AN ACT FURTHER REGULATING ELECTIONS IN THE TOWN OF PLYMOUTH.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same as follows:
SECTION 1. Chapter 5 of the home rule charter of the town of Plymouth, which is on file with the archivist of the commonwealth, as provided in section 12 of chapter 43B of the General Laws, is hereby amended by inserting after subsection 5-1-2 the following subsection:-
5-1-3 Information for Voters.
Notwithstanding section 22A of chapter 55 of the General Laws, section 21C of chapter 59 of the General Laws or any other general or special law to the contrary, the official election ballot in the town of Plymouth shall include a fair and concise summary of any binding or non-binding question to be submitted solely to the voters of the town, along with a 1-sentence statement describing the effect of a yes or no vote, both prepared by town counsel and approved by the board of selectmen. Submission to the town clerk of the summary and 1-sentence statement shall be governed by section 42C of chapter 54 of the General Laws. The board of selectmen shall, not less than 7 nor more than 14 days before an election at which a question is to be voted upon, publish the following in a newspaper of general circulation in the town: (1) the full text of the question; (2) a fair and concise summary of the question; and (3) the 1-sentence statement describing the effect of a yes or no vote on the question; provided, however, that failure to timely publish such information shall not affect the validity of the election. The board of selectmen shall also post the full text of each ballot question, the summary and the 1-sentence statement in at least 1 location in the town or on the town’s official website and shall make the same available at each polling place on the day of the election. The town may, by by-law, require additional posting or publishing of such information, subject to available funds and any other conditions that may be imposed by by-law.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon its passage.
Approved March 5 , 2008