Letter Supporting Election Day Registration in the VOTES Act in MA
April 15, 2022
| The Honorable Ryan Fattman State House 24 Beacon Street Room 213-A Boston, MA, 02133 + |
The Honorable Barry Finegold State House 24 Beacon Street Room 511-A Boston, MA, 02133 + |
| The Honorable Shawn Dooley State House 24 Beacon Street Room 473B Boston, MA, 02133 + |
The Honorable Dan Ryan State House 24 Beacon Street Room 445 Boston, MA, 02133 + |
Dear Members of the VOTES Act Conference Committee:
Thank you for your continued support for the VOTES Act. The bill is a significant advancement in voter rights in the Commonwealth, building on the state’s legacy of empowering voters. CEO Action for Racial Equity respectfully urges committee members to consider adding an election day voter registration provision to make an excellent bill even better.
CEO Action for Racial Equity is a Fellowship of over 100 companies from across America, many of which have a significant presence in Massachusetts. Ranging from manufacturers to accountants, retailers and other suppliers, we mobilize business leaders with diverse expertise to advance public policy in four key areas – healthcare, education, economic empowerment and public safety. Underlying all of these public policy key areas is the crucial right of all Americans to have equitable access to the ballot box.
We know a good democracy is good for our businesses, our workers and our community. We appreciate your leadership to advance voting rights in Massachusetts and remove unnecessary restrictions to the ballot box. Our coalition is concerned that one such restriction is the current policy regarding advance voter registration. This policy can result in eligible voters being turned away on election day because they are not registered to vote in advance. One simple and safe solution is to permit eligible individuals to both complete their voter registration and vote on election day.
Our business-led coalition, which is focused on advancing racial equity, recognizes the right to vote as a core American value. In fact, over 250 business leaders signed an amicus brief affirming that “the health of America’s economy rests on a foundational principle of our democracy: the right to vote. Business leaders believe that absent a broad representative and inclusive democracy, free from racial discrimination, the U.S. economy will fail to fulfill its full potential, resulting in financial harm to companies and their employees, and the U.S. economy.”1
Election day registration will help turn aside systemic and racial barriers so all Bay Staters can realize their right to equitable access to the ballot box. We respectfully request that committee members consider adding election day registration to the bill.
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Respectfully,
CEO Action for Racial Equity
CC:
The Honorable Ron Mariano
The Honorable Karen Spilka
The Honorable Aaron Michlewitz
The Honorable Michael Rodrigues
The Honorable Michael Moran
The Honorable Cindy Creem
1 Mark Brnovich, Attorney General of Arizona, et al., Petitioners v. Democratic National Committee, et al. http://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/19/19-1257/166786/20210120113945519_Nos.%2019- 1257bsacVoting%20Rights%20Act%20Amicus%20Brief%20of%20Business%20Leaders.pdf
