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Mass. General Laws c.51

Voters

This page links to the current, accurate version of each section of G.L. c.51.

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§ 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 

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