On Wednesday the Massachusetts legislature will entertain an amendment to current voter registration laws allowing citizens to register to vote on election day. The bill, co-sponsored by state Representatives Gloria L. Fox (D-Roxbury) and Jennifer E. Benson (D-Lunenburg), would save residents an abundance of hassle in having to scramble around to register by a deadline scheduled well in advance of the very day voters are able to cast their ballots.
In the recent Boston mayoral election that saw Mayor-Elect Marty Walsh emerge victorious to succeed incumbent Mayor Menino, voter registration closed on October 16 – three full weeks ahead of the November 5 election day. Out of Boston’s estimated 636,479 residents, just 372,064 are registered to vote, and only 142,007 cast a ballot, according to Boston Election Department Data.
BostInno reached out directly to the Boston Election Department to see if there are any estimates for a possible increase in voter registration should the bill be signed into law, but have yet to hear back.
Of course, this law would be applicable statewide, though it would be limited to just primaries and elections while excluding town meetings and special town meeting purposes.
According to the purposed measure, those looking to register the day of could fulfill the requirements simply by “completing a registrati on [sic] application in a form prescribed by the state secretary… by presenting to the appropriate election official proof of residency” and by submitting to a written oath that reaffirms citizenry, residency and comprehension of penalties for supplying false and fraudulent identification information.
Anyone who lies about their identity in order to register to vote will be subjected to no more than five years in prison, no more than a $10,000 fine, or both for the felony offense.
The basic gist of the legislation echoes common sense in that the current registration deadline is often difficult for people to remember or tend to within their busy schedules. The actual act of voting takes just minutes, with voters usually popping into polling stations on their way to or from work or school. Having to keep in mind multiple dates to register for primaries or elections, or even special elections for instances where a certain seat is abruptly vacated, adds another bothersome detail to peoples’ already fast-paced lives.
For that reason the bill also calls for an investigatory committee to study the necessary resources, costs and feasibility of implementing same-day registration and voting.
The House bill has since been referred to the Joint Committee on Election Laws, in which tomorrow – Thursday, December 4 – they will consider the matter and all viable steps moving forward. You can view the entire text of the proposed amendments below.
