AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE CITY KNOWN AS THE TOWN OF AMHERST TO HOLD A SPECIAL ELECTION FOR THE OFFICE OF TOWN COUNCILOR.
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. (a) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the city known as the town of Amherst shall hold a special election for the office of town councilor on November 6, 2018 and a preliminary election for the office of town councilor on September 4, 2018.
(b) Notwithstanding section 7 of chapter 53 of the General Laws or any other general or special law to the contrary, nomination papers for the office of town councilor shall be filed with the board of registrars of the city known as the town of Amherst for certification of signatures not later than 5:00 p.m. on June 29, 2018.
(c) Notwithstanding any other general or special law to the contrary, the board of registrars of the town shall complete certification of signatures on the nomination papers not later than 5:00 p.m. on July 10, 2018.
(d) Notwithstanding section 10 of chapter 53 of the General Laws or any other general or special law to the contrary, certified nomination papers shall be filed with the town clerk of the city known as the town of Amherst not later than 5:00 p.m. on July 13, 2018.
(e) Notwithstanding section 13 of chapter 53 of the General Laws or any other general or special law to the contrary, a candidate who has filed nomination papers to fill the vacancy in the office of town councilor may withdraw the candidate’s nomination by filing a notarized withdrawal not later than 5:00 p.m. on July 17, 2018.
(f) The town clerk shall take all actions necessary to conduct the special election for the town councilor on November 6, 2018 as provided in section 10.7 of the charter of the town as adopted on March 27, 2018.
(g) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the issuance by the town clerk of nomination papers for the office of town councilor and the filing of the nomination papers with the board of registrars and town clerk prior to the effective date of this act, but otherwise in conformance with this act and applicable law, shall be ratified, validated and confirmed as though this act had then been in effect.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon its passage.
Approved, June 28, 2018