Election Modernization Bill Passes in Massachusetts

Online Voter Registration Brings Massachusetts into the 21st Century

Today is a good day for democracy in Massachusetts. With the signing of the Election Modernization Bill, Massachusetts enters the 21st century with online voter registration. This bill, promoted by a large coalition including MASSPIRG, Common Cause, League of Women Voters, ACLU, Progressive MA, Mass VOTE, MIRA, and others, will  also allow for ‘no excuse needed’ early voting, registration of 16 and 17 year olds, and other reforms which open up our elections and modernize the mechanics. MASSPIRG applauds all the elected officials who pushed for this bill, the city and town clerks who were allies, and Governor Patrick for his leadership.

Authors

Janet Domenitz

Executive Director, MASSPIRG

Janet has been the executive director of MASSPIRG since 1990 and directs programs on consumer protection, zero waste, health and safety, public transportation, and voter participation. Janet has co-founded or led coalitions, including Earth Day Greater Boston, Campaign to Update the Bottle Bill and the Election Modernization Coalition. On behalf of MASSPIRG, Janet was one of the founding members of Transportation for Massachusetts (T4MA), a statewide coalition of organizations advocating investment in mass transit to curb climate change, improve public health and address equity. Janet serves as Chair of the Board of Directors for the Consumer Federation of America and serves on the Common Cause Massachusetts executive committee, Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow board of directors, and Department of Environmental Protection Solid Waste Advisory Committee. For her work, Janet has received Common Cause’s John Gardner Award and Salem State University’s Friend of the Earth Award. Janet lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with her husband and two sons, and every Wednesday morning she slow-runs the steps at Harvard Stadium with the November Project.