HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 6427        FILED ON: 10/28/2026

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 5712

October 28, 2026

To the Honorable House of Representatives,

 Pursuant to Article LVI, as amended by Article XC, Section 3 of the Amendments to the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, I am returning to you for amendment H.3907, entitled “An Act Establishing a Board of Election Commissioners in the City of Salem.”

 This Home Rule bill would replace Salem’s existing Board of Registrars of Voters with a five-member Board of Election Commissioners. The bill would take immediate effect and would require the City to comply with its provisions during the upcoming November election. I have been informed by the City that this short implementation window makes it infeasible and impracticable to implement this legislation ahead of next week’s election. Like the City, I support the intent of this bill to establish a new Board of Election Commissioners for Salem. With election preparations already well underway, however, I believe that a brief delay in the bill’s effective date would be advisable.

 For the reasons stated above, I recommend that the bill be amended by striking out Section 6 and inserting in place thereof the following text: -

 SECTION 6. This act shall take effect on January 2, 2027.

     Respectfully submitted,

       Maura T. Healey,

       Governor