The pandemic changed our way of life, in many ways making it more difficult, but some state lawmakers say one adjustment that should remain is the way we vote.
Today, lawmakers in Massachusetts will debate the “Votes Act,” which would permanently expand early voting and make voting by mail a standard option in upcoming elections.
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Currently, voters must be registered at least 20 days before election day in order to cast a ballot.
Secretary of State William Galvin says voting by mail lead to a record number of votes being cast in the 2020 election.
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One element left out of the “Votes Act” in the House bill is same-day voting registration.
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Advocates, which include Galvin, see that as being a critical element because it makes voting more accessible to younger and transient voters.
Here in Massachusetts, 65 percent of residents support same-day registration and 64 percent in favor of voting-by-mail, according to a November 2021 poll by UMass-Amherst.
The state Senate already passed a version of this bill with same-day registration.
