HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 48         FILED ON: 1/2/2013

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 63

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

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 passage of the accompanying:

Proposal for a legislative amendment to the Constitution for a legislative amendment to the Constitution relative to voting by qualified voters of the Commonwealth.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 48        FILED ON: 1/2/2013

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 63

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
 

Proposal for a legislative amendment to the Constitution for a legislative amendment to the Constitution relative to voting by qualified voters of the Commonwealth.
 

A majority of all the members elected to the Senate and House of Representatives, in joint session, hereby declares it to be expedient to alter the Constitution by the adoption of the following Article of Amendment, to the end that it may become a part of the Constitution [if similarly agreed to in a joint session of the next General Court and approved by the people at the state election next following]:
 

ARTICLE OF AMENDMENT.
 

              Article XLV of the articles of amendment to the Constitution, as amended by Articles LXXVI and CV of said articles of amendment, is hereby annulled and the following is adopted in place thereof:-

              The general court shall have power to provide by law for voting, in the choice of any officer to be elected or upon any question submitted at an election, by qualified voters of the commonwealth who, at the time of such an election, are absent from the city or town of which they are inhabitants or are unable by reason of physical disability to cast their votes in person at the polling places or who hold religious beliefs in conflict with the act of voting on the day on which such an election is to be held, or by qualified voters of the commonwealth who might otherwise choose to vote prior to the date of the election.