An Act increasing voter registration and participation to help prevent recidivism

HD 1684 would require Massachusetts correctional facilities to actively assist incarcerated people convicted of felonies with voting. Specifically, it mandates facilities to provide absentee ballot applications to eligible individuals during incarceration and offer voter registration assistance during the release process. The bill also requires facilities to notify prisoners about voting rights restoration upon release and submit updated voter eligibility lists to the Secretary of State for inclusion in the statewide voter database. This directly affects approximately 8,234 people currently denied voting rights due to felony convictions while incarcerated, disproportionately impacting communities of color where 58% of disfranchised individuals reside.