SENATE, No. 2283

By Mr. Rosenberg, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2283) of Stanley C. Rosenberg and Ellen Story (by vote of the town) for legislation to authorize local voting rights for all categories of permanent resident aliens residing in Amherst. Election Laws. {Local approval received.}

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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Seal of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

In the Year Two Thousand and Seven.

AN ACT AUTHORIZING LOCAL VOTING RIGHTS FOR ALL CATEGORIES OF PERMANENT RESIDENT ALIENS RESIDING IN AMHERST

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. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 1 of chapter 51 of the General Laws, or any other general or special law, rule or regulation to the contrary, resident aliens eighteen years of age or older and who reside in the town of Amherst may, upon application, have their names entered on list of voters, established by the town clerk, for the town of Amherst and may thereafter vote in any election for local offices and local ballot questions.

SECTION 2. The Select Board of Amherst is authorized to formulate regulations and guidelines to implement the purpose of this act.

SECTION 3. Nothing in this act shall be construed to confer upon permanent resident aliens the right to vote for any state or federal office or any state or federal ballot question.