Press Release: 7/11/2025

Testimony submitted to the Joint Committee on Election Laws In support of S.516 An Act to protect democracy

Testimony submitted to the Joint Committee on Election Laws

In support of S.516 An Act to protect democracy

By Nancy Brumback and Nell Forgacs

LWVMA Legislative Specialists, Elections and Voting

July 8, 2025

The League of Women Voters of Massachusetts and our 44 local Leagues from Cape Cod to the

Berkshires strongly supports S.516, a bill to strengthen protections for election workers, and just as

strongly regrets that such a bill is now necessary.

Without the hundreds of election workers—permanent and temporary, paid and unpaid—that perform

countless tasks before, during and after Election Day, our elections would not be efficient, accessible and

secure. And our democracy would suffer. Senator Keenan aptly titled his bill “An Act to protect

democracy.”

We hear much too often these days of physical threats, harassment, and online threats to election workers.

They are the victims of “doxxing,” the deliberate revealing of personal information to invite others to

threaten and harass these workers. In Massachusetts and across the country, it has become increasingly

difficult to attract people to work as city election officials and town clerks, as well as to perform Election

Day tasks at the polls.

This bill defines “election worker” broadly to include anyone who performs tasks related to election

administration, and it is equally broad in specifying the actions it intends to prohibit to deter all forms of

threatening behavior. Violations can lead to severe penalties, including imprisonment of up to four years

and fines up to $10,000. Repeat offenders face harsher consequences, of up to ten years in prison and

fines reaching $25,000.

The League of Women Voters of the United States believes that voting is a fundamental citizen right that

must be guaranteed. The right to vote is perhaps THE core LWV position. And if election workers cannot

feel safe and secure doing their job, it will become more difficult for voters to exercise that right.

With its support of this bill, the League offers its gratitude to all election workers for the

often-unacknowledged but critical role they play in making our democracy work. Since they now need

this layer of protection, we urge this committee to report this bill quickly and favorably, to indicate its

support for election workers as well.

Thank you for your consideration.