with Election Day registration rely far less on provisional ballots. The EDR states allow voters to correct a registration error at the polls on election day. Ultimately Election Day registration is a better solution to the problem that provisional ballots were designed to address.  In addition to EDR, universal or automatic voter registration methods used in other democracies would greatly reduce the need for provisional ballots.

For more information about EDR read the study Election Day Voter Registration in Massachusetts created by the Demos Center.

Election Day Registration Bill Cosponsors:

House of Representatives:

Rep. Geraldo Alicea, Rep. Willie Mae Allen, Rep. Cory Atkins, Rep. Ruth B. Balser, Rep. Michael Brady, Rep. Katherine Clark, Rep. Thomas Conroy, Rep. Steven J. D'Amico, Rep. Christopher J. Donelan, Rep. Mark V. Falzone, Rep. Sean Garballey, Rep. William G. Greene, Jr., Rep. Patricia A. Haddad, Rep. Jonathan Hecht, Rep. Jay R. Kaufman, Rep. Kay Khan, Rep. Peter v. Kocot, Rep. Paul Kujawski, Rep. Stephen Kulik, Rep. William Lantigua, Rep. David P. Linsky, Rep. Barbara A. L'Italien, Rep. Elizabeth A. Malia, Rep. Denise Provost, Rep. Robert L. Rice, Jr., Rep. Charles A. Murphy, Rep. James J. O'Day, Rep. Tom Sannicandro, Rep. Carl M. Sciortino, Jr., Rep. Frank I. Smizik, Rep. Marie P. St. Fleur, Rep. Thomas M. Stanley, Rep. David B. Sullivan

Senate:

Sen. Gale D. Candaras, Sen. Harriett Chandler, Sen. Sonia Chang-Díaz, Sen. Ken Donnelly, Sen. Benjamin B. Downing, Sen. James B. Eldridge, Sen. Susan C. Fargo, Sen. Anthony Galluccio, Sen. Patricia D. Jehlen, Sen. Brian A. Joyce, Sen. Robert O'Leary, Sen. Anthony W. Petruccelli, Sen. Karen Spilka, Sen. Susan Tucker

Organizational and Individual Supporters, as of March 4, 2009:

1199SEIU, ACEDONE, ACLU of Massachusetts, Associated Students of Massachusetts, Advancing Democracy, Boston Tenant Coalition, Boston Branch of the NAACP, CareVOTE, Cambridge Election Action, Chelsea Collaborative, Chinese Progressive Association, Coalition for Social Justice, Common Cause, CREDO Mobile, Demos, Democracy for America, Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative, Fenway Community Development Corporation, Garrison Trotter Neighborhood Association, Greater Boston Labor Council, Homes for Families, Hyde Square Task Force, Jamaica Plain Community Development Corporation, Jewish Alliance for Law and Social Action, Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights, League of Women Voters of Massachusetts, Massachusetts ACORN, Massachusetts AFL-CIO, Massachusetts Affordable Housing Alliance, Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition, Massachusetts Teachers Association, MassPIRG, MassVOTE, Neighbor to Neighbor, Neighborhood of Affordable Housing, ONE Massachusetts, Painters Local 35, Rosie's Place, Sierra Club of Massachusetts, SEIU 509, SEIU 615, United Food and Commercial Workers 1445, Union of Minority Neighborhoods, United South End Settlements, Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts, Young Democrats of Massachusetts... Governor Deval Patrick, Senator John Kerry, Secretary of State Bill Galvin, Boston Mayor Tom Menino, over 50 state representatives and senators, and hundreds of citizens.

GET INVOLVED

ONE Massachusetts is working with MassVOTE to enact Election Day Registration in Massachusetts.

We need all your help to make this bill a reality. If you would like to talk to your state representative, state senator or your town clerk please read the following materials to help you prepare for your meetings. [Frequently Asked Questions] [Town Clerk Script]

More information on opportunities for you to become involved with ONE Massachusetts and MassVOTE in this effort will be added as they become available. For information on Election Day Registration, please contact:

  • Cheryl Crawford - MassVOTE Policy Director - ccrawford [at] massvote [dot] org
  • Carmen Arce Bowen - ONE Massachusetts Outreach and Training

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

The Election Department conducts all municipal, state, and federal elections within the City of Boston. The Department ensures that elections are properly managed and conducted in accordance with City, state, and federal laws. The Department also handles the registration of voters, proper maintenance of voters' status and manages the annual listing of Boston residents age 17 and over.

Boston Election Department Resources:

  1. 2009 Voter Registration Deadlines, Election Dates and Election Calendars: http://www.cityofboston.gov/elections/default.asp

  2. Election Pollworkers Job Description and Application: http://www.cityofboston.gov/news/default.aspx?id=3599

  3. CoB Annual Resident Listing (City Census): http://www.cityofboston.gov/elections/annual_listing.asp

  4. Voter Registration Form and Absentee Ballot Request Applications: http://www.cityofboston.gov/elections/voter_reg.asp

Related Articles

  • March 30, 2009.    The New York Times posted an editorial on March 17th, called “Still Broken” that comments about the current US electoral system. “In last year’s presidential election, as many as three million registered voters were not allowed to cast ballots and millions more chose not to because of extremely long lines and other frustrating obstacles. Ever since the 2000 election in Florida, the serious flaws in the voting system have been abundantly clear. More than eight years later, Congress must finally deliver on its promise of electoral reform”.