Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin will file a bill this month that would allow expanded voting options in Massachusetts.
Galvin’s bill would:
- Permanently remove the requirement that a voter have a specific excuse to apply to vote by mail.
- Allow any registered voter to apply to vote by mail in any primary.
- Guarantee at least one weekend day for in-person voting.
- Enable cities and towns to offer early voting for municipal elections.
- Enable same day voter registration.
Current law requires any voter registration completed 20 days prior to Election Day. Galvin has previously proposed same day registration.
Galvin’s bill will also propose making permanent provisions enacted for 2020 to allow flexibility in the hiring and assignment of poll workers and the processing of ballots.
In 2020, voter turnout broke previous record high levels in Massachusetts.
