HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4436        FILED ON: 6/29/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3973

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Danillo A. Sena and Simon Cataldo

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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 granting the town of Acton the authority to provide legal voting rights in municipal elections for town residents aged 16 and 17 years old.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4436        FILED ON: 6/29/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3973

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)

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An Act granting the town of Acton the authority to provide legal voting rights in municipal elections for town residents aged 16 and 17 years old.

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. Notwithstanding section 1 of chapter 51 of the General Laws or any other general or special law, rule or regulation to the contrary, any individual aged 16 or 17 years old residing in the town of Acton who is ineligible to vote due to age under state law, but who is otherwise eligible, may apply to have their names entered on a list of voters established by the office of the town clerk for the town of Acton. Such individuals on the list of voters may vote in any election for local offices, local ballot questions, and town meeting in accordance with this act.

SECTION 2. The office of the town clerk shall establish a separate registration list for local voters aged 16 or 17 who shall fill out an alternative registration form. For the purposes of this act, "local voters" are anyone who is eligible to vote pursuant to this act in a local election or upon a local ballot question in the town of Acton . Upon reaching the age of 18, each local voter shall be taken off said separate registration list and notified that they must register as a regular voter in accordance with state law, regulations and guidelines in order to be eligible to vote.  The office of the town clerk shall create and print, at the Town of Acton’s expense, the special registration form needed for the purpose of registering local voters.

SECTION 3. The office of the town clerk is hereby authorized to promulgate regulations and guidelines and create forms to implement this act.

SECTION 4. If a local ballot question appears on a state election ballot, the board shall print a separate ballot for the local ballot question at the expense of the town of Acton.

SECTION 5. The Town of Acton is hereby authorized to pass bylaws to implement this act, subject to all the provisions of the town of Acton charter.

SECTION 6. Nothing in this act shall be construed to confer upon local voters the right to vote for any state or federal office, or on any state or federal ballot questions.