AARP Massachusetts Weighs in on Voter Options Bill in Letter to Governor Charlie Baker

The following is a letter from AARP Massachusetts sent to Governor Baker regarding voter options:

July 22, 2021

The Honorable Charles Baker, Governor
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
State House, Room 360
Boston, MA 02133                

RE:     HOUSE BILL NO. 3973 - AN ACT MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021 TO PROVIDE FOR SUPPLEMENTING CERTAIN EXISTING APPROPRIATIONS AND FOR CERTAIN OTHER ACTIVITIES AND PROJECTS

Dear Governor Baker:

On behalf of our 775,000 members and all older Massachusetts residents, we appreciate the dedication with which our state’s leaders have responded to the coronavirus pandemic, as well as the ongoing efforts that will be required as we move forward.

We believe that it’s important to take action to ensure that all registered voters can continue to cast their ballots safely. In order to protect all Massachusetts voters, election officials, and volunteers who staff polling locations, many of whom are retirees, we believe Massachusetts should continue standards established for the primary and general elections in 2020 and municipal elections in 2021.  Those efforts developed alternative means for a voter to cast their ballot. Older Massachusetts residents should not have to risk their lives or their health to exercise their right to vote.

We are pleased to see HOUSE BILL NO. 3973 - AN ACT MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021 TO PROVIDE FOR SUPPLEMENTING CERTAIN EXISTING APPROPRIATIONS AND FOR CERTAIN OTHER ACTIVITIES AND PROJECTS get to the heart of the concerns AARP Massachusetts has and extends the existing provisions past June 30, 2021.  By extending these measures, it eliminates the uncertainty and sets expectations of voters going forward. We ask that you sign this bill into law.

Measures that the Commonwealth should undertake to ensure all eligible voters are able to successfully cast their absentee ballot include: 

• Providing tracking information so voters know when their completed ballot has been received, accepted and counted;
• A method by which voters will be notified if their absentee ballot is rejected for technical reasons, along with information on how they can cure the error so their vote can be counted; and
• Providing drop boxes for completed absentee ballots for those who choose not to mail in their ballot, including flexible rules on who may drop off ballots
  

These are challenging times for all Bay State residents. As the Commonwealth’s residents look toward our elected officials for leadership, we at AARP look forward to working with you to ensure that the largest voting bloc in our population, the 50+ voter, can continue to have a safe and secure way to exercise their right to vote during this unprecedented time and as we return to a new normal.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact Jessica Costantino, Director of Advocacy, at 617.852.4649 or jcostantino@aarp.org.

Very truly yours,                             

Michael E. Festa                                             Sandra Harris

State Director                                                  State President