August is National Civic Health Month and the Dana-Farber Legislative Action Network (LAN) believes it is critically important to strengthen the relationship between health care, healthy communities, and civic participation. Better health for everyone begins when every citizen has a voice in public policy decisions that affect their wellbeing. That is why Dana-Farber is proud to be a National Civic Health Month partner along with local health care providers such as Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Commonwealth Care Alliance (CCA) and national groups such as the American Public Health Association (APHA), American Telemedicine Association (ATA) and the American Nurses Association (ANA).

Civic Health Month, a nonpartisan advocacy and awareness month, is dedicated to making voting and civic participation accessible to all, especially historically and contemporarily excluded or exploited communities. Civic Health Month brings together a diverse group of organizations, institutions, and individuals active in healthcare and civic engagement that are excited to support healthy communities and promote nonpartisan voter participation. 

Civic participation and voting in Massachusetts is safe, easy, and convenient. To check your voter registration status or register to vote in Massachusetts, you can visit:  www.WhereDoIVoteMA.com. Recently, Massachusetts laws changed to allow for continued mail-in-voting and this month the official 2021 vote-by-mail applications from the Massachusetts Secretary of State were sent to all registered voters in the state. For additional information on voting-by-mail in Massachusetts, you can visit:  www.MailMyBallotMA.com. If you elect to vote-by-mail or want to track your vote-by-mail application or ballot status, you can do so at: www.TrackMyBallotMA.com. If you prefer to vote in person, that option is also still available in Massachusetts.

Regardless of the state where you reside, you can text: "VOTE HEALTH" to 34444 to receive a link to register to vote. You can also visit www.VOTE.HEALTH/72 or scan the code at the end of this newsletter. 

This year, around the state and around the nation, elections are happening this fall, so now is the time to do a civic health checkup which can include:

• Registering to vote (16- and 17-year-olds can pre-register in Massachusetts)
• Update your voter registration if you moved or had a name change
• Check and confirm your voter registration status and polling location
• Mark your calendar for primary and general election dates in your community
• Make a plan and decide if you will vote in person or vote-by-mail this year

As a final reminder, if you live in Boston, the deadline to register to vote in the preliminary municipal election is this Wednesday August 25 at 8pm.