SECTION 1.  Section 85A of Chapter 54 is hereby amended by striking out the first sentence in the first paragraph and inserting in place thereof the following:-

The state committee of a political party may appoint a person who is a registered voter in the commonwealth to act as a challenger of voters at any polling place in the commonwealth at a state election, and a city or town committee of such a party, in a city or town in which municipal officers are nominated by primaries or by caucuses of political parties, may appoint a person who is a registered voter in the city or town where the voting is occurring to act as such challenger at any polling place in such city or town at a municipal election.

SECTION 2. Section 85A of chapter 54 is hereby amended by inserting at the end thereof the following new paragraph:-

For votes that are not based on party affiliation such as a ballot initiative, referendum, or tax over-ride, where party affiliation is not relevant, representatives of each position on the ballot as recognized by the city or town clerk may submit the names of persons to be validated as a challenger by the clerk. A challenger in a statewide vote is a person who is a registered voter in the commonwealth; a challenger in a city or town vote is a person who is a registered voter in that city or town.