Activists Expand Voting Rights in Maryland

A coalition of CWA, community and good government activists have won a big victory for voting rights in Maryland.

The coalition is headed by Maryland Common Cause. Together with CWA, ACLU, Communities United, Demos, Fair Vote, League of Women Voters of Maryland, NAACP, Maryland PIRG, Progress Maryland and Progressive States members, activists worked together and made huge gains in increasing access to voting for all citizens. They provided testimony and attended hearings, and wrote and called state delegates and senators.

The result: The group beat back amendments that would have weakened the right to vote.

The new legislation expands early voting by increasing the number of early voting days from 6 to 8 days, allows same day voter registration, increases the number of early voting centers, allows absentee voters to receive ballots online and requires a study to determine why lines were so long during early voting last year. The law takes effect on July 1, 2013.