HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2742 FILED ON: 2/18/2021
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Paul J. Donato
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act relative to Political designations.
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PETITION OF:
NAME: DISTRICT/ADDRESS: DATE ADDED:
Paul J. Donato 35th Middlesex 2/17/2021
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 HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2742 FILED ON: 2/18/2021
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[Pin Slip]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Second General Court
(2021-2022)
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An Act relative to Political designations.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
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3 SECTION 1. Section 1 of chapter 50 of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking
4 the definition of “Political designation” and replacing with the following:-
5
6 “Political designation” shall apply to any designation required in section 8 of chapter 53,
7 expressed in not more than three words, which a candidate for nomination under section 6 of
8 chapter 53 represents, and to any designation expressed in not more than three words to qualify a
9 political party under this section, filed by five hundred registered voters with the secretary of
10 state on a form provided by him or her, requesting that such voters, and any others wishing to do
11 so, may change their registration to such designation, provided however, that the designation
12 “Independent” shall not be used. Certificates showing that each of the signers of said request is a
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13 registered voter at the stated address, signed by the city or town clerk, shall accompany the
14 petition. Any such request filed before December first in the year of a biennial state election shall
15 not be effective until said December first. If, after the expiration of two years from the date the
16 political designation is approved, there are fewer than one quarter of one percent of the total
17 number of registered voters enrolled in the designation, it shall be dissolved and any such voters
18 enrolled shall be registered as “unenrolled.”
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20 SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon its passage.
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Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 50-1