Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H855 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. 765 FILED ON: 1/13/2025
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 855
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Samantha Montaño
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 extending voting rights in municipal elections to noncitizen voters of the
13	13	Commonwealth.
14	14	_______________
15	15	PETITION OF:
16	16	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Samantha Montaño15th Suffolk1/13/2025 1 of 3
17	17	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 765 FILED ON: 1/13/2025
18	18	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 855
19	19	By Representative Montaño of Boston, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 855) of
20	20	Samantha Montaño relative to extending voting rights in municipal elections to noncitizens.
21	21	Election Laws.
22	22	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
23	23	_______________
24	24	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
25	25	(2025-2026)
26	26	_______________
27	27	An Act extending voting rights in municipal elections to noncitizen voters of the
28	28	Commonwealth.
29	29	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
30	30	of the same, as follows:
31	31	1 Chapter 51 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 1F the
32	32	2following section: –
33	33	3 Section 1G. (a) As used in this section the following words shall, unless the context
34	34	4clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:
35	35	5 “municipal election”, an election for mayor, school committee, city council, town
36	36	6council, board of selectmen, select board elections, a school committee referendum, a local ballot
37	37	7referendum or other municipal elections.
38	38	8 “noncitizen voter”, a person 18 years of age or older with legal immigration status who is
39	39	9not a citizen of the United States.
40	40	10 “noncitizen voting limitations”, a noncitizen voter’s inability to vote for: (1) the office of
41	41	11President, Vice President, Presidential elector, Member of the Senate or Member of the House of 2 of 3
42	42	12Representatives pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 611; (2) a state office; or (3) initiative petitions authorized
43	43	13under article XLVIII of the constitution.
44	44	14 “noncitizen voter registration form”, a voter registration form that only a noncitizen voter
45	45	15uses.
46	46	16 “noncitizen voting rights”, a noncitizen voter’s right to: (1) vote in a municipal election;
47	47	17(2) participate in a town meeting; and (3) be a candidate and serve, if duly elected, in a municipal
48	48	18elected office.
49	49	19 “town meeting”, an open town meeting or a representative town meeting established
50	50	20pursuant to chapter 43A.
51	51	21 (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 1 of chapter 51 or any other general or
52	52	22special law to the contrary, a municipal election official shall enter a noncitizen voter’s name on
53	53	23a list of noncitizen voters upon the noncitizen voter’s submission of a noncitizen voter
54	54	24registration form. Within 5 days of entering the noncitizen voter’s name on the list, the municipal
55	55	25election officer shall notify the noncitizen voter: (1) of the noncitizen voting rights; (2) of the
56	56	26noncitizen voting limitations; and (3) that voting in a federal election may jeopardize the
57	57	27noncitizen’s application for United States citizenship.
58	58	28 (c) For as long as the noncitizen voter remains a resident of the town in which the
59	59	29noncitizen voter has registered to vote, the noncitizen voter may exercise the noncitizen voting
60	60	30rights. A noncitizen voter shall only remain registered to vote in one municipality at a time.
61	61	31 (d) The state secretary shall issue a noncitizen voter registration form. The voter
62	62	32registration form shall include a declaration to be signed under pains and penalties of perjury by 3 of 3
63	63	33the noncitizen voter that the noncitizen is a resident of the municipality in which the noncitizen
64	64	34voter desires to vote.
65	65	35 (e) The state secretary and the election officer of a municipality shall disseminate the
66	66	36noncitizen voter registration form at the same places and in the same manner that the state
67	67	37secretary and election officer of a municipality disseminate the voter registration form for a
68	68	38United States citizen.
69	69	39 (f) The state secretary shall issue regulations to implement this section.