By Paul Bean
The Election Integrity Network is hosting a summit Saturday, October 11, in Worcester, Massachusetts aimed at strengthening voter protections and election integrity in New England.
The website promises “an amazing day of speakers, collaboration and education on several topics that are imperative for transparent and fair elections.”
The event will dive into strategies for safeguarding our election, specifically cleaning voter rolls, nation-wide voter ID advocacy, and scrutinizing mail-in voting practices.
Organizers describe the gathering as a collaborative effort to “come together for election integrity in New England,” with a $20 early-bird registration fee that includes lunch, ($30 post October 3). Attendees can register online via the event’s dedicated page at NewEnglandSummit.eventbrite.com.
Key sessions include:
- “How Citizens Can Clean Voter Rolls,” focusing on grassroots efforts to identify and remove ineligible registrations.
- “Stopping the Threat of Non-Citizen Voting,” exploring legal and procedural hurdles to prevent unauthorized participation.
- Dangers of Universal Voting by Mail,” a critical examination of risks associated with widespread ballot distribution.
- Realities of Ranked Choice Voting and National Popular Vote,” dissecting the implications of alternative voting systems.
New England states are currently attempting to grapple with ballot access, verification, and fraud prevention. With the 2026 midterms near, these states are at the forefront of a broader national debate on voter convenience because of their vast differences in voter policy:
New Hampshire has emerged as a leader in tightening absentee voting rules, with a photo ID law taking effect just this week. Signed into law by Republican Gov. Kelly Ayotte in August, Senate Bill 287 requires voters requesting absentee ballots to provide proof of identity, either by presenting a valid photo ID in person to their local clerk, submitting a copy of their ID alongside the application, or including a notarized signature.
NH Secretary of State David Scanlan, said the changes are essential for ”preventing debasement and dilution of New Hampshire citizens’ votes.” The law applies to the upcoming November municipal elections.
This November In Maine, voters will decide on a controversial citizen-led initiative, Question 1 on the referendum ballot proposes the elimination two days of early absentee voting, prohibiting ballot requests by phone or family members, ending automatic ongoing absentee status for seniors and people with disabilities, banning prepaid postage on return envelopes, limiting drop boxes, and mandating photo ID at polling places.
Massachusetts also has multiple citizen initiatives filed for the 2026 ballot that seek to address voter identification and absentee procedures. Petition 25-05, “A Law to Require Voter Identification in Massachusetts – Version B,” which seeks to mandate photo ID for all in-person and mail-in voters, a departure from the state’s current system where first-time mail registrants must provide ID but others do not.
Massachusetts also has Petition 25-06, “A Law to Require Compliance with the Current Absentee Ballot Procedure for Early Mail-in Voting,” which seeks to subject mail-in options to the same affidavit and verification rules as traditional absentee ballots. These proposals, originated by at least 10 registered voters each, must collect thousands of signatures by mid-2026 to qualify.
Vermont certainly stands apart in New England, with a politically progressive approach to voting access while limiting paths for direct ballot initiatives. Since a 2021 law change, the state automatically mails ballots to all registered voters for general elections held every November in even years. This makes Vermont one of eight U.S. states (alongside California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Vermont, and Washington) to do so.
Universial mailed ballots for general elections contrasts with primaries, where voters must request ballots, and emphasizes convenience over in-person polling.
First-time voters who registered by mail must include a copy of photo ID or a document showing name and address (like a utility bill) with their ballot.
There is no statewide voter ID requirement at polls, and no-excuse absentee voting is available for all. Unlike Maine or Massachusetts, Vermont prohibits citizen-initiated statewide ballot measures; such changes must originate from the legislature itself.
Local ballot initiatives, often tied to Town Meetings, are possible town by town but remain at the discretion of selectboards and city councils, allowing for piecemeal and advisory reforms without state impact.