HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2428        FILED ON: 2/17/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 776

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Mindy Domb

_________________

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 random placement for candidate names and removal of incumbent information on primary and state ballots.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Mindy Domb

3rd Hampshire

2/12/2021

Tami L. Gouveia

14th Middlesex

2/22/2021

Jack Patrick Lewis

7th Middlesex

7/22/2021


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2428        FILED ON: 2/17/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 776

By Ms. Domb of Amherst, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 776) of Mindy Domb and Tami L. Gouveia relative to random placement of candidate names and removal of incumbent information on primary and state ballots.  Election Laws.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

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

_______________

 

An Act relative to random placement for candidate names and removal of incumbent information on primary and state ballots.

 

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. Section 34 of said chapter 53 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2016 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out the second and third paragraphs.

SECTION 2. Section 70E of said chapter 53, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 32, the words “in the manner provided in section thirty-four”.

SECTION 3. Section 41 of chapter 54 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 16, the words “state or”.

SECTION 4. Section 42 of said chapter 54, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out the first paragraph and inserting in place thereof the following paragraph:-

Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter or chapter 53, or any other general or special law to the contrary, on any ballot, under the designation of the office, the names of candidates for nomination for all offices to be voted for at a state primary, and names of candidates for election to any state office, shall be listed in an order generated at random by the state secretary; and no ballot shall include any notation or designation indicating that a candidate is  an incumbent or candidate for re-election.

SECTION 5. Sections 1 through 4, inclusive, shall take effect on January 1, 2022.