UpdatedTue, Feb 9, 2021 at 1:12 pm ET
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Mail-in and expanded early voting worked last year: A record 3,657,972 voted in November. (Neal McNamara/Patch)
Mail-in voting and expanded early voting could be the norm in Massachusetts after Secretary of State William Galvin said Tuesday he will file legislation this month to make them permanent.
Galvin s bill would also allow for same-day voter registration and early voting for local elections, not just federal and state ones.
Mail-in voting and expanded early voting was introduced in the 2020 election, primarily to help allow for more options during the COVID-19 pandemic. It worked: A record 3,657,972 voted in November, with more than 1.5 million of those voting by mail and 844,000 early in-person.
State Sen. Rausch files legislation for ranked-choice voting
Common Content
BOSTON – State Sen. Rebecca Rausch, D-Needham, and state Rep. Smitty Pignatelli, D-Lenox, have filed elections reform legislation to create an easier path for Massachusetts cities and towns to adopt ranked-choice voting for local elections.
The Local Option Ranked Choice Voting Act (SD 241/HD 652) allows municipalities to adopt the voting option through local ordinance or ballot initiative.
Under current Massachusetts law, cities and towns can only adopt ranked-choice voting through home rule petition, requiring approval by both the state legislature and governor. This bill gives municipalities greater autonomy in enacting ranked choice voting without approval of state government.
Five Things for Dover, Sherborn and Medfield: Bottle and can drive this weekend
Common Content
1 Medfield High’s Class of 2022 will conduct a redeemable bottle and can drive on Jan. 29 and 30 at the Transfer Station, by the swap area. Proceeds will help the class pay for the spring prom.
2 The Dale Street School Project’s Preferred Schematic Report was presented at the Massachusetts School Building Authority Facilities Assessment Subcommittee Meeting and was favorably received on Jan. 20.
Please consider tuning into two upcoming Zoom meetings:
Monday, Feb. 1, at 7 p.m.: Wheelock Neighborhood Public Forum #2. Analysis of the recent traffic questionnaire will be shared.
UpdatedWed, Jan 13, 2021 at 8:04 am ET
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Voters in Massachusetts were allowed to vote by mail during the pandemic under a temporary rule change. (Neal McNamara/Patch)
NATICK, MA Following an election year when many Massachusetts residents got to vote by mail for the first time because of the coronavirus pandemic, a Natick lawmaker is trying to make voting by mail permanent.
Democratic state Sen. Rebecca Rausch on Tuesday filed a bill to change state election law to expand no-excuse mail voting to voters in any state, municipal or special election.
Last spring, state lawmakers and Gov. Charlie Baker moved to expand mail-in voting during the first coronavirus wave. Many communities postponed spring elections until the summer, but mail-in voting was used heavily in the September primaries and the November election. About 40 percent of the 3.6 million residents used mail-in voting in November, according to Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin.