Left In Lowell

Next week, MassVOTE is coming to Lowell to host a discussion on Senate bill S.2514, a bill to allow same-day registration in Massachusetts. Same-day registration is working in many other states, and makes it far easier for people to vote, enfranchising people. From MassVOTE:

This year, hundreds of neighbors in and around Lowell will come out to vote for the first time. Some just turned 18. Some are proud new citizens. Others recently moved here. And some have been eligible to vote for years, but will come out to vote this year because they will look at Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, John McCain, or another candidate, and get inspired.

Unfortunately, every year, some would-be voters show up Election Day only to discover that they missed the registration deadline, or they are still registered at an old address, or their registration form got lost. Election Day Registration would ensure that all these citizens get a chance to vote — protecting the right to vote for all of us.

S.2514, the bill for Election Day Registration, is now out of committee and awaiting a vote in the State Senate. How would it work in Massachusetts? Who benefits? We would like to invite you to come find out.

Wednesday
1pm-2:30pm
ONE Lowell
9 Central Street, Suite 203
Lowell, MA 01852

More info after the flip:

Featuring:
Anne Haskell, a current State Representative and former elections worker from Maine, (where they have had Election Day Registration for over 30 years)
Paul Bergeron, City Clerk (and Chief Elections Officer) of Nashua, New Hampshire (where they have had Election Day Registration since the mid-1990s)
Avi Green, Executive Director of MassVOTE
Stuart Comstock-Gay, Director of the Democracy Program at Demos.
There will be a short program and time for questions and answers.

The event is free and open to the public.

Please rsvp. Because we will be providing refreshments, we ask that you email (agreen@massvote.org) or call (617) 542-8683 x 207.

Thank you,

Avi Green
Executive Director
MassVOTE

P.S. You can read about Election Day Registration in the news:
The Brockton Enterprise explained, “The Legislature should approve this bill soon.”
The Boston Phoenix said the bill will bring “More Democracy Now.”

The Metro describes Election Day Registration: “How to Boost Voter Turnout.”
The Boston Globe agrees.
The Milford Daily news agrees.
Supporters of Election Day Registration
ACLU of Massachusetts, Associated Students of Massachusetts, Massachusetts AFL-CIO, Boston Branch of the NAACP, Boston Tenant Coalition, CareVOTE, Chelsea Collaborative, Chinese Progressive Association, Common Cause, Coalition for Social Justice, Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative, Cambridge Election Action, Fenway Community Development Corporation, Greater Boston Labor Council, Hyde Square Task Force, Jewish Alliance for Law and Social Action, Jamaica Plain Community Development Corporation, League of Women Voters of Massachusetts, Massachusetts ACORN, Massachusetts Affordable Housing Alliance, Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group, Massachusetts Teachers Association, MassVOTE, Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition, Neighborhood of Affordable Housing (NOAH), Neighbor to Neighbor, Painters District Local 35, SEIU 509, Sierra Club of Massachusetts, United South End Settlements, United Food and Commercial Workers 1445, Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts, Working Assets, Young Democrats of Massachusetts… Governor Deval Patrick, Senator John Kerry, Secretary of State Bill Galvin, Boston Mayor Tom Menino, dozens of state representatives including Representative Gloria Fox (lead sponsor), over 20 state senators, and hundreds of citizens.