Public Hospitals Must Help Register Voters

Voting Rights Groups Demand That Massachusetts Public Hospitals Help Patients Register To Vote, As Required By Federal Law

Lawyers for Civil Rights has sent a demand letter to Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin, Massachusetts’ chief elections official, demanding that four state-operated hospitals (the “Hospitals”) help patients register to vote as required by federal law. The letter—issued on behalf of the Massachusetts Voter Table, MassVOTE, New England Community Project and NUBE East Boston—outlines how these facilities are currently violating the National Voter Registration Act (“NVRA”) by failing to provide voter registration opportunities. Given that public hospitals primarily serve historically disenfranchised groups, these infractions are egregious and must be corrected immediately.

As the Trump Administration abandons federal voting rights enforcement efforts, Massachusetts should be doing everything in its power to help residents get on and stay on the voter rolls. Instead, it is failing to do the bare minimum to comply with federal law. The NVRA—commonly known as the “Motor Voter” law because it requires state RMVs to offer voter registration services—applies to a much broader swath of public offices as well. In fact, all public offices that “provide public assistance” must distribute voter registration applications to those they serve and offer help in completing the applications.

Courts have made clear that any state entity that helps people apply for public benefits is providing “public assistance” within the meaning of the NVRA. And since the Hospitals all have social work offices that help patients apply for benefits like Medicaid and SNAP, they are legally obligated to provide voter registration services.

However, it has come to the attention of Massachusetts voting groups that the Hospitals are routinely failing to help their patients with voter registration, as the law requires. This strips vulnerable Massachusetts residents—particularly low-income individuals and communities of color—of sorely needed opportunities to become registered voters.

As it is Secretary Galvin’s duty to ensure Commonwealth compliance with federal voting laws, the letter implores his office to swiftly correct this failure and protect Bay State voters.

The letter can be found here.