General Laws of Massachusetts (Last Updated: January 16, 2020) |
PART I ADMINISTRATION OF THE GOVERNMENT |
TITLE VIII. ELECTIONS |
CHAPTER 53. NOMINATIONS, QUESTIONS TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE VOTERS, PRIMARIES AND CAUCUSES |
SECTION 1. Parties entitled to make nominations |
SECTION 2. Nominations and elections; necessity; procedure |
SECTION 3. Nomination of person not printed on primary ballot; acceptance; statement of financial interest |
SECTION 4. Conventions to nominate candidates; dates |
SECTION 5. Certificate of nomination; contents; signatures; filing; written acceptance of candidate |
SECTION 6. Nomination papers; contents; number of signatures; unenrolled candidates |
SECTION 7. Nomination papers; signatures; addresses; submission; deadlines; correction procedures; certification and checking; special elections |
SECTION 7A. Nomination papers for city offices; deadlines; signatures; certification and checking |
SECTION 8. Certificates of nomination and nomination papers; contents; party designation |
SECTION 9. Certificate of nomination and nomination papers; certification of candidate as registered voter; acceptance procedure |
SECTION 9A. Nomination papers for cities or towns; applicable provisions |
SECTION 10. Certificates of nomination and nomination papers; time for filing |
SECTION 11. Certificates of nomination and nomination papers; objections; filing |
SECTION 12, 12A. Repealed, 1977, 927, Sec. 5 |
SECTION 13. Withdrawal of nominated candidates |
SECTION 14. Death, withdrawal or ineligibility of nominated candidates; filling vacancies; objections |
SECTION 15. Certificate of nomination to fill vacancy; contents; acceptance |
SECTION 16. Certificates of nomination, etc.; public inspection; preservation |
SECTION 17. Blank forms for nominations |
SECTION 17A. Procedure |
SECTION 18. Proposed amendments to federal constitution; opinion of voters ascertained |
SECTION 18A. Nonbinding public opinion advisory questions on local ballots |
SECTION 18B. Information relating to questions on city, town or district ballot; contents; written arguments by principal proponents and opponents; public inspection |
SECTION 19. Questions of public policy submitted in certain districts upon application |
SECTION 20. Applications; signatures; identification; certification; submission |
SECTION 21. Applications; filing deadline; number of questions; resubmission |
SECTION 22. Instructions to representatives; necessity of majority vote |
SECTION 22A. Signing petitions; forms; receipt; filing date |
SECTION 22B. Repealed, 1985, 124 |
SECTION 23. Sections applicable to all primaries |
SECTION 24. Applicability of sections relating to elections and corrupt practices |
SECTION 25. Withdrawal of nominations |
SECTION 26. Repealed, 1977, 927, Sec. 8 |
SECTION 27. Repealed, 1980, 134, Sec. 4 |
SECTION 28. Dates and places for holding primaries |
SECTION 29. Designation of primary officers; compensation |
SECTION 30. Designation of primary officers; wards or towns |
SECTION 31. Ineligibility to act as primary officers |
SECTION 32. Ballots; preparation; number |
SECTION 33. Ballots; color; specimen ballots |
SECTION 34. Ballots; contents; arrangement; form |
SECTION 34A. Absentee ballots; application; forms; envelopes; preparation |
SECTION 35. Cross constituting as vote |
SECTION 35A. Use of pasters or stickers |
SECTION 35B. Persons nominated by pasters or write-ins; notice |
SECTION 36. Delivery of ballots, etc., at polling places; posting specimen ballots |
SECTION 37. Party enrollment of voters |
SECTION 37A. Absentee ballots; application; unenrolled voters; recording upon voting lists |
SECTION 38. Party designation of voters and eligibility to vote under party enrollments; certificate to establish, change or cancel enrollment |
SECTION 38A. Enrolled and unenrolled voters; precinct count |
SECTION 39. Counting votes |
SECTION 39A. Repealed, 1966, 176, Sec. 1 |
SECTION 40. Number of votes necessary to nominate candidate not on ballot |
SECTION 40A. Petitions for recounts |
SECTION 41. Sections applicable to nominations at state primaries |
SECTION 42. Primaries held by wards, precincts or groups of precincts; notice to state secretary |
SECTION 43. Polls; hours when open |
SECTION 44. Nomination papers; number of signatures |
SECTION 45. Nomination papers; contents; signatures; acceptance; number of candidates; penalty provisions |
SECTION 46. Nomination papers; submission to registrars; certification; correction of district; number of names |
SECTION 47. Nomination papers; preparation; availability |
SECTION 48. Nomination papers; certificates of nomination; filing; political party membership; term limits |
SECTION 48A. Repealed, 1985, 477, Sec. 21 |
SECTION 49. Nomination in case of withdrawal, death or ineligibility |
SECTION 50. Vacancies caused by withdrawal; nominations to fill; objections |
SECTION 51. Counting ballots |
SECTION 52. Canvass and return of votes; certification and notification of nominees |
SECTION 53. Vacancies caused by ties; filling |
SECTION 53A. Objections to nominations; withdrawals by nominees |
SECTION 54. Repealed, 1973, 429, Sec. 5 |
SECTION 54A, 54B. Repealed, 1939, 473, Sec. 20 |
SECTION 54C, 54D. Repealed, 1973, 429, Sec. 5 |
SECTION 55. Primaries for city and town nominations; objections; withdrawals |
SECTION 56. Primaries for nomination; submission of question; notice of result to state secretary |
SECTION 57. Notices of intention to participate in primaries |
SECTION 58. Blank nomination papers; contents |
SECTION 59. Nominations on blank nomination papers; signatures; acceptance |
SECTION 60. Nomination papers; contents |
SECTION 61. Nomination papers; filing; certification; correction of district |
SECTION 62. Death, withdrawal, or ineligibility of candidates; filling vacancies |
SECTION 63. Polls; hours |
SECTION 64. Returns of votes; canvass and certification |
SECTION 65 to 70. Repealed, 1932, 310, Sec. 23 |
SECTION 70A. Sections applicable |
SECTION 70B. Delegates to national conventions; election; number |
SECTION 70C. Primaries by wards, precincts or groups of precincts; notice to state secretary |
SECTION 70D. Nomination papers |
SECTION 70E. Order of names on ballots; statement of preference; preferential vote count |
SECTION 70F. Canvass of returns; notice; certification; certificates |
SECTION 70G. Filling vacancies |
SECTION 70H. Applicability of certain other sections |
SECTION 70I. Delegates and alternate delegates to national conventions; voting for president on first roll call |
SECTION 70J. Repealed, 1975, 600, Sec. 20 |
SECTION 70K. Repealed, 1969, 61, Sec. 4 |
SECTION 71. Nomination at caucuses |
SECTION 72. Regulations for city or town caucuses |
SECTION 72A. Time for holding city or town caucuses |
SECTION 73. Caucuses held by precincts or groups of precincts; notice |
SECTION 74. Caucuses relative to special elections |
SECTION 75. Calling of caucuses; notice |
SECTION 76. Persons entitled to vote or take part in caucuses; oath; challenges; penalties |
SECTION 77. Balloting; use of voting lists |
SECTION 78. Tie vote for caucus officers |
SECTION 79. Certificate of election; notice of nomination |
SECTION 80. Returns of caucuses where direct nominations made; tabulation of results; notice; recounts |
SECTION 81. Tie votes in direct nominations; filling vacancies |
SECTION 82. Polling places provided; notice |
SECTION 83. Notice of caucuses; procedure |
SECTION 84. Balloting; duration |
SECTION 85. Tie vote for elective office; proceedings |
SECTION 86. Ballots and check lists; transmission to city or town clerk; preservation |
SECTION 87. Contested elections or nominations; preservation of ballots; notice; recount; penalties |
SECTION 88. Calling of caucuses |
SECTION 89. Adoption of law for official ballots; calling caucuses; notice |
SECTION 90. Revocation of acceptance of special provisions; notice |
SECTION 91. Time of holding caucuses |
SECTION 92. Notices of caucuses; contents |
SECTION 93. Provision of polling places; voting lines |
SECTION 94. Notice by city or town committees |
SECTION 95. Blank nomination papers; contents |
SECTION 96. Nominations made by nomination papers; acceptance; vacancies |
SECTION 97. Nomination papers; sealing; filing; opening |
SECTION 98. Correction of errors; notice |
SECTION 99. Proceedings in cities when papers not filed; filling vacancies |
SECTION 100. Proceedings in towns when papers not filed |
SECTION 101. Withdrawals; filling vacancies |
SECTION 102. Nomination papers; delivery to city or town clerk |
SECTION 103. Nomination papers; correction of errors |
SECTION 104. Objections to nomination papers |
SECTION 105. Ballots; provision by cities or towns |
SECTION 106. Form of official ballot |
SECTION 107. Applicability of certain laws |
SECTION 108. Order of business |
SECTION 109. Challenges |
SECTION 110. Counting of ballots; announcement of result; sealing; transmittal of records |
SECTION 111. Voting lists; certified copies |
SECTION 112. Recount of ballots |
SECTION 113. Caucus officers; eligibility; terms; oaths; duties |
SECTION 114. Vacancies; additional officers |
SECTION 115. Appointment of officers for first caucus |
SECTION 116. Caucus officers in newly incorporated cities or cities redivided into wards |
SECTION 117. Caucuses to nominate municipal officers; convention delegates; committees |
SECTION 118. Notice of caucus; chairman; order of business |
SECTION 119. Elections by ballot; written request |
SECTION 120. Preservation of ballots and voting lists |
SECTION 121. Calling town caucus at annual meeting; rescission; nominations; tie vote |
SECTION 122. Regional school district-wide elections; applicable provisions |