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| August 22-August 28 | In-Person Early Voting for Massachusetts State Primary | | Tuesday, September 1 | Massachusetts State Primary | | Tuesday, September 22 | National Voter Registration Day | | Saturday, October 17 | League Leader Lunch (virtual) | | October 17-30 | In-Person Early Voting for General Election | | Saturday, October 24 | National Vote Early Day | | Tuesday, November 3 | Election Day |
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Save the Date: League Leader Lunch Oct. 17
The 2020 League Leader Lunch will be held online, as are so many events these days, on Saturday, Oct. 17. The good news is you can attend in your jammies. And you don't have to drive anywhere. We'll miss seeing everyone in person, of course; half the fun was the mingling. Nevertheless, we're putting together a great program and swag bags. Mark the date on your calendar and stay tuned for registration information.
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VOTE411.org Live with Massachusetts Information
Find Massachusetts' candidate and election information for the fall 2020 elections at VOTE411.org, the League's national online voters' guide. The election information for the Sept. 1 primary election will be updated for the Nov. 3 general election after the primary.
The online guide covers all candidate races from U.S. Congress through statewide legislator races and contested county races. Coming soon will be information on the two ballot questions on the November ballot. VOTE411 includes up-to-date information and deadlines from the recently-enacted elections law.
We worked diligently to encourage candidates to respond to the questionnaire. If you find that any candidate in your district has not responded, please reach out and encourage them to complete the questionnaire; it is not too late.
Please help promote VOTE411.org. Find the VOTE411 widget and installation instructions for your League webpage here. LWVUS is offering this VOTE411 QR code to promote VOTE411. LWVUS has partnered with the National Association of Broadcasters to launch a voter education campaign featuring public service announcements (PSAs) about voting and VOTE411. This campaign will air on TV and radio stations nationwide from August through Election Day. Leagues can also share the NAB video PSA with local partners and use it on social media. In addition to the PSA, LWVUS also has English and Spanish VOTE411 videos.
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The fall elections law signed by Governor Baker in early July will make it easier for citizens to vote by mail this year. It also provides for longer in-person early voting periods to cut down on the lines at the polls on Election Day, both for the Sept. 1 primary and Nov. 3 general election. Here are some resources you can use to put information on this year's elections on your website:
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LWVMA Voter Email Hotline
LWVMA has created an email "hotline" to answer any questions you may have about voting options this fall. Please send questions to votehelp2020@lwvma.org and we promise to get you an answer promptly!
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Town Dropboxes for Mail Ballots
The new elections law allows town clerks and city election officials to install secure dropboxes where voters can deposit their mail ballots rather than relying on the Post Office. Voters can also return those ballots directly to the election official's office during business hours.
Local Leagues can contact town clerks to find out where those dropboxes will be, and to encourage them to install dropboxes if they have not planned to do so. Then publicize the location and availability of those dropboxes on your website and social media and in any election work you do. Post a photo of the dropbox and a link to a map showing the location.
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Phone Banks to Get Out the Vote
Feel the need to take action around the upcoming elections? Want to make sure everyone in Massachusetts is counted in the 2020 Census? You can help by phoning residents and voters in hard-to-count/historically disenfranchised communities to encourage them to participate in the 2020 Census and to make a plan to vote safely this fall.
Phone banks are conducted on: - Tuesday, 11 am to 1 pm
- Wednesday, 5 to 7 pm-LWVMA hosts this phone bank!
- Thursday, 5 to 7 pm
You can sign up to volunteer here. You'll need a computer and a phone; training and a script are provided. Please note you need to sign up for each day you would like to phone bank.
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The Secretary of State has several website addresses for voting information that are easier to use than the long URLs, especially in information to voters, letters to the editor and such. Try these:
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National Voter Registration Day and the Pandemic
National Voter Registration Day will be Tuesday, Sept. 22. LWVUS and the NVRD partnership have issued some guidance about holding voter registration safely and about alternatives to in-person voter registration. A new event, Vote Early Day, is planned for Saturday, Oct. 24, to encourage voters to act early, either mailing their ballots or voting early in-person.
From LWVUS: LWV is proud to serve as a premier partner for two important holidays this year: Vote Early Day and National Voter Registration Day! Well over 300 Leagues have already signed up for NVRD 2020; make sure your League is part of the biggest national celebration of registering to vote! Leagues are also encouraged to sign up for Vote Early Day, a national day of focused media, grassroots, and organizational activities drawing attention to early voting opportunities across the country.
Here are suggestions for a "COVID-proof" voter registration drive. And join the LWVUS Organizing Team for a webinar on voter registration best practices and prepping for a nationwide day of action even in a time of COVID-19: Thursday, Sept. 3, at 3 p.m. Voter Registration Training. Click here to register.
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Hosting Candidate Forums Virtually
From LWVUS: The coronavirus crisis is having a major impact on League-hosted events, including our critical candidate events, debates, and forums. We know that many Leagues already have candidate debates and forums planned for the summer and fall of 2020, with sponsors and media partners committed, and candidates may have already agreed to formats and rules, but where possible LWVUS recommends Leagues find flexibility to make these events inclusive and safe for all as as we navigate this pandemic. Visit this new guidance on hosting virtual and hybrid candidate debates and forums during COVID.
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Many cities and towns are in critical need of poll workers, especially those who are bilingual. The new election law allows municipalities to hire poll workers regardless of where they live, their voter registration status, or political party affiliation.
Please encourage members to contact town clerks/local election officials about their needs, especially in larger cities. Check the Secretary of State's website to see where poll workers are needed: Elections: Be a Poll Worker. Keep in mind that young people, including college students, are prime candidates to work the polls given their more flexible schedules this fall.
From LWVUS: We're proud to announce a new partnership with Power the Polls, a multi-faceted, multi-organizational effort to encourage Americans to help fill the poll worker gap in time for November. Please share and promote this link with your networks, League volunteers, and on social media to encourage poll worker recruitment: https://www.powerthepolls.org/?source=LWVUS. Read our blog about the new initiative.
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Talking Points on the Post Office
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Massachusetts Legislature Session Extended
The Massachusetts legislature has extended its formal sessions past the usual July 31 deadline until the end of the calendar year. The need to deal with emergency legislation to address pandemic-related issues this spring meant much of the work the legislature had been expecting to accomplish was delayed, including drafting and passing a state budget. The extension means some of the key bills we have been working on, including those addressing climate change, racial justice, affordable housing, criminal justice reform, abortion, and immigration, may still come up for a vote.
Please check the Mass League Action Newsletter sent to all members the first of every month to see what you can do to help pass League-supported legislation. And take a look at letters LWVMA recently sent on the budget and affordable housing.
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November Ballot Questions
The Secretary of State approved two ballot questions to appear on the November ballot. Question 1 is "Right to Repair," which would allow non-dealer car repair facilities to access vehicle repair information. Question 2 would establish Ranked Choice Voting in Massachusetts. The LWVMA board is developing guidance for local League action on the ballot questions, which will be available in September. LWVMA has already endorsed the Ranked Choice Voting question. See this information on holding ballot question forums.
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LWVUS and Common Cause have written a letter to Census Bureau Director Steven Dillingham asking him to commit to a fair and accurate census count. The Census is currently turning into a partisan bargaining chip in Congress, while communities across the country are waiting to be counted as the response rate remains the lowest in history. The letter asks the Census Bureau to commit to counting people until Oct. 31 to ensure a fair and accurate census count. A similar version of the letter was also sent to leadership in the U.S. House and Senate. Read the letters.
The League joined the Census Project on a letter extending statutory reporting deadlines for the Census. The letter addresses Senate leadership, and asks for a four-month extension to allow the Census Bureau to execute a fair and accurate count. The letter asks Congress to remain on course with the extension in the newly-introduced Senate COVID stimulus bills. Read the letter here.
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It's Election Season. Check Your Non-Partisan Policy
With the election season looming, it's a good time to review your non-partisan policy with your board or steering committee and with your members via your League's bulletin. The League encourages its members to run for office and participate fully in the political process. Your League's non-partisan policy will define what roles and activities related to campaigns are permissible for board and steering committee members. In general, there are no restrictions on members taking partisan positions as individuals; however, most Leagues do have restrictions on what some board and steering committee members can do.
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The League Leader Update is distributed to local League board members and LWVMA leaders. Anyone can request the Update by clicking here. Please review this Update for articles of interest to your League and include them in your local Bulletin.
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