HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2689        FILED ON: 2/18/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 841

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Erika Uyterhoeven

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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 expanding voting access for college and university students.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2689        FILED ON: 2/18/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 841

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 expanding voting access for college and university students.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

Section 24 of Chapter 54 of the general laws, as appearing in the 2020 official edition, is hereby amended, by striking out Section 24, as so appearing, and inserting in place thereof the following section:

Section 24: Designation of Polling Places

(a) Municipal legislatures, except where charters provide otherwise, shall, twenty days at least before the biennial state or annual or biennial city election and ten days at least before any special election of a state or city officer therein, designate the polling place for each voting precinct and cause it to be suitably fitted up and prepared therefor. In a city or town which has provided voting booths such booths may be placed in the public ways of such city or town, provided said ways are left reasonably safe and convenient for public travel. It shall be in a public, orderly, and convenient portion of the precinct; provided, however that if the municipal legislature determines that the public convenience would be better served, the municipal legislature may designate a polling place in an adjacent precinct of a city or town or may house all polling places in a single building within the town. In any city or town, if the polling places for two or more precincts are located in the same building and the total number of registered voters in any such two or more precincts does not exceed three thousand, only one set of election officers need be appointed for such precincts, but separate ballot boxes and voting lists for each precinct shall be used. If, in a town of five precincts or less, all of which are located in one building, the municipal legislature so votes, only one warden need be appointed to supervise all such precincts, and the number of inspectors shall be determined by the municipal legislature, without disturbing the balance between the political parties. There shall, however, be one clerk appointed for each such precinct. 

(b) Any precinct containing an institution for higher education, as defined in Chapter 15C Section 3 of the general laws, with more than one thousand students, faculty or staff, who are eligible to register to vote in the precinct, shall designate a polling place within one-half mile of the institution for higher education. If a precinct contains a public institution for higher education, as defined in Chapter 15A, Section 5, the public institution for higher education, upon request from the election clerk, shall provide without charge to the municipality a facility for use as a polling place that meets all applicable requirements under Section 24 and as established by the Elections Division.

(c) Alcoholic beverages shall not be sold in any portion of a building which is designated as a polling place, during voting hours or while ballots are being counted therein. 

(d) When the polling places have been designated in the city of Boston, the board of election commissioners of said city may post in such places as it may determine a printed description of the polling places designated and may give further notice thereof; and when the polling places have been designated in any other city or in any town, the municipal legislature of such city in at least five public places in each precinct thereof, and the municipal legislature of such town in at least three public places in each precinct thereof, shall forthwith post a printed description of the polling places designated and may give further notice thereof. 

(e) When a polling place in a voting precinct is changed from one location to another, the board of election commissioners in the city of Boston, the municipal legislature in any other city or town shall cause printed descriptions of such polling place to be posted in such public places in such precinct as they determine and shall give notice by mail to each residence of one or more registered voters therein.