Massachusetts' young voters get boost

Massachusetts teens as young as 16 would be allowed to "pre-register" to vote under a bill being backed by a key legislative committee on Beacon Hill. WAMC's Ian Pickus has more...

If the bill passes, the names of 16 and 17 year olds who pre-register would be added to the voter rolls after they turn 18.

Supporters say the bill is geared to help boost voter participation by getting teens involved in the electoral process even before they can cast a ballot.

The bill won the backing of the Legislature's Committee on Election Laws on Wednesday.

It would also let residents download voter registration forms online and create mandatory training sessions for local election officials.

It would also require audits after each election in a random selection of precincts across the state. The audits must be performed in public.

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