MASSPIRG celebrates one year anniversary of the Votes Act

Massachusetts voting rights advocates celebrate the transformational legislation that made Massachusetts elections more accessible and equitable.

Voting & elections

June 28, 2023

Signing of the MA Votes Act, July 2022. Janet Domenitz and coalition partners — Liam Louis, Elle Vignette Photography | Used by permission

With the recent one-year anniversary of the signing of the VOTES Act, voting rights advocates celebrate the transformational legislation that made Massachusetts elections more accessible and equitable.

The VOTES Act made permanent several Covid-era election law changes. Thanks to the VOTES Act, Massachusetts voters can now:

Vote by mail without an excuse;
Utilize expanded early voting options;
Register to vote 10 days before an election instead of 20 days;
Request a mail ballot and vote even if they are incarcerated pre-trial or for a non-felony conviction;
Vote via an accessible electronic vote by mail system as an accommodation for disabilities that impair their ability to vote independently using standard print ballots.

The VOTES Act also ensured that the Commonwealth joined the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC) to keep voter registration rolls up-to-date.

“Every barrier to voting keeps us from realizing what our democracy can become,” said Janet Domenitz, director of MASSPIRG. “We celebrate the steps the Legislature took a year ago to remove some of the barriers; here’s to more progress this session.”

See press release