Amendment #20 to H4768

Creating More Efficiency in Ballot Applications Sent

Mr. Pignatelli of Lenox moves to amend the bill by striking out section 6 and inserting in place thereof the following section:-

"SECTION 6. (a) As used in sections 6 to 14, inclusive, the following words shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:-

“Application”, an application to vote early by mail.

“Central registry”, the central registry of voters established pursuant to section 47C of chapter 51 of the General Laws.

“General election” or “election”, the general election scheduled for November 3, 2020.

“Primary election” or “primary”, the primary election scheduled for September 1, 2020.

“Qualified voter” or “voter”, a voter qualified pursuant to section 1 of chapter 51 of the General Laws.

“State secretary,” the secretary of the commonwealth.

(b) Notwithstanding section 25B of chapter 54 of the General Laws or any other general or special law to the contrary, there shall be early voting by mail for the primary election and general election.

(c) The election officers and registrars of every city or town shall allow any qualified voter to cast an early ballot by mail for the primary election and general election and any city or town election held at the same time.

(d)(1) The state secretary shall, no later than July 15, 2020, mail to all registered voters who registered to vote before July 15 at their residential addresses listed in the central registry an application for said voter to be permitted to vote early by mail for the primary election and to vote early by mail in the general election.

(2) (i) The state secretary or the election officers and registrars of every city or town shall mail to any person registering to vote on or after July 15, 2020 and on or before August 12, 2020, an application for said voter to be permitted to vote early by mail for the primary election and to vote early by mail in the general election.

(ii) The state secretary or the election officers and registrars of every city or town shall mail to any person registering to vote on or after September 14, 2020 and on or before October 14, 2020, an application for said voter to be permitted to vote early by mail for the general election.

(3) The applications required pursuant to this subsection shall be in a form prescribed by the state secretary in accordance with state and federal law; provided, however, that said applications shall include: (i) clear instructions for completing and returning the application; and (ii) an envelope that is addressed to the local election official with postage guaranteed.

(4) Each application required pursuant to this subsection shall include an option, which shall appear prominently on the application, to request a ballot printed in the language of the ballot available at the voter’s polling location pursuant to the bilingual election requirements of the federal Voting Rights Act, 52 USC § 10503, chapter 166 of the acts of 2014 or any other applicable federal or state law.

(5) The applications required pursuant to this subsection shall be made available on the websites of the state secretary and the election officers and registrars of every city or town.

(e)(1) A voter wishing to vote early by mail in the primary election shall complete the application to vote early by mail and shall return said application to the appropriate city or town clerk. Any form of written communication evidencing a desire to have an early voting ballot be sent for use for voting for the primary election shall be given the same effect as an application made in the form prescribed by the state secretary. Applications to vote early by mail for the primary election shall be acceptable if they are signed or submitted electronically.

(2) No application to vote early by mail in the primary election shall be deemed to be seasonably filed unless it is received in the office of the local election official before noon on Tuesday, August 25, 2020.

(f)(1) A voter wishing to vote early by mail in the general election shall complete the application and shall return said application to the appropriate city or town clerk. Applications to vote early by mail for the general election shall be acceptable if they are signed or submitted electronically.

(2) No application to vote early by mail in the general election shall be deemed to be seasonably filed unless it is received in the office of the local election official before noon on Tuesday, October 27, 2020.

(g)(1) Early voting ballots authorized pursuant to this section shall be mailed by the city or town clerk to voters as soon as such materials are available; provided, however, that said mailing shall include: (i) instructions for early voting; (ii) instructions for completing the ballot; (iii) an inner envelope where the ballot is placed after voting which contains an affidavit of compliance to be filled out by the voter; and (iv) an outer envelope that is addressed to the local election official with postage guaranteed; provided, that a voter who has seasonably filed an application may receive an early voting ballot in person at the office of the city or town clerk.

(2) Each early voting ballot authorized pursuant to this section shall be provided to the voter in the language selected by the voter pursuant to paragraph (5) of subsection (d); provided, that if the voter did not select a language, the ballot shall be provided in English.

(h)(1) A voter in receipt of an early voting ballot for the primary election pursuant to this section may complete and return the ballot by: (i) delivering it in person to the office of the appropriate city or town clerk; (ii) dropping it in a secured municipal drop box; or (iii) mailing it to the appropriate city or town clerk.

(2) A voter in receipt of an early voting ballot for the general election pursuant to this section may complete and return the ballot by: (i) delivering it in person to the office of the appropriate city or town clerk; (ii) dropping it in a secured municipal drop box; or (iii) mailing it to the appropriate city or town clerk.

(i) All early voting ballots submitted by mail, delivered in person to the office of the city or town clerk or returned to a secured municipal drop box as provided by this section shall be received by the city or town clerk before the hour fixed for closing the polls on the day of the primary election or general election.”.

Additional co-sponsor(s) added to Amendment #20 to H4768

Creating More Efficiency in Ballot Applications Sent