Bill > H706

This bill proposes to extend voting rights in municipal elections to noncitizen voters in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The key provisions of the bill include: 1. Defining "noncitizen voter" as a person 18 years of age or older with legal immigration status who is not a U.S. citizen, and outlining their "noncitizen voting rights" to vote in municipal elections, participate in town meetings, and run for and serve in municipal elected offices. 2. Requiring municipal election officials to maintain a list of noncitizen voters and notify them of their voting rights, limitations (i.e., they cannot vote in federal, state, or ballot initiative elections), and the potential impact on their U.S. citizenship application. 3. Establishing a noncitizen voter registration form to be issued by the state secretary and disseminated in the same manner as voter registration forms for U.S. citizens. 4. Authorizing the state secretary to issue regulations to implement the provisions of the bill. The overall intent of the bill is to extend voting rights in municipal elections to noncitizen residents of Massachusetts, while maintaining certain restrictions on their participation in federal and state-level elections.

Government Affairs

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/193/H706