Massachusetts General Laws|Chapter 54 - ELECTIONS

Section 1 - Decennial division of cities into wards and precincts

Section 2 - Division of cities and wards into voting precincts; census; effect upon formation of congressional, representative, senatorial or councillor districts

Section 3 - Repealed, 1971, 820, Sec. 5

Section 4 - New divisions of cities into wards, when effective; congressional districts

Section 5 - Maps or descriptions of new divisions; publication and posting

Section 6 - Division of towns into voting precincts

Section 7 - Changes in voting precincts of towns

Section 7A - Dividing precincts to facilitate voting; applicable laws

Section 8 - Maps or descriptions of new precincts; posting

Section 9 - Discontinuance of voting precincts

Section 9A - Redivision into precincts or districts; elections thereafter; census

Section 10 - Changes in wards; notice to state secretary

Section 11 - Election officers in certain cities

Section 11A - Deputies

Section 11B - Filing for appointment in cities; procedure; eligibility; examinations

Section 12 - Election officers in towns; procedure; eligibility; examinations

Section 13 - Party representation; term of office; removal

Section 14 - Vacancies; filling

Section 15 - Eligibility of candidates

Section 16 - Deputies; duties

Section 16A - Vacancies; appointments to fill

Section 17 - Ballot clerks; duties

Section 18, 19 - Repealed, 1960, 431, Sec. 4

Section 20 - Oath of office

Section 21 - Repealed, 1960, 431, Sec. 4

Section 22 - Compensation of election officers

Section 23 - Supervisors of elections; political party representation; violations

Section 24 - Designation of polling places

Section 25 - Marking shelves and guard rails

Section 25A - Display of national flag

Section 25B - Early voting; application for early voting ballots; early voting period, sites and lists; counting of early voting ballots

Section 26 - State ballot boxes; furnishing

Section 27 - Blank forms and envelopes for returns; injury, tampering, or destruction; penalties

Section 28 - Care, custody and repair of ballot boxes, counting apparatus, and voting machines

Section 29 - Replacement of defective, lost or destroyed ballot boxes

Section 30 - Voting place or precinct seals; use and custody

Section 30A - Custodians of voting machines; duties; eligibility

Section 31 - Sending ballot boxes, blank forms, and counting apparatus to polls; installation of voting machines; voters' authority certificates

Section 32 - Examination and approval of voting equipment

Section 33 - Requirements and use of voting machines, electronic voting systems, and ballots

Section 33A - Additional requirements for voting machines

Section 33B - Use of voting machines; regulations; mechanical failures

Section 33C - Instructions to voter after entering voting machine booth; re-entry after voting

Section 33D - Voting for persons not listed on ballot labels of machine

Section 33E - Electronic voting systems; marking implements; stickers or pasters on ballots; inspection; instructions to voters; write-in candidates

Section 33F - Computers and counting units; central tabulation centers; preparation; testing

Section 33G - Lease or purchase of marking units or tabulating units; bonds from manufacturers or distributors

Section 33H - Election officers for tabulation center; tabulation of votes

Section 33I - Examination of electronic poll books; compliance with minimum requirements; approval for use in elections

Section 34 - Use of voting machines by cities and towns

Section 35 - Public exhibition of voting machines; instruction to voters; delivery to polls; examination

Section 35A - Challenged or absent voting ballots where voting machines used; questions submitted to voters

Section 35B - Casting challenged votes where voting machines used; counting votes

Section 36 - Number of election officers present when voting machines used

Section 37 - Regulations for use of voting machines, ballot boxes, etc.

Section 38 - Repealed, 1977, 930, Sec. 8

Section 39 - Seller's bonds; electronic voting systems, voting machines or ballot boxes

Section 40 - Preparation and furnishing

Section 41 - Names; residences; political designation; incumbents

Section 41A - Governor and lieutenant governor candidates; grouping party nominees; order

Section 42 - Arrangement of names; blank spaces; name of city or town, etc.

Section 42A - Questions submitted to voters; designation

Section 42B - Public policy questions; placement on ballots

Section 42C - Deadline for ballot questions

Section 43 - Presidential electors; arrangement of names

Section 43A - State elections and primaries; officers to be elected; manner and order of appearance on ballots

Section 44 - Official ballots

Section 45 - Number of ballots provided; ballot labels for voting machines

Section 46 - Packaging ballots; record

Section 47 - Vacancies; printing ballots

Section 48 - Cards of instruction; specimen ballots; copies of information for voters material

Section 48A - Voters' bill of rights; postings; preparation and revision

Section 49 - Lists of candidates; copies of proposed constitutional amendments or laws

Section 50 - City elections; posting names of candidates

Section 51 - Town elections; posting names of candidates

Section 52 - Lists of candidates; questions submitted to voters; availability for publication; state and city elections

Section 53 - Mailing lists of voters; copies of measures, summaries, ballot question titles, statements and arguments to voters; public examination; petition for amendment

Section 54 - Arguments on measures; preparation; submission, filing; printing; mailing

Section 55 to 58 - Repealed, 1991, 234, Sec. 11

Section 58A - General Laws submitted to municipal voters for acceptance; form of question; filing date

Section 59 - Packaging and delivery to city or town clerks

Section 60 - Duties of city and town clerks; delivery to polls; receipts

Section 61 - Failure to deliver; substitute ballots

Section 62 - Biennial state elections

Section 63 - Calling city and town elections; notice

Section 64 - Notices or warrants; requisites; time of opening and closing polls

Section 65 - Activities at polling places; regulations; penalties

Section 66 - State ballot boxes; use and custody

Section 67 - Voting lists; delivery and use; voting by persons not on list

Section 67A - Additional state ballot boxes; use in towns

Section 68 - Statements made before public declaration of vote; penalties

Section 69 - Persons permitted within guard rail

Section 70 - Number of voters permitted within guard rail; voters in line at closing time

Section 71 - Presiding officers; powers and duties

Section 71A - Supervision of election officers in cities and towns

Section 72 - Preservation of order by police

Section 73 - Smoking or intoxicating liquors in polling places prohibited; penalties

Section 74 - Detention of offenders; effect on right to vote

Section 75 - Report of violations; prosecutions

Section 76 - Voting; giving name and address upon request; delivery of ballot

Section 76A - Repealed, 1975, 95

Section 76B - Failure to present voter identification; right to challenge vote

Section 76C - Provisional ballot

Section 77 - Marking ballots

Section 77A - Repealed, 1972, 400, Sec. 8

Section 78 - Voting for presidential electors, governor, and lieutenant governor; marking ballots

Section 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

Section 79 - Assistance in marking ballots

Section 80 - Prohibited markings; use of red pencils or red ink by election officers

Section 81 - Spoiled ballots

Section 82 - Folding ballots; time for marking ballots

Section 83 - Deposit of ballots, voting list check, endorsement

Section 84 - Removal of ballots before close of polls

Section 85 - Challenge of person's right to vote, procedures

Section 85A - Challengers

Section 86 - Absent or physically disabled voters

Section 87 - Preparation of absent voting ballots, envelopes, instructions

Section 88 - Distribution of absent voting ballots

Section 89 - Applications; seasonably filed; spoiled ballots; application by family member

Section 89A - Repealed, 1993, 475, Sec. 37

Section 90 - Repealed, 1946, 140, Sec. 14

Section 91 - Applications; filing and certification; notation on voting lists; posting

Section 91A - Applications of specially qualified voters

Section 91B - Delivery of ballots

Section 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

Section 92 - Method of voting

Section 93 - Time for mailing or delivering ballots

Section 94 - Examination of ballots; acceptance or rejection

Section 95 - Duties of election officers; deposit of absent voting ballots; receipt and counting of federal write-in absentee ballots

Section 96 - Challenges

Section 97 - Immaterial irregularities

Section 98 - Absent voter unable to mark ballot

Section 99 - Late ballots; disposition

Section 100 - Voting in person; death of absent voter

Section 101 - Repealed, 1987, 438, Sec. 8

Section 102 - Printed information and instructions as to absent voting

Section 103 - Jurisdiction of courts

Section 103A - Sections applicable to city and town elections, primaries and caucuses, and to regional vocational school district elections

Section 103B to 103H - Repealed, 1993, 475, Sec. 46

Section 103I - Repealed, 1967, 115, Sec. 1

Section 103J to 103O - Repealed, 1993, 475, Sec. 46

Section 103P - City or town elections; preliminary elections or primaries

Section 103Q - Informality; liberal construction

Section 104 - Use of state blank forms and apparatus; canvass of votes

Section 105 - Proceedings at close of polls; counting votes; announcing and recording results

Section 105A - Electronic voting methods; proceedings at close of polls; counting of ballots; announcement of vote; transportation to tabulation center

Section 106 - Defective ballots

Section 107 - Enclosing and sealing ballots and voting lists; certification

Section 108 - Copies of voting lists as checked

Section 109 - Ballots and lists; custody; disposition

Section 109A - Audit of votes following presidential general election

Section 110 - Rejection of records

Section 110A - Central tabulation facilities

Section 111 - Examination of precinct records; errors; certification

Section 112 - Copies of records of votes to state secretary

Section 113 - Unsealed copies transmitted to state secretary; proceedings

Section 114 - Endorsement or memorandum of receipt

Section 115 - Copies of records of votes to governor and council; examination; determination of results

Section 116 - Certification of results; summons; certificates of election

Section 116A - Election of person not listed on state ballot; financial interest statement

Section 117 - Return to state secretary; laying before legislature; filing

Section 118 - Presidential electors; copies of records of votes; proclamations; certificate of election

Section 119 - Petition to court for declaration of election; notice; hearing

Section 120 - Procedure; compulsion and immunity of witness

Section 121 - Examination of records; certificates of election; notice to state secretary

Section 122 - Board of examiners; duties; certificates of election; notice to state secretary

Section 123 - Incomplete records; new copies of returns

Section 124 to 128 - Repealed, 1946, 130, Sec. 4

Section 129 - Copies of returns of votes; transmittal to state secretary

Section 130 - Number of ballots cast; statement at length

Section 131 - Violations; effect on records

Section 132 - Number of names checked; certification

Section 133 - Number of registered voters, etc.; report

Section 134 - Contested elections; retention of ballots; recounts

Section 135 - Petition for recount; filing; contents; examination; recounts; notice; amendment of records

Section 135A - Recount where voting machines used; period during which machines locked and sealed

Section 135B - Recount where electronic voting system used; petition specifying recount by hand

Section 136 - Information regarding ballots cast by challenged voters

Section 137 - Election results in cities; declaration before recounts; certificates of election

Section 138 - Presidential electors

Section 139 - Repealed, 2004, 236, Sec. 5

Section 140 - Senators and representatives in congress; vacancies

Section 141 - Representatives in general court; vacancies

Section 142 - District attorneys and county officers

Section 143 - County treasurers; registers of deeds

Section 143A - Register of deeds; vacancies

Section 144 - County commissioners

Section 145 - Death after election but before term

Section 146 - Notice to state secretary

Section 147 - Elections to fill vacancies

Section 148 - Meetings; organization; record of proceedings

Section 149 - Compensation

Section 150 - State officers

Section 151 - Presidential electors

Section 152 - Senators in congress

Section 153 - Representatives in congress

Section 154 - District attorneys

Section 155 - Clerks of courts

Section 156 - Registers of probate

Section 157 - Registers of deeds

Section 158 - County commissioners

Section 159 - Sheriffs

Section 160 - County treasurers

Section 161 - Repealed, 1972, 735, Sec. 10

Section 162 - Regional district school committees members