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Senator Rausch State House Briefing
Part 2, Chapter 20 (October 24, 2022)

Do you have a plan to vote on or before Tuesday, November 8th?

 

Dear <<First Name>>,

Happy Fall! It’s my favorite season, and our district has some wonderful harvest festivals, farmers markets, and apple picking. I hope you are enjoying everything our communities have to offer.
 
Amid the celebrations, I’m also thinking of the many families who struggle during these colder months. If you, your neighbor, or a loved one is having difficulty making ends meet, know that my office is available to help connect you with resources. The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is a particularly vital resource for many Massachusetts families who need help with heating costs, and it’s best to set up that support now, before the temperature drops below freezing. My office provides direct assistance like LIHEAP setup to hundreds of constituents every month, and we are here to help if you need assistance. Please don’t hesitate to contact me and my team via phone (617) 722-1555 or email becca.rausch@masenate.gov.  

In this newsletter, you’ll find voting information for the upcoming General Election, a roundup of many legislative victories from the 2021-2022 session, and some local event highlights. For real-time updates, please follow me on Twitter and Facebook.

Onward and upward!

Yours in service,  

 
Senator Becca Rausch   

Vote on or before Tuesday, November 8th!

RESOURCES AT A GLANCE 

REGISTER TO VOTE  

The deadline to register for the November 8 general election is Saturday, October 29. You can check your voter registration, find your polling place, and preview your ballot here.

VOTING BY MAIL 

Request your mail-in ballot  

You can request a mail-in ballot online or via email, fax, drop-off, or postal mail to your local election official (more info here).

If you submit your vote-by-mail request via email, it must have your signature on it. Your town or city clerk must receive your application by 5 PM on Monday, November 1. That’s next week, so act fast! 


Submit your mail-in ballot 

You can submit your mail-in ballot via mail, ballot drop box, or at your early voting location. 

A mail-in ballot will be sent to you at the address where you are registered to vote, or a different address of your choosing if you designated it on your application. You will receive your ballot, instructions for voting by mail and completing your ballot, and an envelope pre-addressed with postage guaranteed to send your ballot back to your local clerk. Remember to check the back side of your ballot and vote there too. Do not forget to sign your ballot! 

The deadline to drop off your ballot is 8 PM on Election Day, Tuesday, November 8. If you mail your ballot, it must be postmarked no later than Election Day and received by your town or city clerk by 8 PM on Saturday, November 12. If you intend to vote by mail, it is recommended that you deposit your completed ballot in the mail by October 31 or head over to your town or city clerk’s office or ballot drop box and drop it off.  
 

VOTING IN PERSON 

In-Person Early Voting 

Early in-person voting is already underway and will continue through Friday, November 4. Check your local early in-person voting hours and location here


Voting on Election Day 

Polls will be open from 7 AM - 8 PM on Election Day, Tuesday, November 8th. If you are in line by 8PM, you must be allowed to vote.  

If you have any questions about voting in Massachusetts, please don't hesitate to reach out to my office at 617-722-1555 or the Elections Division of the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s office at 1-800-462-VOTE. Happy voting! 

Click here to view my new accomplishments page on my website 

Now completing my second term in office, I have worked diligently to deliver legislative victories, local funding, and forward-thinking advocacy for you, your family, and our communities. Check out my webpage highlighting some of my top-line accomplishments during the 2021-2022 Massachusetts Legislative session, including huge wins in climate action, reproductive justice, economic recovery, youth mental health, and voting reform. 
 
This legislative session alone, in collaboration with local leaders and legislative colleagues, I also secured $25,089,000 for our district to fund a variety of special community initiatives, with more local project funding still in the pipeline. I’m proud to put the dollars where our cities and towns say they need it most. Learn more about the investments secured for your community here

If you have any questions or ideas about the next big win we can achieve together, please contact me and my team. I look forward to even more progress next term. 

District Event Highlights

Franklin and Needham Harvest Festivals: Fall is here, and it is time to celebrate the harvest! Thank you to the Franklin Downtown Partnership and Charles River Regional Chamber for bringing our local communities together to promote our local businesses and bring loads of fun to our kids. Thank you to everyone who stopped by to catch up and play corn hole! 

Milford’s Kennedy Community Health Center Visit: Our community health centers are vital for expanding access to medical care and keeping our families healthy. Thank you to Milford's Edward M. Kennedy Community Health Center for the tour and for all the vital work you do for our community! I am eager to get to work on the many policy improvements we discussed that will require nuanced solutions. 

Hope & Comfort Visit: Hope & Comfort is an incredible nonprofit leader in our district providing hygiene products to tens of thousands of young people in need. I toured their facility to learn more about their efforts to end hygiene insecurity, and their mission is truly remarkable: these leaders are on track to distribute at least 2 MILLION products by the end of this year. I was so proud to collaborate with my State Senate colleagues, Senator John Keenan and Senator Mike Rush, to secure $25,000 to support Hope & Comfort’s important work addressing hygiene poverty. Learn more here.  

Planned Parenthood ASPIRE Center Opening: I am so proud of our success advancing reproductive health care access and equity here in Massachusetts, especially as reproductive rights are ripped away nationally. It was an honor to celebrate the opening of Planned Parenthood's ASPIRE Center, designed to train the next generation of reproductive health care providers both in Massachusetts and across the country, and deepen the research on barriers to care, comprehensive sex education, and more. I have always been a fervent reproductive rights champion and remain deeply committed to the work still to come to ensure people in Massachusetts have real, robust access to abortion and birth care, regardless of zip code. Thank you to our reproductive health care advocacy organizations, community partners, and service providers.

Virtual Evening Office Hours

 

My team and I host virtual office hours every month. Residents from any part of the Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex District, as well as residents of the Norfolk, Worcester and Middlesex District (which takes effect in January 2023), are welcome to share their questions and opinions on state issues with me and my team via video chat or phone call.    

Sign up for a 15-minute appointment here.    
    
Upcoming virtual office hours:    

Monday, November 14, 5-6 PM 

Monday, December 12, 5-6 PM 

Our mailing address is:
The Office of Senator Becca Rausch
Massachusetts State House, Room 218
24 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02133

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