Secretary Galvin announces new Online Voter Registration System

We share this press release from Secretary Galvin announcing the new Online Voter Registration System that can be found at this link.

Online voter registration

SECRETARY GALVIN ANNOUNCES ONLINE VOTER REGISTRATION FOR 2016

Secretary of the Commonwealth William F. Galvin said today Massachusetts has implemented online voter registration (OVR) which enables an applicant to apply to register, change party status or change address for voter registration purposes.

“In a way, this represents the start of the 2016 presidential election here,” Secretary Galvin said. “The 2016 presidential primary is just eight months away, and this system will make it easier for residents to register to vote.”

Secretary Galvin noted that voter registration normally peaks in presidential election years. “Registration topped 4 million in Massachusetts for the first time in 2000,” he said,” and the high point to date was the 4,342,841 registered voters before the 2012 presidential election.”

Massachusetts is the 21st state to implement online voter registration, as called for in a law passed in 2014.

The secure website directs an applicant to enter identifying information and interacts with the Registry of Motor Vehicles to verify that information and provide the applicant’s signature on file at the RMV to the Online Voter Registration system. An applicant who does not have an RMV ID will be directed to the mail-in version of the application which will print with all of the applicant’s personal information and will be pre-addressed to the correct local election official.

If the RMV cannot verify an applicant’s information, that applicant would also be directed to the mail-in version that must be printed, signed and delivered to the local election official.

On-line registration will also reduce the need for data entry of registration data at the local level.

State House, Room 337, Boston, Massachusetts 02133