HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4230        FILED ON: 5/20/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3828

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Steven Ultrino and Paul J. Donato

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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 the preparation of certain bilingual ballots in the city of Malden.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4230        FILED ON: 5/20/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3828

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Second General Court
(2021-2022)

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An Act relative to the preparation of certain bilingual ballots in the city of Malden.

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. (a) As used in this section, the word "transliteration" shall mean the translation into the relevant Chinese characters to represent the phonetic equivalent of the syllables of an English name or a name in a language that is not traditionally written using Chinese characters.

(b) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, in any state or federal primary or election, in which the state secretary is required by federal law to print bilingual ballots in English and Chinese for use by voters of the city of Malden, the state secretary shall also provide for the transliteration of all candidates' names.

(c) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, in any city preliminary election, primary or election in which the city clerk is required by federal law to print bilingual ballots in English and Chinese for use by the voters of the city of Malden, the city clerk shall also provide for the transliteration of all candidates’ names.

(d) Each candidate shall be provided with a written copy of the proposed transliteration of that candidate's name. Within 7 days after receiving the proposed transliteration of the candidate’s name, the candidate may request in writing any modification to the proposed transliteration of a candidate’s own name or may decline to have the candidate's own name transliterated on the ballot. Any potential candidate may submit their name for transliteration after January 1st of that election year. The transliteration shall be subject to final approval by the state secretary or city clerk, as the case may be. The state secretary or city clerk shall provide public notice of transliterated names as soon as practicable.

(e) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the city of Malden in any city preliminary election, primary or election or in any state or federal primary or election shall be responsible for the cost of transliteration and the state secretary shall be responsible for all other costs resulting from the implementation of this act including, without limitation, the production of ballots.

SECTION 2.  This act shall take effect upon its passage.