urgent Election integrity alert. 

                   Senate bill 503 - 

***LEGISLATIVE CALL TO ACTION***

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Below is the recommended script to oppose MA bill S.503, An Act Decoupling The Municipal Census from Voter Registration. We recommend sending the emails to your State Rep, State Senator, and the members of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means whose email addresses are below.

 

We encourage you to read the text of this bill by clicking the button below and typing the bill number into the search bar.  

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You can use this script, modify it, or create your own response.

 

 

Please also consider adding the tagline MA4FairElections.org at the bottom of your email so we can expand our name recognition to MA residents and to the MA State House.

 

Thank you for supporting this important effort!

 

Michael.Rodrigues@masenate.gov; Jo.Comerford@masenate.gov;

paul.feeney@masenate.gov; Michael.Brady@masenate.gov;

Nick.Collins@masenate.gov; brendan.crighton@masenate.gov;

John.Cronin@masenate.gov; Lydia.Edwards@masenate.gov;

Adam.Gomez@masenate.gov; Robyn.Kennedy@masenate.gov;

Paul.Mark@masenate.gov; Liz.Miranda@masenate.gov;

Jacob.Oliveira@masenate.gov; Pavel.Payano@masenate.gov;

Mike.Rush@masenate.gov; Patrick.OConnor@masenate.gov;

Ryan.Fattman@masenate.gov; kelly.dooner@masenate.gov

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Dear Massachusetts State Legislators,

 

I am writing as a concerned Massachusetts voter to urge you to oppose Senate Bill S.503 (and companion H.799), which would decouple the municipal census from voter registration.

 

While framed as reducing voting barriers, the bill would eliminate a simple, low-cost tool that local election officials use to maintain accurate voter rolls. Under current law (M.G.L. Chapter 51, §4), cities and towns conduct an annual street list (municipal census) of residents. If a voter fails to respond for two consecutive years, they are placed on the inactive voter list (M.G.L. Chapter 51, §37A). Inactive voters remain registered and can vote by confirming their address and identity at the polls.

S.503 would remove this link and rely instead on a fine (already possible under M.G.L. Chapter 56, §4). This creates serious problems:

 

● Jury duty integrity: The census/street list is the primary source for the Master Juror List (M.G.L. Chapter 234A, §§10-11; see also Office of Jury Commissioner requirements). A fine system could allow people to pay to avoid inclusion, shrinking the jury pool and harming fair trials.

 

● Election accuracy: Town clerks rely on responses to update rolls for movers, deaths, and non-residents, reducing outdated registrations, provisional ballots, and lines.

 

● Broader impacts: Accurate street lists support school planning, emergency services, property assessments, and state aid formulas. Lower response rates would harm local governance.

 

Massachusetts already has automatic voter registration through the RMV (and other agencies) plus easy reactivation for inactive voters. There is no evidence the current system blocks eligible citizens from voting.

 

I respectfully ask you to reject S.503 and H.799. Please prioritize election integrity and heed the practical concerns of the officials who administer our elections.

 

Thank you for your service and consideration.

 

Sincerely,

Your Name

MA4FairElections.org (optional)

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