Galvin pursuing ballot question on same-day voter registration [View all]

NO ONE NEEDS to school Bill Galvin in the principles of representative governance and the legislative process.

As secretary of state, Galvin is not only the Commonwealth’s chief election official; he also oversees the Massachusetts State Archives, a vast trove of documents detailing the state’s history in the birthing of American democracy. And before winning statewide office more than 30 years ago, Galvin served nine terms in the Massachusetts House, where he was known as a master of procedural arcana and political strategizing.

All of which is to say that Galvin understands as well as anyone the ideal often put forth that lawmaking is best done through the give and take of legislative deliberation and debate. But he also knows better than most the difference between thoughtful deliberation and bill-killing delay tactics.

That’s why, after years of inaction on Beacon Hill on legislation that would allow same-day voter registration, Galvin filed an initiative petition last week to put the issue on the 2026 statewide ballot so that voters can decide on the question directly.


https://commonwealthbeacon.org/politics/galvin-pursuing-ballot-question-on-same-day-voter-registration/