There is nothing more powerful than an informed, active, and engaged electorate that VOTES!
The Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision turned a fire hose of corrosive money toward our political system. It’s up to all of us—working at the local, state, and national levels—to sound the alarm, exercising every viable strategy available to us.
One of the most important things we can do is break down barriers to voting.
Massachusetts just became the 14 state in the nation to win Automatic Voter Registration (AVR) which could add upwards of 700,000 *new* voters. Beginning in January 2020, people will be automatically registered to vote via the Registry of Motor Vehicles and MassHealth, just in time for the next Presidential primary.
But there’s more we can do, including:
Ranked Choice Voting (RCV): RCV helps guarantee fair outcomes by ensuring that the candidate with the most support wins. It can also increase voter turnout, help create more positive campaigns and campaigning, and help people invest more in their vote. And, with more candidates in the race, more issues get talked about. It’s a virtuous cycle. A theory behind RCV is that it’s not the fault of electoral candidates who spoil elections, it’s the electoral system that’s spoiled. To win RCV in Massachusetts, we need to pass S.380 which would allow cities and towns to bring in this voting option.
Same Day Voter Registration: Currently in Massachusetts, voters must register to vote 20 days prior to an election. Last month, voting rights advocates lost a court case before the Supreme Judicial Court which sought to enact Same Day Voter Registration citing concerns over continued disenfranchisement of voters. It’s now up to the Legislature to get this done in time for the 2020 primaries.
Public Financing of Elections: We need politicians to spend more time working and less time raising campaign funds. We also need to ensure that those with financial wealth don’t have disproportionate access to candidates. And, newcomers to the political system—and those without financial means—must have a level playing field. All of this will require that the government finance elections.
