June 7, 2021 Newsletter
We need your support. To help pass the reforms we've been fighting for this year, like the VOTES Act and the FARE Act, we must maximize public support. We must reach as many voters and contact as many legislators as possible. We must make clear that countless individuals support making our democracy as accessible and inclusive as possible.
To do that, though, we need your support. We encourage you to take part in one of the many volunteer opportunities scheduled for the weeks and months ahead. They include...
1) Sign up for a phone bank. Throughout the summer, we're co-hosting phone banks in support of the VOTES Act. We'll be calling individuals to encourage them to reach out to their own state legislators in support of the policy. The phone banks take place every Tuesday and Thursday from 11 AM to 1:30 PM. Prior to making calls, we'll walk you through how phone banking works, your script, and everything else you need to know. You can sign up here.
2) Testify at an upcoming redistricting hearing. The redistricting process is a critical element of our democracy. Every 10 years, the state reviews the results of the U.S. Census to redraw the local, state, and federal political boundaries. During this process, it's essential that underserved communities, like Black, indigenous, people of color (BIPOC) and immigrant communities, receive the maximum amount of representation possible.
Over the next few months, you'll have the opportunity to speak directly with state legislators and tell them why redistricting matters to you. The state's redistricting committee will hold four hearings throughout June and July based around congressional districts. If you live in one of these districts, you should testify at the hearing to make sure that your thoughts on your own community are heard. Below are the details for the four scheduled hearings.
Tuesday, June 8th at 12 Noon - Massachusetts Eighth Congressional District, which includes cities like Quincy, Brockton, and parts of Boston - sign up here.
Monday, June 21st at 6 PM - Massachusetts First Congressional District, which includes cities like Springfield, Holyoke, Chicopee, and Pittsfield - sign up here.
Thursday, July 8th at 6 PM - Massachusetts Third Congressional District, which includes cities like Lowell, Lawrence, and Fitchburg - sign up here.
Monday, July 18th at 12 Noon - Massachusetts Fourth Congressional District, which includes cities like Brookline, Newton, Taunton, and parts of Fall River - learn more here.
3) Contact your state legislators. If these scheduled events don't work for you, you can still advocate for voting rights on your own time. You can do this by contacting your state legislators and urging them to support a number of reforms. These include the VOTES Act, the FARE Act, and jail-based voting reform. If you're interested in reaching out to your legislators, you can find them here.
- All of us at MassVOTE
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