Amendment #14 to H4768

Guaranteeing Safe, Accessible, and Fair Elections For All

Ms. Gouveia of Acton moves to amend the bill by striking out sections 11 and 18 and adding the following sections:

"SECTION X. Section 24A of Chapter 54, Section 24A of the General Laws is hereby amended

by inserting after Section 24 the following section:-

Section 24A. To ensure that in-person voting is as accessible and as safe as possible for all voters

during the 2020 biennial general election and early voting, the state secretary, in consultation

with the department of public health, shall issue guidance to the city and town clerks on holding

safe, accessible, and fair elections. A draft of the guidance on Safe, Accessible, and Fair In-

Person Voting shall be publicized and made available by June 29, 2020 for public input for ten

calendar days. Opportunities for public input shall include electronic mail, online portal, and

U.S. Postal Service. The state secretary shall consider public input in devising final Guidance.

Said Guidance shall be posted on the secretary of state’s website by July 17, 2020 and shall be

submitted to the secretary of the executive office of public safety and the secretary of health and

human services. The secretary’s guidance must include recommendations on:

(a) consideration of the layout of polling locations, including six foot markers and proper signage in and outside of the polling site, to facilitate physical distancing throughout the voting process, including while voters are standing in line (inside or outside the polling location), when entering the voting area, while voting, while casting their ballot, and exiting, ideally through a different door than the entrance.

(b) expansion and/or redesign of polling locations to accommodate physical distancing throughout the voting process, or, when necessary, the relocation of polling locations to protect health and safety, keeping in mind that closing familiar polling places and contraction in the number of polling locations should be a last resort and only to be used when other preparedness measures cannot adequately ensure safe voter participation. Polling place relocation or consolidation shall be done in a manner pursuant to Section XX of this bill;

(c) implementation of curbside voting for voters with physical or health limitations;

(d) the protection of poll workers with personal protective equipment, adequate access to

cleaning supplies throughout the day, access to hand-washing and bathrooms with adequate soap, water, and disposable paper towels, and appropriate distancing measures;

(e) voter access to hand-washing and bathrooms with adequate soap, water, and disposable

paper towels;

(f) outreach, recruitment, and training of additional and reserve poll workers to ensure that

the burden of administering the in-person election does not fall on poll workers at greater

risk from COVID-19, and to guard against the possibility that a shortage of poll workers

could compromise the administration of the election and the health and safety of voters.

To help local elections officials recruit and train new poll workers, the state secretary

shall establish a statewide portal to recruit poll workers and share names and contact

information of interested volunteers with local elections officials, and shall also develop

appropriate training materials;

(g) expanding public awareness and participation in early voting and absentee voting to

reduce lines;

(h) expanded outreach on alternatives to in-person voting for those populations identified by

the department of public health to be at great risk from COVID-19.

Following receipt of the state secretary’s guidance, cities and towns shall develop an election preparedness plan for in-person voting in the biennial state primary and general election, based on the guidance, that shall be posted on city or town website and submitted to the state secretary, secretary of health and human services, and secretary of public safety, including a plan to disseminate information within 25 days of election on any changes in polling locations. The local plans shall be posted no later than 30 days before the biennial primary and general state election.

Section XX. Notwithstanding section 24 of chapter 54 of the General Laws or any other

general or special law to the contrary, the select board, board of selectmen, town council or city

council may vote to change any polling place to be used at the primary election or the general

election at least 25 days prior to the date of the primary election or general election. If the select

board, board of selectmen, town council or city council determines that the public health

would be better served, they may house all polling places in a single building within the

municipality, if such building is suitably equipped. In cities, the city council may designate

polling places in non-adjacent precincts if they determine the public health would be better

served. Polling places shall not be relocated if the relocation creates inequitable access to voting access based on geographical area, race, age, national origin, disability, or income level. When the polling places have been designated pursuant to this section, the board of registrars shall post on the municipal website, posting on principle bulletin boards, posting notice in large print in conspicuous locations, visible from the street, and initiating telephone or text alert if city or town has such a system, and at other such places as it may determine, a description of the polling places and shall notify voters by using an electronic means, to the extent available, such as via email or reverse 911 call."

Additional co-sponsor(s) added to Amendment #14 to H4768

Guaranteeing Safe, Accessible, and Fair Elections For All