By Representative Hall of Westford and Senator Panagiotakos, joint petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 652) of Rose Marie Koester, Geoffrey D. Hall and Steven C. Panagiotakos for legislation to require the presentation of identification for voting.  Election Laws.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PETITION OF:

Rose Marie Koester

Geoffrey D. Hall

Steven C. Panagiotakos

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In the Year Two Thousand and Seven.

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An Act requiring the presentation of Identification for voting.

    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.  Chapter 54 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2002 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out section 76B and inserting in place thereof the following new section:
Section 76B. Any person desiring to vote in an election in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts shall provide the election officer at the polling place information confirming their identity. Such information may include, but shall not be limited to, a valid driver’s license, birth certificate, fishing or hunting license, student identification card from a post-secondary education institution in the Commonwealth or such other documentation which establishes the applicant’s identity, age and residency.
Any person failing to provide the proper identification and information requested by an election officer shall be permitted to vote; provided, however, that the ballot shall be kept separate and such person’s right to vote may be challenged under section eighty-five.