Skip to main content

Mass. General Laws c.51

Voters

This page links to an unofficial version of each section of G.L. c. 51.

Skip table of contents

Table of Contents

You skipped the table of contents section.
§ 1 Qualifications of voters 
§ 1F Persons not included in register of voters 

Amended by St.2022, c.92, § 1, effective July 22, 2022

§ 2 Name of registered voter changed 
§ 3 Place of registration and voting; change of residence 
§ 4 Making of lists by registrars or boards 
§ 4A Notifying residents of opportunity to register 
§ 6 Street lists 
§ 7 Form, contents and distribution of street lists 
§ 8 Persons omitted from lists; certificate 
§ 10A Statements by innholders, etc. 
§ 11 Records kept 
§ 12 Posting of penalty sections 
§ 14 Death of resident; notice 
§ 14A Assistance in making lists 
§ 14B Applicability of chapter to cities and towns governed by special law 
§ 15 Board of registrars in certain cities and towns; appointment; term of office 
§ 16A Board of election commissioners; powers and duties; members; appointment; term of office 
§ 17 Board of registrars in certain cities; appointment; term of office 
§ 17A Annual training on state and federal election laws and regulations 
§ 18 Political representation by board of registrars 
§ 19 Unequal political representation; notice and hearing 
§ 20 Vacancies in board of registrars; temporary registrars 
§ 21 Registrars; term of office 
§ 22 Assistant registrars in cities and towns; appointment; term; political representation 
§ 22A Absent registration officers; appointment; political representation; physically disabled registrants 
§ 23 Registrars, assistant registrars and absent registration officers; oath of office; compensation 
§ 24 Powers and duties 
§ 25 Registrars; assistant registrars; compatibility of offices 
§ 26 Registration sessions 

Amended by St.2022, c.92, §§ 2-3, effective July 22, 2022.

§ 26A High school voter challenge program 
§ 28 Last day for registration 

Amended by St.2022, c.92, § 4, effective July 22, 2022

§ 31 Final day for registration 
§ 32 Places and hours of sessions; notices 
§ 33 Affidavits of registration 
§ 33A Online completion of affidavit of registration 

Amended by St.2022, c.92, § 5, effective June 22, 2022

§ 34 Persons not registered at close of registration 
§ 35 Omitted listings compared with annual register of voters; exceptions 
§ 36 Affidavit of voter registration; distribution; expenses 
§ 37 Annual register; omitted names; notice 
§ 37A Inactive voters list 
§ 38 Revisions and corrections of registers, etc. 
§ 40 Public sessions; inspection of records 
§ 41 Preservation of documents 
§ 41A Duties imposed by Secs. 10A and 37 in cities not having registrars 
§ 42 Affidavit of registration; exception 
§ 42A Physically disabled applicants 
§ 42C Registration sessions in high schools and vocational schools 
§ 42D Registration sessions in regional high schools, colleges or universities 
§ 42E Voter registration affidavit forms for college, high school and vocational school students 
§ 42F Affidavits of registration from registrants residing in other cities or towns 
§ 42G Transmission of completed affidavits to city or town where registrant resides 
§ 42G 1/2 Automatic voter registration 

Amended by St.2022, c.92, §§ 6-7, effective January 1, 2023

§ 42H Receipt of completed affidavit by registrar 
§ 44 Completion of affidavit of voter registration form 
§ 45A An applicant for registration may produce papers of naturalization for inspection if he so desires, and notation of such production shall be made a part of the registration of said applicant. 
§ 46 Affidavit of registration; filing; addition of voter's name to annual register 
§ 46A Transmittal of duplicate certificate of registration to place of voter's last registration 
§ 47 Rejection of defective affidavit of registration; notices to person named 
§ 47A Registration of persons attaining full age by election or town meeting 
§ 47B False statements in affidavit of registration; complaint and summons; examination of qualifications 
§ 47C Central registry of voters; agreement with Electronic Registration Information Center, Inc. 

Amended by St.2022, c.92, § 8, effective June 22, 2022

§ 48 Complaint; time for filing; summons and service of process 
§ 49 Examination of persons summoned; status for annual register; failure to appear 
§ 50 Supplementary registration 
§ 51 Certificate of supplementary registration; voting thereon 
§ 51A Confidential registration certificate 
§ 52 Duties of registrars 
§ 52A Solicitation of votes and distribution of campaign literature in registration offices prohibited; penalties 
§ 53 Police assistance at meetings 
§ 54 Supervisors of registration; appointment; duties; interference with supervisors; penalties 
§ 55 Preparation of voting lists; contents and arrangement; distribution; revisions 
§ 57 Posting of lists; copies for state political committees 
§ 58 New names added to lists; distribution of copies; posting or publication 
§ 59 Certificate in case of omissions or clerical errors; voting procedure 
§ 60 Voting lists for use at polls 
§ 61 Certification of registered voters 
§ 62 Certified copies for use at caucus; party enrollment designations 
§ 63 Lists furnished for new wards and voting precincts 
§ 64 Online portal for verification of registration or pre-registration status 
§ 65 Automatic voter registration 
§ 66 Provision of data to state secretary for maintenance of voter lists; provision of data to Electronic Registration Information Center, Inc.; centralized data management 

Contact

Online

Library locations and phone numbers 
Chat with a law librarian online 
Email a reference librarian: masslawlib@gmail.com

Help Us Improve Mass.gov  with your feedback

Please do not include personal or contact information.
Feedback