SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1496        FILED ON: 1/21/2011

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 298

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Katherine M. Clark

_________________

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 adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act establishing online voter registration.

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PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Katherine M. Clark

Fifth Middlesex

Brian M. Ashe

2nd Hampden

Cory Atkins

14th Middlesex

Ruth B. Balser

12th Middlesex

Jennifer E. Benson

37th Middlesex

Sonia Chang-Diaz

 

Sal N. DiDomenico

Middlesex and Suffolk

James B. Eldridge

 

Linda Dorcena Forry

12th Suffolk

Gloria L. Fox

7th Suffolk

Kay Khan

11th Middlesex

Jason M. Lewis

31st Middlesex

Alice Hanlon Peisch

14th Norfolk

John W. Scibak

2nd Hampshire

Carl M. Sciortino, Jr.

34th Middlesex

Frank I. Smizik

15th Norfolk

Timothy J. Toomey, Jr.

26th Middlesex


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1496        FILED ON: 1/21/2011

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 298

By Ms. Clark, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 298) of Katherine M. Clark, Brian M. Ashe, Cory Atkins, Ruth B. Balser and other members of the General Court for legislation to establish online voter registration.  Election Laws.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the Year Two Thousand Eleven

_______________

 

An Act establishing online voter registration.

 

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.  Section 33 of Chapter 51 of the General Laws is herby amended by inserting after Section 33 the following section:-

Section 33A.  The state secretary will create and maintain an online portal allowing citizens to complete an affidavit of registration online.  Such registration will be transmitted by the secretary to the appropriate local registrar.  The online affidavit will use the registrants’ signature from the Registry of Motor Vehicles records; the Registrar of Motor Vehicles shall make appropriate provisions to facilitate the electronic transfer of the image of the signature to the Central Voter Registry.  If such signature cannot be found using the online affidavit of registration form the applicant will be so informed and given the option to print the affidavit of registration, append their signature, and mail it directly to the appropriate registrar of voters.  Nothing in this section shall be construed to change any registration deadline or qualification of voting.

Section 2.  Section 42H of Chapter 51 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after the word “delivery”, the following words:-, "and through the online portal."