FILED ON: 2/25/2013

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 53

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Thirteen

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An Act relative to the administration of special state primaries and elections in the year 2013.

Whereas, The deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose, which is to ensure a timely special election, therefore it is hereby declared to be an emergency law, necessary for the immediate preservation of the public convenience.
 

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.  Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 86, 95 of chapter 54 of the general laws sections 6 and 7 of chapter 53 of the general laws or any general or special law to the contrary, the state secretary shall have the authority to add or change any dates relating to functions appurtenant to the special primaries or the election for United States senator, writs having been issued by the Governor for June 25, 2013, as he deems necessary for the orderly administration of the election by providing notice of such change with the rules and regulations division, by posting on his website and by whatever other means he deems appropriate.  The full election calendar shall be as follows:  the last day for a person running in the state primary to enroll in a party or for a person running only in the state election to unenroll from a party, except for newly registered voters is December 6, 2012 for party candidates and December 6, 2012 for non-party candidates; the last day and hour for submitting nomination papers to local Registrars of Voters or Election Commissioners for the certification of signatures shall be 5:00 pm on February 27, 2013 for party candidates and 5:00 pm on April 3, 2013 for non party candidates; the certification of nomination papers shall be completed by March 4, 2013 for party candidates and April 12, 2013 for non-party candidates; the last day and hour for filing nomination papers including enrollment certificate, with the Secretary of the Commonwealth shall be 5:00pm March 6, 2013 for party candidates and 5:00 pm on April 16, 2013 for non-party candidates; the last day and hour for filing withdrawals of, or objections to, all nomination papers and certificates of nomination with the Secretary of the Commonwealth shall be 5:00pm on March 8, 2013 for party candidates and 5:00pm on April 18, 2013 for non-party candidates; the last day and hour for filling vacancies caused by withdrawals for primary candidates shall be 5:00 pm on March 12, 2013; the last day to register voters for the state primary shall be April 10, 2013; the state primary shall be Tuesday, April 30, 2013; the last day and hour for the filing of withdrawals of or objections to nominations made at the state primary and for filing written acceptances by write-in or sticker candidates who won in the state primary with the secretary of the commonwealth shall be 5:00 pm on May 6, 2013; the last day and hour for filling vacancies caused by withdrawals at the state primary shall be 5:00 pm on May 7, 2013; the last day to register voters for the state election shall be June 5, 2013; the state election shall be Tuesday, June 25, 2013 pursuant to writs issued by the Governor.

SECTION 2.  Notwithstanding any general or special law, town charter or by-law to the contrary, any city or town which has an election or town meeting scheduled within 30 days of the primary or general election identified in section 1 may, upon approval of the town council, in a town having a town council and the board of selectmen in any other town, after consulting with the town clerk, establish to conduct such preliminary election or town meeting to coincide with the date of the special state primaries or the date of election for Senator in Congress identified in section 1. Any vote by a town council, in a town having a town council or the board of selectmen in any other town shall occur at least 35 days prior to the date of the rescheduled election.

SECTION 3.  This act shall expire on July 31, 2013.