Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H723 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1473 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 723
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Erika Uyterhoeven
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act expanding voting access for college and university students.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Erika Uyterhoeven27th Middlesex1/17/2023 1 of 3
16	16	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1473 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
17	17	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 723
18	18	By Representative Uyterhoeven of Somerville, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 723)
19	19	of Erika Uyterhoeven relative to the designation of polling places. Election Laws.
20	20	[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
21	21	SEE HOUSE, NO. 841 OF 2021-2022.]
22	22	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
23	23	_______________
24	24	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
25	25	(2023-2024)
26	26	_______________
27	27	An Act expanding voting access for college and university students.
28	28	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
29	29	of the same, as follows:
30	30	1 Section 24 of Chapter 54 of the general laws, is hereby amended, by striking out Section
31	31	224, as so appearing, and inserting in place thereof the following section:
32	32	3
33	33	4 Section 24: Designation of Polling Places
34	34	5
35	35	6 (a) Municipal legislatures, except where charters provide otherwise, shall, twenty days at
36	36	7least before the biennial state or annual or biennial city election and ten days at least before any
37	37	8special election of a state or city officer therein, designate the polling place for each voting
38	38	9precinct and cause it to be suitably fitted up and prepared therefor. In a city or town which has 2 of 3
39	39	10provided voting booths such booths may be placed in the public ways of such city or town,
40	40	11provided said ways are left reasonably safe and convenient for public travel. It shall be in a
41	41	12public, orderly, and convenient portion of the precinct; provided, however that if the municipal
42	42	13legislature determines that the public convenience would be better served, the municipal
43	43	14legislature may designate a polling place in an adjacent precinct of a city or town or may house
44	44	15all polling places in a single building within the town. In any city or town, if the polling places
45	45	16for two or more precincts are located in the same building and the total number of registered
46	46	17voters in any such two or more precincts does not exceed three thousand, only one set of election
47	47	18officers need be appointed for such precincts, but separate ballot boxes and voting lists for each
48	48	19precinct shall be used. If, in a town of five precincts or less, all of which are located in one
49	49	20building, the municipal legislature so votes, only one warden need be appointed to supervise all
50	50	21such precincts, and the number of inspectors shall be determined by the municipal legislature,
51	51	22without disturbing the balance between the political parties. There shall, however, be one clerk
52	52	23appointed for each such precinct.
53	53	24
54	54	25 (b) Any precinct containing an institution for higher education, as defined in Chapter 15C
55	55	26Section 3 of the general laws, with more than one thousand students, faculty or staff, who are
56	56	27eligible to register to vote in the precinct, shall designate a polling place within one-half mile of
57	57	28the institution for higher education. If a precinct contains a public institution for higher
58	58	29education, as defined in Chapter 15A, Section 5, the public institution for higher education, upon
59	59	30request from the election clerk, shall provide without charge to the municipality a facility for use
60	60	31as a polling place that meets all applicable requirements under Section 24 and as established by
61	61	32the Elections Division. 3 of 3
62	62	33
63	63	34 (c) Alcoholic beverages shall not be sold in any portion of a building which is designated
64	64	35as a polling place, during voting hours or while ballots are being counted therein.
65	65	36
66	66	37 (d) When the polling places have been designated in the city of Boston, the board of
67	67	38election commissioners of said city may post in such places as it may determine a printed
68	68	39description of the polling places designated and may give further notice thereof; and when the
69	69	40polling places have been designated in any other city or in any town, the municipal legislature of
70	70	41such city in at least five public places in each precinct thereof, and the municipal legislature of
71	71	42such town in at least three public places in each precinct thereof, shall forthwith post a printed
72	72	43description of the polling places designated and may give further notice thereof.
73	73	44
74	74	45 (e) When a polling place in a voting precinct is changed from one location to another, the
75	75	46board of election commissioners in the city of Boston, the municipal legislature in any other city
76	76	47or town shall cause printed descriptions of such polling place to be posted in such public places
77	77	48in such precinct as they determine and shall give notice by mail to each residence of one or more
78	78	49registered voters therein.