SENATE DOCKET, NO. 368        FILED ON: 1/14/2019

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 411

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Jason M. Lewis, (BY REQUEST)

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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 for political party endorsement reform.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 368        FILED ON: 1/14/2019

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 411

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 388 OF 2017-2018.]

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 for political party endorsement reform.

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. The Massachusetts General Laws are hereby amended by inserting the following new chapter:

Chapter 57A. Political Party Endorsement

Section 1. An Act to permit certain political party organizational reforms, by allowing a cross-endorsement process, by which more than one political party, may endorse the same candidate, and all votes cast for that candidate, may be totaled for that particular individual.

Section 2. Over many years, significant numbers of individuals have desired a greater range of choices for electing public officials, during election periods. This legislation seeks to recognize that an additional choice would be provided, by permitting coalitions of different

political designations, and parties, to support, and/or not support, various candidates.

Section 3. Present Massachusetts law requires independent, individual candidates by each political party, and/or independent persons. Votes presently, cannot be counted for a single individual, summed in total. In so doing, political choices are limited to certain definitions, that

limit the ability of coalitions to form, that would improve voter choices.

Section 4. Other states have similar provisions, and have apparently found them to be

useful, and appropriate.

Section 5. The Massachusetts Secretary of State, and its Elections Division, being the relevant regulator, and supervisor of elections in Massachusetts, is hereby empowered to establish appropriate regulations, by which all recognized political parties, may cross-endorse

candidates of other parties, by their particular legal political process.