HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 4689

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, May 30, 2024.

The committee on Election Laws, to whom was referred the petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3577) of Sean Garballey relative to uniformity of ballots in polling places, reports recommending that the accompanying bill (House, No. 4689) ought to pass.

For the committee,

DANIEL J. RYAN.

        FILED ON: 5/28/2024

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 4689

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 relative to uniformity of ballots in polling places.

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

Section 44 of chapter 54 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph:-

Ballots for an election shall be uniform in size, material and content for all voters, regardless of whether the ballot is voted on a ballot-marking device or directly on a paper ballot; provided, however, the state secretary may provide ballots that are not uniform when necessary to: (i) comply with federal law; (ii) accommodate voting or tabulating; or (iii) accommodate hand count tabulation methods. Ballots shall be tabulated directly from the voter-marked selections and not from a barcode, QR code or other representation not marked by the voter, either on a ballot-marking device or directly on paper.