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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2250 FILED ON: 1/19/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 662
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Antonio F. D. Cabral and William M. Straus
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act relative to polling place security and integrity.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Antonio F. D. Cabral13th Bristol1/19/2023William M. Straus10th Bristol1/25/2023Christopher Hendricks11th Bristol1/26/2023Paul A. Schmid, III8th Bristol2/1/2023Vanna Howard17th Middlesex2/1/2023 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2250 FILED ON: 1/19/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 662
By Representatives Cabral of New Bedford and Straus of Mattapoisett, a petition (accompanied
by bill, House, No. 662) of Antonio F. D. Cabral, William M. Straus and others relative to
polling place security and integrity. Election Laws.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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An Act relative to polling place security and integrity.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 Chapter 54 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition, is hereby
2amended by striking out section 72 and inserting in place thereof the following section:
3 Section 72. (a) The board or officer in charge of the police force of each city and town
4shall detail a sufficient number of police officers or constables for each building that contains the
5polling place for one or more precincts at every election therein to preserve order and to protect
6the election officers and supervisors from any interference with their duties and to aid in
7enforcing the laws relating to elections; provided further, that this subsection may apply to
8section 25B at the discretion of the election officers and registrars for a city or town.
9 (b) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, no county or state law
10enforcement officers, including but not limited to sheriffs, special sheriffs, and deputy sheriffs
11subject to chapter 37, officers employed or supervised thereby, and persons acting on their
12behalf, shall be permitted on the premises of a polling place or within 150 feet of a polling place 2 of 2
13to preserve order or to protect the election officers and supervisors from m any interference with
14their duties or to aid in enforcing the laws relating to elections without the express written
15approval of both the secretary of public safety and security and the board or officer in charge of
16the police force of the city or town; provided further, that this subsection shall also apply to
17section 25B.
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