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2019 Democracy For All (DFA-CEI) Grantees Asian Amer. Resource Workshop (AARW) |  Brockton Interfaith Community (BIC) | Cambodian Mutual Assistance Association of Greater Lowell, Inc. (CMAA) | Chelsea Collaborative | Coalition for a Better Acre | DBEDC: Youth Force | Greenroots | La Comunidad | Mass Alliance of HUD Tenants | Massachusetts Affordable Housing Alliance (MAHA) | McKnight Community Development Corporation | Mothers United for Justice & Equality | Neighbors United for a Better East Boston (NUBE) | NEU4J, New England United 4 Justice | North Shore CDC | Pearls of Distinction | Project RIGHT, Inc. The Women's Pipeline For Change The Women's Pipeline For Change (WPL) kicked off its relaunch Saturday Feb 23rd. Hosted at the Brockton Public Library the renewed initiative will aid women of color attempting to enter public office. Legislative Update: EDR Filed MassVOTE is proud to announce our head sponsors for Election Day Registration! This session Rep. Liz Malia (left) of Boston and Rep. Jennifer Benson (right) of Lunenburg have agreed to sponsor and push EDR as priority legislative initiatives. Both Representatives have a strong and tenured history of promoting modernized voting mechanisms from Early Voting, Automatic Voter Registration (AVR) and not only endorse EDR but also initiatives such as Ranked-Choice Voting. Together H 636 & H 685 have garnered 55 House Co-Sponsors over a third of the lower chamber. Of the Co-Sponsors, 4th Division Chair, Louis Kafka, a cabinet member for the Speaker, has issued his support for EDR. The House Co-Sponsorship Deadline was February 1st. On the Senate side over one-fourth of the upper chamber has signed on in support including former President of the Senate, Harriette Chandler of Worcester. The Senate has passed EDR on three different occasions and does not have a co-sponsorship deadline. Senate Majority leader Cynthia Creem of Newton is the head sponsor in the upper chamber. YCL Spotlight: Joy How do you stay non-partisan in your role? "As a YCL as well as working with MassVOTE in general, our main job is to inspire and foster a voting culture   instead of choosing which party to vote with. We must praise the right to vote and how it can make a change   in the community around us. The more people who get increased education on voting, the more chance a   positive change can occur. Remaining non-partisan is key because it covers everyone's interests as well as   ours whether you are a democrat, republican or whatever the case may be, my job is to educate people on   their rights and the potential voting has." What do you say to people who say their vote does not matter? "Voting always matters. Every citizen is responsible for what happens in any election whether it is presidential   or local. Your vote can be the one that can swing an election around. Usually, the people who don't vote are t   the ones who are not content with the outcome of the election. You can easily and feasibly change that by   voting and feel empowered by your voice at the ballot box."

EXCERPT: “It all relates to one thing: Who is in office and how they delegate power,” said Ian Kea, spokesman for MassVOTE, a Boston-based voter advocacy organization. “That comes down to a choice that voters have to make.”

EXCERPT: Ian Kea, Policy Director for MassVOTE, said that Massachusetts is “being looked at continually as being the leader in modern-day elections. We are very much behind unfortunately but the city does have a good leadership role.” He said that it is up to the city to promote these ideas so that Boston can be helpful at the local and federal levels.

EXCERPT: Ian Kea, Communications and Advocacy Manager for Mass Vote, said his organization would support extending the council term, saying it would ultimately boost voter interest in council elections. Also, councilors could spend more time on their jobs, and less time campaigning. “For too long, and too often, we see public officials campaigning for half their time in office,” he said. He also said the city should host special elections for vacant at-large council seats so that voters can have a say. And he said candidates should not be able to run for two different offices. “Elected office is a respected privilege, and should be treated as such,” he said.

Contact: Ian Kea, Policy & Communications Manager

Contact: Ian Kea, Policy & Communications Manager

For Immediate Release | October 23, 2018 Contact: J. Cottle YCL Coordinator jcottle@massvote.org BOSTON, MA BOSTON - MassVOTE is proud to announce our selection as a grantee for MTV’S #VoteTogether initiative in partnership with Civic Nation, a national GOTV non-profit. This grant will be utilized by our Young Civic Leader's (YCL) program to host an event promoting turn out of early voters as well as engaging local youth in our civic process through preregistration and communal outreach. We are proud to host this party at The Old South Church who’s history towards serving the underprivileged and communities of color is well documented. We will kickoff our event Saturday October 27th at noon and conclude at 4 PM. Our partners include a plethora of local colleges, businesses and youth organizations from the City of Boston. We welcome all for an afternoon of entertainment, games and trivia, food and raffles and most importantly, ballot and voter guide materials! Throughout the event, attendees that reside in Boston may cast their vote early, across the street at the Boston Public Library. Whether it’s 60 seconds or 60 minutes join us as we party at the polls! RSVP HERE: https://yclpartyatthepolls.eventbrite.com

For Immediate Release | October 10, 2018 Contact: Ian Kea Policy & Communications Director BOSTON, MA YES ON 1: MassVOTE is proud to endorse the YES on 1 campaign, concerning safe patient limits for nurses in the Commonwealth. As an organization dedicated to empowering historically disenfranchised communities, a YES vote will aid in affordability and improve quality access to low-income communities. The Patient Safety Act will better equip Massachusetts nurses to be able to deliver safe and high-quality care. YES ON 2: MassVOTE encourages Massachusetts residents to vote YES on 2. A YES vote will create a Citizens Commission to investigate and report the disastrous effects of Citizens United and similar court cases have had on our political discourse. For too long corporations and other special interests have been able to influence the legislative process. These special interests have continuously been committed to policies that are detrimental to working class people and communities of color. A YES vote provides a step in the right direction toward improved transparency on Beacon Hill. YES ON 3: MassVOTE has been and will continue to be a staunch ally for the LGBTQ+ community in Massachusetts. MassVOTE is fiercely devoted to inclusiveness and to enabling citizens to be able to participate in our democracy with limited barriers. As an extension of the Civil Rights Act of 1965 MassVOTE proudly endorses a YES vote on 3. * For more information please visit our website at MassVOTE.org or call us at (617)-542-8683.

MassVOTE is thrilled to introduce our YCL's for Summer 2018! Visit https://www.massvote.org/ycl-2018 to learn more!

For Immediate Release: Monday, July 16, 2018 Contact: Press Office, 617-635-4461 BOSTON - Monday, July 16, 2018 - The City of Boston Election Commission today announced the release of the 2018 Vote Early Boston schedule, which was unanimously approved by the Boston Election Commission Board. This year's Early Voting period begins Monday, October 22 and runs through Friday, November 2. During that time, voters registered in Boston will be able to cast their ballots in person prior to the November 6th State Election. "Ensuring all Boston voters are able to vote conveniently, and on their own schedule, is paramount to ensuring voter turnout," said Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh. "Voting is core to our democracy, and I encourage Boston voters to take advantage of all the resources the City provides for elections." The schedule features City Hall as the main Early voting polling location.  City Hall will be open for voting Monday through Friday, during normal business hours (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) during the two week period. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, City Hall will be open until 8:00 pm for early voting.    Early Voting "pop-up" polling locations will also be available throughout the city on Tuesdays and Thursdays during the early voting period. Those locations will be open from 12 p.m until 8 p.m. and are convenient to all neighborhoods. This year's schedule also includes a full weekend of early voting on October 27(Saturday) and 28 (Sunday). During early voting weekend there will be nine voting locations open on both days, one in each city council district, from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. "I would like to commend the staff of the Election Department for doing an excellent job developing this schedule, and to Mayor Walsh for providing the resources to make voting more accessible to all," said Karen Chen, Executive Director of the Chinese Progressive Association. Any voter registered in Boston may vote at any early voting location. Unlike Absentee Voting, an explanation is no longer needed to vote early. Any Boston voter who wishes to vote early may. For more information on Vote Early Boston, please visit here. The full Vote Early Boston Schedule is included below and available here: ###

For immediate release: July 12, 2018 Contact: Pam Wilmot, Common Cause 617-962-0034 With Unanimous Bipartisan Vote, Automatic Voter Registration Bill Passes Massachusetts Senate Commonwealth Poised to Become 14th State to Adopt AVR BOSTON, MA – With a unanimous, bipartisan vote of 38-0, the Massachusetts Senate today passed Automatic Voter Registration (H. 4667). The AVR legislation, originally introduced by Sen. Cynthia Creem and the late Rep. Peter Kocot, would establish a system for eligible citizens to automatically register to vote when they interact with a state agency like the Registry of Motor Vehicles or MassHealth. Approximately 680,000 eligible Massachusetts voters are currently not registered. “Automatic Voter Registration will make voting more accurate, more secure, and more available to all. That’s good for democracy, for election security, and for voters,” said Pam Wilmot, Executive Director of Common Cause Massachusetts, which led the broad-based coalition pushing for the bill. “Utilizing existing technology to modernize the voter registration process just is basic common sense, and we are thrilled that all 38 Senators agreed with us.” The legislation has enjoyed broad support in both legislative chambers. It passed in the House on June 27 by a bipartisan vote of 130-20. Attorney General Maura Healey and Secretary of State Bill Galvin are also supporters. The legislation is endorsed by 65 organizations including environmental, civil rights, consumer, community, labor, and good government groups. After the House concurs and both the Senate and House enact the bill, it will go to Governor Charlie Baker for signature. Thirteen states and the District of Columbia have passed automatic voter registration: Alaska, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and West Virginia. A report based on data from Oregon, Vermont, and Colorado concluded that the cost of implementing AVR in Massachusetts would be minimal. "While voter suppression is on the rise nationally, we’re proud Massachusetts is leading the way forward to expand ballot access,” said Carol Rose, Executive Director of the ACLU of Massachusetts. “Voter registration should be simple, accessible, and secure, because increased voter participation makes our democracy stronger." "We commend the legislature's passage of Automatic Voter Registration, a reform that will expand the electorate to those too frequently pushed to the margins," noted Beth Huang, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Voter Table. "Our democracy is strongest when everyone's voice can be heard. This bill will help engage the almost 700,000 eligible but unregistered citizens in Massachusetts, strengthening democracy and setting a positive example for other states,” said Jonathan Cohn of Progressive Massachusetts. Meryl Kessler, Executive Director of the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts, added: "The League of Women Voters of Massachusetts applauds today's vote by the Massachusetts Senate. Bringing AVR to our state will remove real obstacles to political participation, ensuring that more voices can be heard." “Today we thank the Massachusetts Senate for approving an Automatic Voting Registration (AVR) bill as a new avenue to increase voter participation and accessibility to Massachusetts’ most vulnerable communities,” said Cheryl Clyburn Crawford, Executive Director of MassVOTE. "If there was a World Cup for election reform, passing Automatic Voter Registration would definitely be a huge goal. Today, everyone who cares about democracy scored," said Executive Director of MASSPIRG Janet Domenitz. The Election Modernization Coalition is led by Common Cause Massachusetts, the League of Women Voters or Massachusetts, MASSPIRG, MassVOTE, the Massachusetts Voter Table, ACLU of Massachusetts, and Progressive Massachusetts. A full list of member organizations can be found here, and more information about AVR can be found here. # # #

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Alec Loftus, Alec@DiscoverASG.com, 617-595-8872 MassVOTE Criticizes SJC Ruling on Voter Registration Deadline Case BOSTON -- Monday, July 2, 2018 – MassVOTE, a lead plaintiff in the case contesting cutting off voter registration 20 days in advance of an election the opportunity to register and vote, criticized today’s ruling of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) as a setback to efforts to eliminate the state the state’s outdated 20-day voter registration cutoff and ensure that all eligible voters who want to vote is not barred from doing so due to a fixable issues with their registration. MassVOTE says the SJC erred today in overruling the Superior Court decision that determined the state's advance cutoff is unconstitutionally disenfranchises thousands of Massachusetts voters. The Superior Court cited, as an example, the over 100,000 eligible voters interesting in voting could not due to an arbitrary cut off in the 2014 state election, an advance cutoff that 16 states have now eliminated. “The SJC missed the point by focusing just simply on the registration deadline rather the complete cutoff of any opportunity to register and vote it really is”, said Cheryl Clyburn Crawford, Executive Director of MassVOTE. "No one is against a deadline for a mail registration. What’s wrong in is not seeing the harm in disenfranchising 2018 is the inability for an eligible voter to correct a mistake in their registration or a missed deadline when they go to vote as allowed in 16 states. Four states including Minnesota and Wisconsin have had same day voter registration policies for decades. A dozen states like Colorado, Illinois, and Utah have also successfully enacted the policy the plaintiffs seek. Four in New England, Maine, Connecticut, New Hampshire and Vermont all allow voters to register or fix a registration in-person at their election office, poll or a designated site when they go to vote, with no arbitrary cut-off like Massachusetts has. In its decision the SJC noted the important role of the legislature enacting election laws review to ensure they serve a public purpose. MassVOTE and its partners will work with the legislature legislators, voters, and other stakeholders to have Massachusetts join the many states with SDR policy to safeguard a full opportunity of all eligible and interested voters to vote. We expect a same day voter registration policy to be top on the agenda later this year or by January to be in place for 2019”, Crawford continued. “Now we join others in urging passing of AVR – a compatible but notably separate reform that together will make Massachusetts a national leader in democracy and voting.” States with same day voter registration policies: Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming, and District of Columbia. Learn more at www.MassVOTE.org ###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Gaby Quintero, gaby@discoverasg.com MassVOTE Statement on House Approval of Automatic Voter Registration Bill MassVOTE has long supported making registration more universal and ensuring everyone has the opportunity to vote BOSTON -- Wednesday, June 27, 2018 -- MassVOTE thanks the Massachusetts House for approving an Automatic Voting Registration (AVR) bill as a new avenue to increase voting accessibility to Massachusetts’ most vulnerable communities. “After a long period of advocacy and hard work, along with the Election Modernization Coalition, we are grateful to the House for moving to transform our electoral process and make it more accountable and accessible to all individuals,” said Cheryl Clyburn Crawford, Executive Director of MassVOTE. “This bill will give more than 700,000 eligible, but unregistered, voters an opportunity to become civically involved and most importantly, to have a voice.” While MassVOTE will continue to advocate for the bill to be passed by the Senate, signed into law by the governor, and fully implemented by the Secretary of State as soon as possible, the successful passage of today's bill is a step in the right direction. AVR is an electoral reform whereby the state automatically registers eligible voters when they interact with a state agency like the Registry of Motor Vehicles or MassHealth, unless they choose to opt out. MassVOTE plays a leading role in a coalition of nonpartisan organizations. Through these partnerships, we have promoted the passing of AVR by addressing letters to editors across the state, hosting neighborhood meetings, and organizing lobbying days at the State House around AVR. ###

The Civic Engagement Initiative is announcing it's Fall 2018 RFP. For more information and the application form, please click here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfUIPceCc1L2a7TAR_Obb4SONVcwPb1-7HnLpOOZ_msUcxrbw/viewform

Are you a college studnet still looking for a summer job? Are you interested in civic engagement and youth development and leadership? Apply for our YCL intern position today! The YCL intern will work with the YCL Coordinator to create civics and youth leadership development curriculum for high-school aged students. They will also assist the coordinator with the day to day elements of the program. The Young Civic Leaders program aims to develop young civic leaders that will learn, share, and develop new tools to enhance civic participation in their school, community or network. YCL’s receive training in: Civics, Advocacy/Lobbying, Organizing, Debate, Event Production/Project Management, Workshop Development/Curriculum Design, Institutional Partnerships/Networking, and Fundraising/Grant-Writing. Curriculum should be engaging, inter-disciplinary, arts-integrated and empowering as the YCL’s will in turn train other young people on the curriculum. Interns should have an interest in youth development, civics, politics, education and out-of- school-time curriculum development. The internship will run from June-August. Credits are available. For more information please contact YCL Coordinator J.Cottle at jcottle@massvote.org