Beginning next year, Massachusetts voters would be able to register to vote on the same day they cast their ballots, under a new proposal from Secretary of State William Galvin.
Galvin announced Thursday that he is proposing legislation that would allow Massachusetts residents to go to their local polling place on Election Day, complete a registration form, and vote immediately afterward. Current law requires voters to be registered at least 20 days before an election in which they plan to vote.
"Election Day registration has been shown to be one of the simplest and more effective ways of increasing voter participation, with administrative costs much lower than many other proposals to do the same thing, because it combines the act of registration and voting," Galvin said.
Bills establishing same-day registration are before the Legislature's Election Laws Committee, including proposals from Sen. Joseph Boncore (S 367), Sen. Cynthia Creem (S 371), Rep. Jennifer Benson (H 353), and Rep. Liz Malia (H 2093). Josh Zakim, a Boston city councilor challenging Galvin in the Democratic primary for secretary of state, has said he supports same-day voter registration and automatic registration and has criticized Galvin's office for appealing a Superior Court ruling this summer against the 20-day voter-registration deadline.
Galvin's bill also proposes that Massachusetts join the Electronic Registration Information Center, which his office says is "a group of states whose mission is ensuring the accuracy of voting lists and increasing voter participation."
