Year after year, eligible voters who are incarcerated pre-trial or on misdemeanor convictions are cut out of our democratic process because Massachusetts has yet to build a system to ensure voters access to the ballot.

The Jail-Based Voting Bill (H. 836 and S. 474) would change that. It is a common-sense bill that would end the unconstitutional disenfranchisement of incarcerated voters, protect the political power of hyper-policed, disproportionately Black and POC communities, and take a clear step towards racial equity in our democracy.

However, the Joint Committee on Election Laws is threatening to delay a hearing on this legislation until the fall or later. We cannot let the legislature move forward with election reform without centering and squaring racial equity. Write your legislators and urge them to do everything in their power to ensure jail-based voting gets a hearing and is sent to a vote ASAP!