HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4654        FILED ON: 5/7/2025

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 4132

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Michelle L. Ciccolo

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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 to grant the town of Lexington the authority to endow legal residents with local voting rights in municipal elections.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4654        FILED ON: 5/7/2025

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 4132

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)

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An Act to grant the town of Lexington the authority to endow legal residents with local voting rights in municipal elections.

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 one of chapter fifty-one of the General Laws, or any other general or special law, rule or regulation to the contrary, any lawful permanent resident- otherwise known as a green card holder- of the Town of Lexington, Massachusetts, that is otherwise eligible under all provision for voters in section of of said chapter fifty one, other than citizenship under the laws of the United States of America, shall be considered a qualified local voter (henceforth, "local voter") of the town for the purposes of voting in all town municipal elections, and shall be eligible to stand for and participate as a member in Town Meetings, and sign all nominating, warrant, and other petitions authorized by Town bylaws, including school committee referendum or other municipal elections.

SECTION 2. Said office of the Town Clerk shall establish a separate registration list for local voters who shall fill out an alternative registration form. Upon becoming a U.S, citizen, each local voter shall be taken off said 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. Said office shall create and print, at the Town of Lexington's expense, the special registration form needed for the purpose of registering local voters.

SECTION 3. Said Select Board is hereby authorized to promulgate regulations, guidelines, and forms to implement the purpose of this act.

SECTION 4. If a local ballot question appears on a state election ballot, the office of the Town Clerk shall print a separate ballot for the local ballot question at the expense of the Town of Lexington to ensure that local voters are able to vote on the local question and not partake in statewide elections.

SECTION 5. The Town of Lexington is hereby authorized to enact bylaws or regulations to implement the purp9ose of this act subject to all provisions of Chapter 215, Acts of 1929 and Chapter 753, Acts of 1968, as amended.

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 any state of federal ballot questions.