IT’S TIME FOR MASSACHUSETTS TO ADOPT SAME DAY VOTER REGISTRATION

Written by Mira Donaldson

At Boston City Hall Plaza, community advocates and voting rights leaders stood together with one urgent demand: Massachusetts can no longer delay Same Day Voter Registration (SDR).

The numbers speak for themselves. In the 2024 November election, Boston accounted for 34% of all rejected provisional ballots statewide — even though the city makes up just 9% of the state’s population. That’s not just a statistic. It’s thousands of voices silenced by unnecessary deadlines and outdated laws.

“Same-day voter registration strengthens our democracy. It uplifts residents who have long been marginalized from our processes. Twenty-three states already make this possible. It is smart and it is practical,” said Boston City Council President Ruthzee Louijeune. “Massachusetts would be wise to adopt this commonsense step to increase civic engagement and voter turnout.”

Leaders from MassVOTE, Common Cause Massachusetts, ACLU Massachusetts, the NAACP Boston Branch, and the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts echoed that message, emphasizing the urgency of reform.

“Our voting rights coalition recognizes the need to empower people at the ballot box now more than ever,” said Rahsaan Hall, President and CEO of the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts. “That means finally removing barriers to voting with Same Day Registration.”

The timing couldn’t be more critical. On Tuesday, September 16 at 1 p.m., lawmakers will hold a public hearing at the State House to debate SDR legislation. Advocates say this is the moment to act.

Without Same Day Registration, renters, students, voters of color, and countless others remain locked out of the process because of deadlines that serve no purpose other than to keep people from participating.

“Any barriers or red tape that impede the voting process do not help our condition as a community,” said Royal Smith, President of the NAACP Boston Branch. “Same Day Registration only increases voter participation, which in turn makes us a better city, state, and country.”

The truth is simple: democracy works best when everyone can participate. Massachusetts prides itself on being a leader, but on this issue, we are lagging behind. Twenty-three states have already proven Same Day Registration works — now it’s our turn.

The legislature has a choice: keep barriers in place or open the door wider to democracy. It’s beyond time Massachusetts joins the majority of the country in ensuring every eligible voter can cast a ballot that counts.