SENATE DOCKET, NO. 124        FILED ON: 1/9/2019

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 386

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

William N. Brownsberger

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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 relative to early voting.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 124        FILED ON: 1/9/2019

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 386

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 relative to early voting.

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. Chapter 54, Section 25B of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking the following language from the Section title “application for early voting ballots;”.

SECTION 2.  Chapter 54, Section 25B of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking subsections (b) and  (e) in their entirety.

SECTION 3.  Chapter 54, Section 25B of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking the word “eleventh” in each place it exists from subparagraph (c) and replacing it with the word “sixth” .

SECTION 4. Chapter 54, Section 25B of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking  the following language from subsection (h),  “the following papers: (1)” and “; and (2) envelopes of sufficient size to contain ballots specified in clause (1)bearing on their reverse the voter’s affidavit in compliance with the requirements of subsection (j)”.

SECTION 5.  Chapter 54, Section 25B of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking the following language from subsection (i), “along with an envelope”.

SECTION 6. Chapter 54, Section 25B of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following language to the end of subsection (m), “and the clerk’s office shall make such lists available for public inspection only after the period for early voting has expired. Early Voting ballots are not a public record as outlined in MGL Chapter 54, section 109.” 

SECTION 7.  Chapter 54, Section 25B of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking the subsection (n) in its entirety.

SECTION 8. Chapter 54, Section 25B of the General Laws is hereby amended by deleting the following language “applying for” and by removing “and” between “recording” and “securing” and add the following “and tabulating” after “securing” to the end of subsection (o).

SECTION 9. Chapter 54, Section 25B of the General Laws is hereby amended by deleting the language contained in paragraph (q) in its entirety.

SECTION 10. Chapter 54, Section 25 B of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding a new subsection (r) which shall read as follows:   “ (r) After voting an early voting ballot, voters shall deposit ballots directly into a ballot box or tabulator.  Tabulation of results will be in accordance with sections 105 and 105a of chapter 54.  Ballots that have been placed into a tabulator in accordance with this provision are considered cast ballots at the time they are placed into the tabulator. Cast ballots cannot be recast or removed for any reason .“.