Common Cause Massachusetts
Recent News About Common Cause Massachusetts
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Massachusetts earns high marks on Common Cause's democracy scorecard
Common Cause, a nonpartisan watchdog organization, has released its 2024 "Democracy Scorecard," evaluating every member of Congress on their support for voting rights, Supreme Court ethics, and other reforms.
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Early voter turnout shows significant increase with new voting options
Boston, MA—According to Secretary of State William Galvin, by the time polls opened at 7 a.m. this morning, nearly half a million voters (9.8% of all registered voters) had returned ballots by mail or in person. Overall turnout appears to be historically high compared to recent primary elections.
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Early voting starts August 24 for Massachusetts State Primary
Early voting begins this Saturday, August 24, for the State Primary Election in Massachusetts. This date also marks the deadline for in-person or online voter registration. According to state regulations, early voting must commence 10 days before state primary elections.
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Massachusetts enacts law banning guns at polling locations
Governor Healey has signed a new gun reform bill into law, aimed at enhancing public safety and ensuring safer elections in Massachusetts. The legislation includes a ban on guns within 150 feet of polling sites during election day and the early voting period, aligning with the existing electioneering buffer zone. This measure has been a legislative priority for Common Cause Massachusetts members.
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Massachusetts passes gun ban at polling places amidst political violence
Amidst political violence, Mass. passes gun restrictions
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Massachusetts legislature proposes gun ban at polling places
BOSTON — On Wednesday, the House and Senate budget conference committee released a compromise bill to improve gun safety in Massachusetts. The bill includes a critical ban on guns at and around polling sites and government buildings, both on election day and during the early voting period.
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Bill advances requiring hybrid meetings under Open Meeting Law
With the option to hold virtual public meetings set to expire statewide in March 2025, the Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight today advanced a bill (H.4771) that would update the Open Meeting Law to require hybrid meetings. This measure aims to guarantee members of the public the ability to participate in state and municipal meetings both remotely and in person. Several advocacy organizations, including disability rights and free press groups, have expressed support for this development.
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Massachusetts Senate adopts amendment ending voting penalties
The Massachusetts Senate has adopted an amendment filed by Senator Cindy Creem in their FY25 budget aimed at making voting more accessible by eliminating the penalty for voters who do not return the municipal census. A similar amendment garnered 81 cosponsors in the House budget but was ultimately not included. The reform is now under consideration by the House and Senate budget conference committee.
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Massachusetts Senate passes voting access amendment
On May 23, 2024, the Massachusetts Senate passed an amendment aimed at making voting more accessible by ending the penalty for voters who do not return the municipal census. Senator Cindy Creem’s “Improving Voting Access” amendment is expected to be included in the final Senate budget and will be negotiated by House and Senate conferees. A similar amendment had received support from 81 cosponsors in the House but was not included in its budget.