BOSTON (WWLP) – Governor Charlie Baker signed the VOTES Act into legislation this previous June.
Beginning subsequent yr, officers will face new requirements relating to making certain all eligible incarcerated people have entry to voting supplies and a poll. The VOTES Act overhauled a lot of the voting course of in Massachusetts, together with increasing early voting and mail-in voting choices.
It additionally seeks to offer these in custody with the flexibility to train their proper to vote. These which can be detained pre-trial or for a misdemeanor offense can nonetheless solid their poll. This previous week, The Democracy Behind Bars Coalition and the African American Coalition Committee wrote to county sheriffs suggesting greatest practices.
Each advocacy teams need sheriffs to maneuver sooner in enacting these modifications. “We urge sheriffs to create programs now prematurely of the November election to allow them to determine issues that they’re going to come across throughout implementation, the total implementation of the VOTES Act.”
The advocacy teams say incarcerated folks face important obstacles in exercising their proper to vote. Oftentimes these serving behind bars don’t obtain important voter materials, like candidate info, election dates, and tips on how to go about voting.
It’s estimated that there are 7,000 – 9,000 eligible voters serving time behind bars within the Commonwealth.
