HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4981 FILED ON: 3/25/2020
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No.
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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Patrick Joseph Kearney
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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 bill:
An Act relating to ballot nominations during the state of emergency due to COVID-19.
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PETITION OF:
Name: | District/Address: | Date Added: |
Patrick Joseph Kearney | 4th Plymouth | 3/24/2020 |
Michelle M. DuBois | 10th Plymouth | 4/5/2020 |
Maria Duaime Robinson | 6th Middlesex | 4/6/2020 |
Nika C. Elugardo | 15th Suffolk | 4/6/2020 |
Denise Provost | 27th Middlesex | 4/6/2020 |
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4981 FILED ON: 3/25/2020
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No.
By Mr. Kearney of Scituate, a petition (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Patrick Joseph Kearney and others for legislation to decrease the current signature requirements through the 2020 election for certain candidates for public office. Election Laws. |
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-First General Court
(2019-2020)
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An Act relating to ballot nominations during the state of emergency due to COVID-19.
Whereas, The deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose, which is to decrease current signatures requirements for candidates for public office in Massachusetts given that Governor Baker has declared a state of emergency in relation to COVID-19, and the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization have advised people worldwide to social distance as much as possible, the current signatures requirements for candidates for public office in Massachusetts are no longer attainable without extreme recklessness toward public health , therefore it is hereby declared to be an emergency law, necessary for the immediate preservation of the public safety and health.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
Notwithstanding section 6 of chapter 53 of the General Laws, the secretary of state shall waive two-thirds of the signature requirements for the nominations of candidates for any offices to be filled at a state election. Nomination papers must be signed in the aggregate by not less than the following number of voters: for governor and lieutenant governor, attorney general, United States senator, and presidential electors, 3,300; for state secretary, state treasurer, and state auditor, 1,650; for representative in congress, 660; for state senator, 99; for state representative, 50; for councillor, district attorney, clerk of courts, register of probate, register of deeds, county commissioner, sheriff, and county treasurer, 330, except for clerk of courts, register of probate, register of deeds, county commissioner, sheriff, and county treasurer, in Barnstable, Berkshire, Franklin, and Hampshire counties, 165, and for any such offices in Dukes and Nantucket counties, 8.
This section will expire after the 2020 elections.