Senator Eldridge Urges Senate Conferees to Keep Strong Language in Election Bill to Ensure Equitable Voting Access
BOSTON, MA - On Tuesday, The Massachusetts State Senate unanimously passed legislation to expand voter access and address safety in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic for all remaining 2020 elections, including the September 1, 2020 state primary and November 3, 2020 general election.
The bill S.2764, An Act relative to voting options in response to COVID-19, would, for the first time in state history, give all eligible residents the opportunity to vote early for the state primary and general election, allow residents to vote-by-mail, and expand absentee ballot access.
However, civil rights groups have pushed for even stronger language to safeguard equity and racial justice for the fall elections. In a letter referencing the largely failed efforts in the Wisconsin primary, the ACLU advocated for the inclusion of the “strongest possible language to prohibit municipalities from changing or eliminating polling locations if doing so would disparately impact historically disenfranchised groups.”
As a response, Senator Jamie Eldridge wrote to the Senate Conferees with regard to the bill, urging them to keep strong language ensuring equitable voting access which would:
Allow for the change in polling locations only if officials fail to recruit enough poll workers, or if social distancing would be impossible in that location.
Require cities and towns to verify that changing polling places would not have a disparate adverse impact on access to the polls on the basis of race, national origin, disability, income, or age.
Increase the notice period for changed polling location from 15 to 20 days.
Prohibit the consolidation of polling locations to one area in a city
Requires a public awareness campaign including but not limited to promoting public awareness of expanded early voting options in the 2020 primary and general elections and the requirements and procedures for early voting by mail
Requires the state secretary to ensure that the clearly marked voter booklets and accompanying applications are mailed not later than October 5, 2020.
Read the full letter here.
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