Group urges Massachusetts election officials to fix vote-by-mail issues before November election

BOSTON — Massachusetts experienced a high voter turnout with the inaugural roll-out of vote-by-mail and the first extended early voting period for a Primary Election. However, the group, Lawyers for Civil Rights, observed significant confusion and recorded serious concerns surrounding VBM.

Along with community partners, LCR spearheads Massachusetts Election Protection.

“Election Protection ensures that all eligible voters have the information and support they need to cast a meaningful ballot and to have their vote counted.”

According to LCR, they train and coordinate hundreds of Election Protection volunteers who monitor poll sites and provide technical support to voters in real-time through their free Election Protection Hotline: 866-OUR-VOTE.

LCR stated that during the Primary Election and the Early Voting Period, the hotline received nearly 100 calls from concerned and confused voters, with more than half of those calls received during the Primary Election on September 1.

The group said that voter concerns were primarily related to issues surrounding polling place location and VBM procedures (76% of the hotline calls); and voter registration inquiries and other general concerns (24% of the hotline calls).

Voters were particularly confused about the vote-by-mail procedures.

The Commonwealth recently passed a new election law in response to COVID-19 allowing vote-by-mail. Despite the enactment of that law, a group of Massachusetts voters and voting organizations represented by LCR and pro bono counsel from Ropes & Gray had to file emergency litigation to ensure that the Commonwealth provided the VBM applications in a timely manner. The Election Protection Hotline received many calls from voters expressing concerns because they never received their VBM application or ballot, according to the group.

“Even though I submitted a timely VBM application, I was never mailed a ballot. In the middle of COVID-19, this is dangerous, particularly for vulnerable populations such as the elderly and people in high risk groups. We can and must do better in November,” said Ivan Espinoza-Madrigal, Executive Director of Lawyers for Civil Rights.

According to LCR, many voters also expressed confusion around the procedure for returning VBM ballots. They were unaware that ballots could no longer be submitted at polling sites after the end of the early voting period. Voters were upset to learn that on Election Day, they would have to submit their VBM ballot at the Election Office in the city where they lived or vote in-person in the midst of COVID-19 at their polling location.

“Availability of VBM “drop boxes,” where ballots could be returned, varied widely from city-to-city. Boston, for example, listed only one such drop box for the entire city, while Somerville allowed drop-offs at multiple sites.”

“If this is any indication of what is to come for the November 2020 Presidential Election, Massachusetts Election Protection will need hundreds of volunteers to fuel the critical voter protection program.”

In related news, the U.S. House District 4 Democratic Primary from Tuesday had not been decided until Friday morning where Jake Auchincloss was declared the winner over Jesse Mermell.