The MAIL-in
Voting Act
Since the onset of COVID-19, I led the charge to give Massachusetts voters the most comprehensive vote-by-mail system possible by crafting, filing, and successfully advocating for my 2020 Vote by Mail Act. Now I am more committed than ever to advancing just and equitable access to the ballot box.
An Act Modernizing Access and Improving Laws in Voting (the MAIL-in Voting Act) gives Massachusetts voters what they so clearly want and deserve – expanded and enhanced access to mail voting to promote full participation in the democratic process.
In the 2020 general election, 40% of voters cast ballots by mail, resulting in the highest voter turnout percentage in Massachusetts since the 1996 general election.
COMPONENTS OF THE MAIL-in VOTING ACT
This bill expands ballot box access for Massachusetts voters through the following key provisions:
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Permanently establishes and improves vote-by-mail access in Massachusetts.
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Creates a permanent opt-in mail voter status option for voters. Permanent mail voters will automatically receive ballots by mail for every eligible election without submitting ballot requests.
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Automatically enrolls as permanent mail voters any voter who requested and returned a mail-in ballot in both the 2020 state primary and election. Voters can opt out of permanent mail voter status at any time.
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Sets a mandatory ballot drop box to voter ratio, requiring one drop box for every 25,000 voters in a municipality. Allows voters to return mail ballots to their regular polling places on Election Day.
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Moves the Massachusetts primary date from September to the second Tuesday in June.
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Requires municipalities to provide a polling place within walking distance of any college or university.
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Provides two hours of paid leave for any eligible employee to vote in either the early
voting or mail voting period, or on Election Day.
