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Mass. General Laws c.54

Elections

This page links to an unofficial version of each section of G.L. c. 54.

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§ 1 Decennial division of cities into wards and precincts 
§ 2 Division of cities and wards into voting precincts; census; effect upon formation of congressional, representative, senatorial or councillor districts 
§ 4 New divisions of cities into wards, when effective; congressional districts 
§ 5 Maps or descriptions of new divisions; publication and posting 
§ 6 Division of towns into voting precincts 
§ 7 Changes in voting precincts of towns 
§ 7A Dividing precincts to facilitate voting; applicable laws 
§ 8 Maps or descriptions of new precincts; posting 
§ 9 Discontinuance of voting precincts 
§ 9A Redivision into precincts or districts; elections thereafter; census 
§ 10 Changes in wards; notice to state secretary 
§ 11 Election officers in certain cities 
§ 11A Deputies 
§ 11B Filing for appointment in cities; procedure; eligibility; examinations 
§ 12 Election officers in towns; procedure; eligibility; examinations 
§ 13 Party representation; term of office; removal 
§ 14 Vacancies, filling 

Amended by St.2022, c.92, § 9, effective June 22, 2022

§ 15 Eligibility of candidates 
§ 16 Deputies; duties 
§ 16A Vacancies; appointments to fill 
§ 17 Ballot clerks; duties 
§ 20 Oath of office 
§ 22 Compensation of election officers 
§ 23 Supervisors of elections; political party representation; violations 
§ 24 Designation of polling places 
§ 25 Marking shelves and guard rails 
§ 25A Display of national flag 
§ 25B Early voting; application for early voting ballots; early voting period, sites and lists; counting of early voting ballots 

Amended by St.2022, c.92, § 10, effective June 22, 2022

§ 25C Correctional facility; voting 

Added by St.2022, c.92, § 10, effective January 1, 2023

§ 26 State ballot boxes; furnishing 
§ 27 Blank forms and envelopes for returns; injury, tampering, or destruction; penalties 
§ 28 Care, custody and repair of ballot boxes, counting apparatus, and voting machines 
§ 29 Replacement of defective, lost or destroyed ballot boxes 
§ 30 Voting place or precinct seals; use and custody 
§ 30A Custodians of voting machines; duties; eligibility 
§ 31 Sending ballot boxes, blank forms, and counting apparatus to polls; installation of voting machines; voters' authority certificates 
§ 32 Examination and approval of voting equipment 
§ 33 Requirements and use of voting machines, electronic voting systems, and ballots 
§ 33A Additional requirements for voting machines 
§ 33B Use of voting machines; regulations; mechanical failures 
§ 33C Instructions to voter after entering voting machine booth; re-entry after voting 
§ 33D Voting for persons not listed on ballot labels of machine 
§ 33E Electronic voting systems; marking implements; stickers or pasters on ballots; inspection; instructions to voters; write-in candidates 
§ 33F Computers and counting units; central tabulation centers; preparation; testing 
§ 33G Lease or purchase of marking units or tabulating units; bonds from manufacturers or distributors 
§ 33H Election officers for tabulation center; tabulation of votes 
§ 33I Examination of electronic poll books; compliance with minimum requirements; approval for use in elections 
§ 34 Use of voting machines by cities and towns 
§ 35 Public exhibition of voting machines; instruction to voters; delivery to polls; examination 
§ 35A Challenged or absent voting ballots where voting machines used; questions submitted to voters 
§ 35B Casting challenged votes where voting machines used; counting votes 
§ 36 Number of election officers present when voting machines used 
§ 37 Regulations for use of voting machines, ballot boxes, etc. 
§ 39 Seller's bonds; electronic voting systems, voting machines or ballot boxes 
§ 40 Preparation and furnishing 
§ 41 Names; residences; political designation; incumbents 
§ 41A Governor and lieutenant governor candidates; grouping party nominees; order 
§ 42 Arrangement of names; blank spaces; name of city or town, etc. 
§ 42A Questions submitted to voters; designation 
§ 42B Public policy questions; placement on ballots 
§ 42C Deadline for ballot questions 
§ 43 Presidential electors; arrangement of names 
§ 43A State elections and primaries; officers to be elected; manner and order of appearance on ballots 
§ 44 Official ballots 
§ 45 Number of ballots provided; ballot labels for voting machines 
§ 46 Packaging ballots; record 
§ 47 Vacancies; printing ballots 
§ 48 Cards of instruction; specimen ballots; copies of information for voters material 
§ 48A Voters' bill of rights; postings; preparation and revision 
§ 49 Lists of candidates; copies of proposed constitutional amendments or laws 
§ 50 City elections; posting names of candidates 
§ 51 Town elections; posting names of candidates 
§ 52 Lists of candidates; questions submitted to voters; availability for publication; state and city elections 
§ 53 Mailing lists of voters; copies of measures, summaries, ballot question titles, statements and arguments to voters; public examination; petition for amendment 
§ 54 Arguments on measures; preparation; submission, filing; printing; mailing 
§ 58A General Laws submitted to municipal voters for acceptance; form of question; filing date 
§ 59 Packaging and delivery to city or town clerks 
§ 60 Duties of city and town clerks; delivery to polls; receipts 
§ 61 Failure to deliver; substitute ballots 
§ 62 Biennial state elections 
§ 63 Calling city and town elections; notice 
§ 64 Notices or warrants; requisites; time of opening and closing polls 
§ 65 Activities at polling places; regulations; penalties 

Amended by St.2022, c.92, § 11, effective June 22, 2022

§ 66 State ballot boxes; use and custody 
§ 67 Voting lists; delivery and use; voting by persons not on list 

Amended by St.2022, c.92, § 12, effective June 22, 2022

§ 67A Additional state ballot boxes; use in towns 
§ 68 Statements made before public declaration of vote; penalties 
§ 69 Persons permitted within guard rail 
§ 70 Number of voters permitted within guard rail; voters in line at closing time 
§ 71 Presiding officers; powers and duties 
§ 71A Supervision of election officers in cities and towns 
§ 72 Preservation of order by police 

Amended by St.2022, c.92, § 13, effective June 22, 2022

§ 73 Smoking or intoxicating liquors in polling places prohibited; penalties 
§ 74 Detention of offenders; effect on right to vote 
§ 75 Report of violations; prosecutions 
§ 76 Voting; giving name and address upon request; delivery of ballot 
§ 76B Failure to present voter identification; right to challenge vote 
§ 76C Provisional ballot 
§ 77 Marking ballots 
§ 78 Voting for presidential electors, governor, and lieutenant governor; marking ballots 
§ 78A List of candidates for electors pledged to presidential candidates other than those on official ballot; written acceptances; filing; certification; form of write-in or sticker vote 
§ 79 Assistance in marking ballots 
§ 80 Prohibited markings; use of red pencils or red ink by election officers 
§ 81 Spoiled ballots 
§ 82 Folding ballots; time for marking ballots 
§ 83 Deposit of ballots, voting list check, endorsement 

Amended by St.2022, c.92, § 14, effective June 22, 2022

§ 84 Removal of ballots before close of polls 
§ 85 Challenge of person's right to vote, procedures 
§ 85A Challengers 
§ 86 Absent or physically disabled voters 
§ 87 Preparation of absent voting ballots, envelopes, instructions 

Amended by St.2022, c.92, § 15, effective June 22, 2022

§ 88 Distribution of absent voting ballots 
§ 89 Applications; seasonably filed; spoiled ballots; application by family member 

Amended by St.2022, c.92, § 16, effective June 22, 2022

§ 91 Applications; filing and certification; notation on voting lists; posting 
§ 91A Applications of specially qualified voters 
§ 91B Delivery of ballots 

Amended by St.2022, c.92, § 17, effective June 22, 2022

§ 91C Absentee ballot for Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, or UOCAVA, voter; entering application for ballot into voter registration information system; transmission of absentee ballot 

Amended by St.2022, c.92, § 18, effective December 1, 2022

§ 92 Method of voting 

Amended by St.2022, c.92, § 19, effective June 22, 2022

§ 93 Time for mailing or delivering ballots 

Amended by St.2022, c.92, § 20, effective June 22, 2022

§ 94 Examination of ballots; acceptance or rejection 
§ 95 Duties of election officers; deposit of absent voting ballots; receipt and counting of federal write-in absentee ballots 

Amended by St.2022, c.92, § 21, effective June 22, 2022

§ 96 Challenges 
§ 97 Immaterial irregularities 
§ 98 Absent voter unable to mark ballot 
§ 99 Late ballots; disposition 
§ 102 Printed information and instructions as to absent voting 
§ 103 Jurisdiction of courts 
§ 103A Sections applicable to city and town elections, primaries and caucuses, and to regional vocational school district elections 
§ 103P City or town elections; preliminary elections or primaries 
§ 103Q Informality; liberal construction 
§ 104 Use of state blank forms and apparatus; canvass of votes 
§ 105 Proceedings at close of polls; counting votes; announcing and recording results 
§ 105A Electronic voting methods; proceedings at close of polls; counting of ballots; announcement of vote; transportation to tabulation center 
§ 106 Defective ballots 
§ 107 Enclosing and sealing ballots and voting lists; certification 
§ 108 Copies of voting lists as checked 
§ 109 Ballots and lists; custody; disposition 
§ 109A Audit of votes following presidential general election 
§ 110 Rejection of records 
§ 110A Central tabulation facilities 
§ 111 Examination of precinct records; errors; certification 
§ 112 Copies of records of votes to state secretary 
§ 113 Unsealed copies transmitted to state secretary; proceedings 
§ 114 Endorsement or memorandum of receipt 
§ 115 Copies of records of votes to governor and council; examination; determination of results 
§ 116 Certification of results; summons; certificates of election 
§ 116A Election of person not listed on state ballot; financial interest statement 
§ 117 Return to state secretary; laying before legislature; filing 
§ 118 Presidential electors; copies of records of votes; proclamations; certificate of election 
§ 119 Petition to court for declaration of election; notice; hearing 
§ 120 Procedure; compulsion and immunity of witness 
§ 121 Examination of records; certificates of election; notice to state secretary 
§ 122 Board of examiners; duties; certificates of election; notice to state secretary 
§ 123 Incomplete records; new copies of returns 
§ 129 Copies of returns of votes; transmittal to state secretary 
§ 130 Number of ballots cast; statement at length 
§ 131 Violations; effect on records 
§ 132 Number of names checked; certification 
§ 133 Number of registered voters, etc.; report 
§ 134 Contested elections; retention of ballots; recounts 
§ 135 Petition for recount; filing; contents; examination; recounts; notice; amendment of records 
§ 135A Recount where voting machines used; period during which machines locked and sealed 
§ 135B Recount where electronic voting system used; petition specifying recount by hand 
§ 136 Information regarding ballots cast by challenged voters 
§ 137 Election results in cities; declaration before recounts; certificates of election 
§ 138 Presidential electors 
§ 140 Senators and representatives in congress; vacancies 
§ 141 Representatives in general court; vacancies 
§ 142 District attorneys and county officers 
§ 143 County treasurers; registers of deeds 
§ 143A Register of deeds; vacancies 
§ 144 County commissioners 
Death after election but before term 
§ 146 Notice to state secretary 
§ 147 Elections to fill vacancies 
§ 148 Meetings; organization; record of proceedings 
§ 149 Compensation 
§ 150 State officers 
§ 151 Presidential electors 
§ 152 Senators in congress 
§ 153 Representatives in congress 
§ 154 District attorneys 
§ 155 Clerks of courts 
§ 156 Registers of probate 
§ 157 Registers of deeds 
§ 158 County commissioners 
§ 159 Sheriffs 
§ 160 County treasurers 
§ 162 Regional district school committees members 

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