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2015 Massachusetts General Laws
PART I ADMINISTRATION OF THE GOVERNMENT
TITLE VIII ELECTIONS
CHAPTER 54 ELECTIONS
- Section 1 Decennial division of cities into wards and precincts
- Section 2 Division of cities and wards into voting precincts; census; effect upon formation of congressional, representative, senatorial or councillor districts
- Section 3 Repealed, 1971, 820, Sec. 5
- Section 4 New divisions of cities into wards, when effective; congressional districts
- Section 5 Maps or descriptions of new divisions; publication and posting
- Section 6 Division of towns into voting precincts
- Section 7 Changes in voting precincts of towns
- Section 7A Dividing precincts to facilitate voting; applicable laws
- Section 8 Maps or descriptions of new precincts; posting
- Section 9 Discontinuance of voting precincts
- Section 9A Redivision into precincts or districts; elections thereafter; census
- Section 10 Changes in wards; notice to state secretary
- Section 11 Election officers in certain cities
- Section 11A Deputies
- Section 11B Filing for appointment in cities; procedure; eligibility; examinations
- Section 12 Election officers in towns; procedure; eligibility; examinations
- Section 13 Party representation; term of office; removal
- Section 14 Vacancies; filling
- Section 15 Eligibility of candidates
- Section 16 Deputies; duties
- Section 16A Vacancies; appointments to fill
- Section 17 Ballot clerks; duties
- Section 18, 19 Repealed, 1960, 431, Sec. 4
- Section 20 Oath of office
- Section 21 Repealed, 1960, 431, Sec. 4
- Section 22 Compensation of election officers
- Section 23 Supervisors of elections; political party representation; violations
- Section 24 Designation of polling places
- Section 25 Marking shelves and guard rails
- Section 25A Display of national flag
- Section 25B Early voting; application for early voting ballots; early voting period, sites and lists; counting of early voting ballots
- Section 26 State ballot boxes; furnishing
- Section 27 Blank forms and envelopes for returns; injury, tampering, or destruction; penalties
- Section 28 Care, custody and repair of ballot boxes, counting apparatus, and voting machines
- Section 29 Replacement of defective, lost or destroyed ballot boxes
- Section 30 Voting place or precinct seals; use and custody
- Section 30A Custodians of voting machines; duties; eligibility
- Section 31 Sending ballot boxes, blank forms, and counting apparatus to polls; installation of voting machines; voters' authority certificates
- Section 32 Examination and approval of voting equipment
- Section 33 Requirements and use of voting machines, electronic voting systems, and ballots
- Section 33A Additional requirements for voting machines
- Section 33B Use of voting machines; regulations; mechanical failures
- Section 33C Instructions to voter after entering voting machine booth; re-entry after voting
- Section 33D Voting for persons not listed on ballot labels of machine
- Section 33E Electronic voting systems; marking implements; stickers or pasters on ballots; inspection; instructions to voters; write-in candidates
- Section 33F Computers and counting units; central tabulation centers; preparation; testing
- Section 33G Lease or purchase of marking units or tabulating units; bonds from manufacturers or distributors
- Section 33H Election officers for tabulation center; tabulation of votes
- Section 34 Use of voting machines by cities and towns
- Section 35 Public exhibition of voting machines; instruction to voters; delivery to polls; examination
- Section 35A Challenged or absent voting ballots where voting machines used; questions submitted to voters
- Section 35B Casting challenged votes where voting machines used; counting votes
- Section 36 Number of election officers present when voting machines used
- Section 37 Regulations for use of voting machines, ballot boxes, etc.
- Section 38 Repealed, 1977, 930, Sec. 8
- Section 39 Seller's bonds; electronic voting systems, voting machines or ballot boxes
- Section 40 Preparation and furnishing
- Section 41 Names; residences; political designation; incumbents
- Section 41A Governor and lieutenant governor candidates; grouping party nominees; order
- Section 42 Arrangement of names; blank spaces; name of city or town, etc.
- Section 42A Questions submitted to voters; designation
- Section 42B Public policy questions; placement on ballots
- Section 42C Deadline for ballot questions
- Section 43 Presidential electors; arrangement of names
- Section 43A State elections and primaries; officers to be elected; manner and order of appearance on ballots
- Section 44 Official ballots
- Section 45 Number of ballots provided; ballot labels for voting machines
- Section 46 Packaging ballots; record
- Section 47 Vacancies; printing ballots
- Section 48 Cards of instruction; specimen ballots; copies of information for voters material
- Section 48A Voters' bill of rights; postings; preparation and revision
- Section 49 Lists of candidates; copies of proposed constitutional amendments or laws
- Section 50 City elections; posting names of candidates
- Section 51 Town elections; posting names of candidates
- Section 52 Lists of candidates; questions submitted to voters; availability for publication; state and city elections
- Section 53 Mailing lists of voters; copies of measures, summaries, ballot question titles, statements and arguments to voters; public examination; petition for amendment
- Section 54 Arguments on measures; preparation; submission, filing; printing; mailing
- Section 55 to 58 Repealed, 1991, 234, Sec. 11
- Section 58A General Laws submitted to municipal voters for acceptance; form of question; filing date
- Section 59 Packaging and delivery to city or town clerks
- Section 60 Duties of city and town clerks; delivery to polls; receipts
- Section 61 Failure to deliver; substitute ballots
- Section 62 Biennial state elections
- Section 63 Calling city and town elections; notice
- Section 64 Notices or warrants; requisites; time of opening and closing polls
- Section 65 Activities at polling places; regulations; penalties
- Section 66 State ballot boxes; use and custody
- Section 67 Voting lists; delivery and use; voting by persons not on list
- Section 67A Additional state ballot boxes; use in towns
- Section 68 Statements made before public declaration of vote; penalties
- Section 69 Persons permitted within guard rail
- Section 70 Number of voters permitted within guard rail; voters in line at closing time
- Section 71 Presiding officers; powers and duties
- Section 71A Supervision of election officers in cities and towns
- Section 72 Preservation of order by police
- Section 73 Smoking or intoxicating liquors in polling places prohibited; penalties
- Section 74 Detention of offenders; effect on right to vote
- Section 75 Report of violations; prosecutions
- Section 76 Voting; giving name and address upon request; delivery of ballot
- Section 76A Repealed, 1975, 95
- Section 76B Failure to present voter identification; right to challenge vote
- Section 76C Provisional ballot
- Section 77 Marking ballots
- Section 77A Repealed, 1972, 400, Sec. 8
- Section 78 Voting for presidential electors, governor, and lieutenant governor; marking ballots
- Section 78A List of candidates for electors pledged to presidential candidates other than those on official ballot; written acceptances; filing; certification; form of write-in or sticker vote
- Section 79 Assistance in marking ballots
- Section 80 Prohibited markings; use of red pencils or red ink by election officers
- Section 81 Spoiled ballots
- Section 82 Folding ballots; time for marking ballots
- Section 83 Deposit of ballots, voting list check, endorsement
- Section 84 Removal of ballots before close of polls
- Section 85 Challenge of person's right to vote, procedures
- Section 85A Challengers
- Section 86 Absent or physically disabled voters
- Section 87 Preparation of absent voting ballots, envelopes, instructions
- Section 88 Distribution of absent voting ballots
- Section 89 Applications; seasonably filed; spoiled ballots; application by family member
- Section 89A Repealed, 1993, 475, Sec. 37
- Section 90 Repealed, 1946, 140, Sec. 14
- Section 91 Applications; filing and certification; notation on voting lists; posting
- Section 91A Applications of specially qualified voters
- Section 91B Delivery of ballots
- Section 91C Absentee ballot for Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, or UOCAVA, voter; entering application for ballot into voter registration information system; transmission of absentee ballot
- Section 92 Method of voting
- Section 93 Time for mailing or delivering ballots
- Section 94 Examination of ballots; acceptance or rejection
- Section 95 Duties of election officers; deposit of absent voting ballots; receipt and counting of federal write-in absentee ballots
- Section 96 Challenges
- Section 97 Immaterial irregularities
- Section 98 Absent voter unable to mark ballot
- Section 99 Late ballots; disposition
- Section 100 Voting in person; death of absent voter
- Section 101 Repealed, 1987, 438, Sec. 8
- Section 102 Printed information and instructions as to absent voting
- Section 103 Jurisdiction of courts
- Section 103A Sections applicable to city and town elections, primaries and caucuses, and to regional vocational school district elections
- Section 103B to 103H Repealed, 1993, 475, Sec. 46
- Section 103I Repealed, 1967, 115, Sec. 1
- Section 103J to 103O Repealed, 1993, 475, Sec. 46
- Section 103P City or town elections; preliminary elections or primaries
- Section 103Q Informality; liberal construction
- Section 104 Use of state blank forms and apparatus; canvass of votes
- Section 105 Proceedings at close of polls; counting votes; announcing and recording results
- Section 105A Electronic voting methods; proceedings at close of polls; counting of ballots; announcement of vote; transportation to tabulation center
- Section 106 Defective ballots
- Section 107 Enclosing and sealing ballots and voting lists; certification
- Section 108 Copies of voting lists as checked
- Section 109 Ballots and lists; custody; disposition
- Section 109A Audit of votes following presidential general election
- Section 110 Rejection of records
- Section 110A Central tabulation facilities
- Section 111 Examination of precinct records; errors; certification
- Section 112 Copies of records of votes to state secretary
- Section 113 Unsealed copies transmitted to state secretary; proceedings
- Section 114 Endorsement or memorandum of receipt
- Section 115 Copies of records of votes to governor and council; examination; determination of results
- Section 116 Certification of results; summons; certificates of election
- Section 116A Election of person not listed on state ballot; financial interest statement
- Section 117 Return to state secretary; laying before legislature; filing
- Section 118 Presidential electors; copies of records of votes; proclamations; certificate of election
- Section 119 Petition to court for declaration of election; notice; hearing
- Section 120 Procedure; compulsion and immunity of witness
- Section 121 Examination of records; certificates of election; notice to state secretary
- Section 122 Board of examiners; duties; certificates of election; notice to state secretary
- Section 123 Incomplete records; new copies of returns
- Section 124 to 128 Repealed, 1946, 130, Sec. 4
- Section 129 Copies of returns of votes; transmittal to state secretary
- Section 130 Number of ballots cast; statement at length
- Section 131 Violations; effect on records
- Section 132 Number of names checked; certification
- Section 133 Number of registered voters, etc.; report
- Section 134 Contested elections; retention of ballots; recounts
- Section 135 Petition for recount; filing; contents; examination; recounts; notice; amendment of records
- Section 135A Recount where voting machines used; period during which machines locked and sealed
- Section 135B Recount where electronic voting system used; petition specifying recount by hand
- Section 136 Information regarding ballots cast by challenged voters
- Section 137 Election results in cities; declaration before recounts; certificates of election
- Section 138 Presidential electors
- Section 139 Repealed, 2004, 236, Sec. 5
- Section 140 Senators and representatives in congress; vacancies
- Section 141 Representatives in general court; vacancies
- Section 142 District attorneys and county officers
- Section 143 County treasurers; registers of deeds
- Section 143A Register of deeds; vacancies
- Section 144 County commissioners
- Section 145 Death after election but before term
- Section 146 Notice to state secretary
- Section 147 Elections to fill vacancies
- Section 148 Meetings; organization; record of proceedings
- Section 149 Compensation
- Section 150 State officers
- Section 151 Presidential electors
- Section 152 Senators in congress
- Section 153 Representatives in congress
- Section 154 District attorneys
- Section 155 Clerks of courts
- Section 156 Registers of probate
- Section 157 Registers of deeds
- Section 158 County commissioners
- Section 159 Sheriffs
- Section 160 County treasurers
- Section 161 Repealed, 1972, 735, Sec. 10
- Section 162 Regional district school committees members
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