Election Day Registration
Would let eligible residents register and vote on the same day at their polling place, instead of registering at least 10 days ahead as current law requires.
A YES vote
Lets eligible residents register at their polling place on election day, by showing proof of residency and signing a sworn statement about citizenship, age, and eligibility. That registration carries forward to future elections. It would not apply to town meetings, and voters couldn't switch party enrollment same-day during a primary.
A NO vote
Keeps the current requirement to register at least 10 days before an election.
Who this affects
- Unregistered residents, especially people who move often or register late
- Local election clerks, who'd need new same-day processes with no new state funding attached
- Nearly all likely voters are already registered through automatic registration, so the overall effect may be modest
Who's for it, who's against it
Supporters say
Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin filed the petition after similar bills stalled repeatedly in the Legislature. He's joined by the state Democratic committee and the League of Women Voters.
Opponents say
No organized opposition committee had been identified as of August 2026.
Who's paying for the campaigns
Funding the YES side
Backed by Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin, the state Democratic committee, and the League of Women Voters. This is the least-funded question on the ballot — roughly $156,000 total raised, essentially all of it on the YES side.
Funding the NO side
No organized opposition committee had been identified as of August 2026.
Figures reflect filings as of late August 2026 and will shift before Election Day.
Official summary and full text: Secretary of the Commonwealth, Information for Voters. Background and funding figures compiled from nonpartisan research by Tufts University's Center for State Policy Analysis and OCPF campaign finance filings.