Early Voting Proposed For 2020 Massachusetts Presidential Primary Election

BOSTON (CBS) - After a couple years of successful early voting for statewide elections, Massachusetts' Secretary of State hopes to expand the practice for the presidential primary election in 2020.

William Galvin's office confirms that he will be asking state lawmakers to change current laws, allowing for five days of early voting ahead of the state's presidential primary on March 3, 2020. Right now, early voting is only allowed for state elections.

Leading up to this past November's state election, about 585,000 Massachusetts residents cast ballots during 10 days of early voting. Massachusetts first allowed early voting in 2016.

Currently, only a handful of states are allowed to hold presidential primary elections before March, per the Democratic National Committee. Five days of voting before March 3 would obviously back Bay State votes into February; however they would not be counted until March.

Galvin said the intention is to make voting more accessible and increase turnout.

"We have had two rounds of successful early voting, and I hope the Legislature will consider this," Galvin told the Boston Globe.