Secretary of State William Galvin will pursue legislation expanding in-person early voting in September and November and permitting any voter to request a mail-in ballot for either the primary or general election, his office announced Wednesday.
The slate of changes would apply only for the Sept. 1 state primaries and the Nov. 3 general election in an attempt to balance voter engagement and protection against COVID-19 transmission risks.
"We believe that with these expanded voting options, the voters of Massachusetts will be able to fully participate in the democratic process in a safe and convenient manner," Michelle Tassinari, director and legal counsel of the office's elections division, wrote in a Wednesday letter to the secretary.
Under the secretary's proposed legislation, voters could seek mail-in ballots for either or both elections without any excuse, and local election officials could mail them as soon as possible.
In-person early voting would also expand from 12 days ahead of the general election to 18 days, including two weekends, and from zero to 7 days before the primary.
