SENATE DOCKET, NO. 3058        FILED ON: 7/14/2025

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Kelly A. Dooner, (BY REQUEST)

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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 ensuring uniform treatment of vote by mail ballots.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 3058        FILED ON: 7/14/2025

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

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 ensuring uniform treatment of vote by mail ballots.

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

Section 25B of chapter 54 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking, in lines 185 through 191, the second paragraph of paragraph (13) of subsection (a) and inserting in place thereof the following paragraph:–

(4) shall be received by the city or town clerk before the hour fixed for closing the polls on the day of a preliminary or primary; provided, however, that an early voting ballot mailed on or before the day of a biennial state election or any other state election shall be accepted until 5 p.m. on the third day after the election and shall be processed in accordance with section 95. A postmark, if legible, shall be evidence of the time of mailing.