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| 2 | 2 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1373 FILED ON: 1/19/2023 |
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| 3 | 3 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 425 |
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| 4 | 4 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 5 | 5 | | _________________ |
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| 6 | 6 | | PRESENTED BY: |
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| 7 | 7 | | Jason M. Lewis, (BY REQUEST) |
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| 8 | 8 | | _________________ |
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| 9 | 9 | | To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General |
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| 10 | 10 | | Court assembled: |
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| 11 | 11 | | The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill: |
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| 12 | 12 | | An Act for primary election reform. |
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| 13 | 13 | | _______________ |
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| 14 | 14 | | PETITION OF: |
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| 15 | 15 | | NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Vincent Lawrence Dixon60 Lake Street Unit N, Winchester MA |
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| 16 | 16 | | 01890 1 of 2 |
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| 17 | 17 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1373 FILED ON: 1/19/2023 |
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| 18 | 18 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 425 |
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| 19 | 19 | | By Mr. Lewis (by request), a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 425) of Vincent |
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| 20 | 20 | | Lawrence Dixon for legislation for primary election reform. Election Laws. |
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| 21 | 21 | | [SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION |
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| 22 | 22 | | SEE SENATE, NO. 479 OF 2021-2022.] |
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| 23 | 23 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 24 | 24 | | _______________ |
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| 25 | 25 | | In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court |
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| 26 | 26 | | (2023-2024) |
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| 27 | 27 | | _______________ |
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| 28 | 28 | | An Act for primary election reform. |
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| 29 | 29 | | Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority |
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| 30 | 30 | | of the same, as follows: |
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| 31 | 31 | | 1 SECTION 1. The Massachusetts General Laws are hereby amended by inserting the |
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| 32 | 32 | | 2 following new chapter: |
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| 33 | 33 | | 3 An Act for Primary Election Reform. |
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| 34 | 34 | | 4 1.) The regular Primary Election Day for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, shall be |
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| 35 | 35 | | 5the third Tuesday of May. |
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| 36 | 36 | | 6 2.) It is in the interest of public policy, and fair, informed elections, that the General |
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| 37 | 37 | | 7Election campaign be, and have the opportunity to, |
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| 38 | 38 | | 8 develop over a sustained period of time. 2 of 2 |
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| 39 | 39 | | 9 3.) Therefore, the practices of many states, have Primaries before the Summer Season, |
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| 40 | 40 | | 10and General Elections in the Fall Season, and this is the intent of this legislation, hoping that it |
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| 41 | 41 | | 11may increase turnout, and public engagement, in both the primaries, and general elections. |
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| 42 | 42 | | 12 4.) The Secretary of the Commonwealth, as the Chief Election Officer, shall have the full |
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| 43 | 43 | | 13powers to establish such needed rules, and regulations regarding all elections, as is normal |
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| 44 | 44 | | 14practice, that will apply to this May Primary Election Day; including Absentee Ballots, |
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| 45 | 45 | | 15 Early Voting, Mail-In, and other appropriate provisions. |
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