SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1        FILED ON: 1/3/2013

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 12

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Therese Murray

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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 adoption of the accompanying proposal for constitutional amendment:

Proposal for a legislative amendment to the Constitution relative to absentee and early voting by voters of the Commonwealth.

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PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Therese Murray

Plymouth and Barnstable

Josh S. Cutler

6th Plymouth

James M. Cantwell

4th Plymouth

Barry R. Finegold

Second Essex and Middlesex

Paul McMurtry

11th Norfolk

Jason M. Lewis

Fifth Middlesex

Timothy R. Madden

Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket

Christopher G. Fallon

33rd Middlesex

William N. Brownsberger

Second Suffolk and Middlesex

Bradley H. Jones, Jr.

20th Middlesex

Martha M. Walz

8th Suffolk

Jonathan Hecht

29th Middlesex

Kenneth J. Donnelly

Fourth Middlesex

Thomas P. Conroy

13th Middlesex

Thomas M. Stanley

9th Middlesex

Benjamin B. Downing

Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin and Hampden

Karen E. Spilka

Second Middlesex and Norfolk

Patricia D. Jehlen

Second Middlesex

Timothy J. Toomey, Jr.

26th Middlesex

Daniel B. Winslow

9th Norfolk

Gale D. Candaras

First Hampden and Hampshire

James B. Eldridge

Middlesex and Worcester


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1        FILED ON: 1/3/2013

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 12

By Ms. Murray, a petition (accompanied by proposal, Senate, No. 12) of Therese Murray, Josh S. Cutler, James M. Cantwell, Barry R. Finegold and other members of the General Court for a legislative amendment to the Constitution relative to absentee and early voting.  Election Laws.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the Year Two Thousand Thirteen

_______________

 

Proposal for a legislative amendment to the Constitution relative to absentee and early voting by 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.
 

Section 1.  Article CXXI. Article XLV of the Amendments to the Constitution, as appearing in Article CV of the Amendments, is hereby annulled and the following is adopted in place thereof:-

Article XLV. 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 any qualified voter of the commonwealth by absentee ballot.

Section 2. The Constitution is hereby amended by adding the following article:-

Article CXXII.  The general court shall have the power to provide, by law, a process to allow qualified voters to vote at polling places inside or outside such voter’s election district, during the 10 business days immediately preceding an election.