The Election Resource Guide on the LWVMA website provides information on voting changes, election 2020 timeline (in English and Spanish), and recordings of LWVMA-sponsored candidate forums.

Also on LWVMA website is the Voter Service Toolkit, which is filled with useful information and tips.

Do you have questions about voting under the new election law or anything else elections-related? LWVMA has created a voter email "hotline" to answer any questions you may have about voting options this fall. Please send questions to votehelp2020@lwvma.org and you will receive an answer promptly!

Five helpful website addresses for voting information provided by the MA Secretary of the Commonwealth are below. Check them regularly since this information can change based on local election officials’ decisions :

The new elections law allows municipalities to hire poll workers regardless of where they live, their voter registration status, or political party affiliation. Check the Secretary of State's website to see where poll workers are needed. Or sign up via the Safe Elections Network coalition.

MassCounts and Mass Voter Table continue to host virtual phone and text banks to help get out the vote and complete the census count. Phone banks are on Tuesday 11 am to 1 pm, Wednesday 5 to 7 pm, and Thursday 5 to 7 pm. The text banks are on Wednesday 4 to 5 pm. You can sign up to volunteer here.

The League of Women Voters is urging a YES vote on ballot question 2, ranked choice voting. If you would like a lawn sign to support ranked choice voting, a map showing the location of “pickup porches” is at bit.ly/yeson2signs. If you would like to volunteer in other ways, go to yeson2rcv.com/volunteer.

Are you concerned about trouble on Election Day? LWVMA is partnering again this year with Lawyers for Civil Rights and the Safe Elections Network to make sure the election runs smoothly and fairly. There are three options for volunteering this year:

League members are an important part of the election protection volunteer corps. Help support voters in real time. Volunteer via the Safe Elections Network here.

Interested in volunteering as a poll monitor? The ACLU of Massachusetts is recruiting and hosting volunteer trainings. Training sessions are listed here.

The Election Modernization Coalition that LWVMA is part of will be preparing a report on how the fall elections went. If you have confirmed knowledge of any significant glitches with either the primary or general elections in your town, please send the information to Nancy Brumback, who will share it with the coalition. If you experience any issues with tracking your mail ballot using www.TrackMyBallotMA.com, please report that.

Join the LWVUS Organizing team for “Protecting Democracy: Bystander Active Training”. The program outlines de-escalation techniques to safely address tense situations at polling places to ensure every voter can exercise their right to vote safely. Click here to register! Also see Attorney General Advisory on Poll Monitoring and Voter Intimidation here.

Join your LWV colleagues across the state to learn more about what your local League can do to further its work on issues of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. We will meet online several times a year to share ideas, experiences, and resources. The group will be coordinated by Patty Shepard (Winchester) and Amy Cooper (Central Berkshire County), both of whom are members of the LWVMA DEI Committee. The first meeting was held in late August and our next meeting will be held after the November elections. If you would like to participate in this promising project, please email Patty Shepard and/or Amy Cooper. Please also feel free to be in touch with any questions you may have.

This is a great time to get involved in Massachusetts League advocacy. The new legislative session will start in January, so you could work with the current League legislative specialists to learn about the process. Some of the areas that could use another person are Education Financing, Criminal Justice Reform and Transportation. For more information, contact LAC Chair Kathy Leonardson.

There is a possibility the Supreme Court will overturn Roe v. Wade. The ROE Act, pending in the legislature, would codify the right to an abortion in Massachusetts, allow minors to get an abortion without parental or judicial consent, and would permit an abortion after 24 weeks if a fatal fetal abnormality is diagnosed. Please contact your state senator and representative now and ask them to work to pass the ROE Act this session. See League testimony here. Contact your legislators and ask them to support the ROE Act (S.1209/H.3320).

Different versions of a policing bill passed the Massachusetts Senate and House (H.4860/S.2820) and have gone to conference committee. Police unions oppose many provisions of the bills.

In a letter to Speaker DeLeo urging release of the final bill, the LWVMA states “…we are making our voice heard to ensure the passage of police reform and accountability legislation in Massachusetts. Our 48 local MA leagues and 3,050 members stand as allies and in partnership with the 100+ grassroots advocacy organizations in this fight for justice…When the final bill is released, our members will be contacting their legislators to vote affirmatively for Black lives.”

If you haven’t done so already, please contact your legislators and ask them to contact the conference committee to urge them to release the police reform bill and then ask your legislators to support the bill.

No action on bills in September. Some bills remain in conference committee (listed below)

S.2500/H.4933—An Act setting next-generation climate policy

H.1949/S.1334—An Act to reduce racial inequities in maternal health

H.4860/S.2820—An Act relative to justice, equity and accountability in law enforcement in the Commonwealth

How to Contact Your Legislator: You can find phone numbers, email addresses and office addresses on the legislature’s webpage for your Senator and Representative.  Go to www.malegislature.gov and click on the Legislators tab.  If you don’t know who your legislators are, click here.

The LWVMA Action Newsletter is distributed to all LWVMA members. Anyone can request the Action Newsletter by clicking here. Please review this Newsletter for articles of interest to your League and include them in your local Bulletin.