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Key Massachusetts Leaders Push Voting By Mail In Fall Elections

BOSTON (CBS) – Some key Massachusetts leaders are pushing for a vote by mail initiative that would allow voters in the state to mail in their ballots for this year's fall elections.

Congressman Joe Kennedy and Attorney General Maura Healey joined advocates on a video conference Tuesday, calling for ballots to be sent to every registered voter in the state.

"The United States should not put it on anybody to choose between their health and their democracy, and we certainly don't have to here in Massachusetts," Kennedy said, stressing that it's not just for the health of voters, but for poll workers as well.

Healey called voting by mail a "no brainer," saying the move would not only help people during the coronavirus crisis, but for years ahead.

"For far too long, voting for so many has become far more onerous, far more difficult, far more out of reach than it ever should be in this great country," she said, pointing out that several states already have a vote by mail system in place.

Opponents to voting by mail, including most notably President Donald Trump, have raised concerns over the potential for voter fraud. Some have also questioned whether the postal system could keep up.

Massachusetts Secretary of State William Galvin is crafting a bill that would allow early voting by mail before September's primary. That proposal is expected to be released in May.

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