Bill > H866

This bill proposes enabling Massachusetts cities and towns to extend municipal voting rights to certain non-citizens through a local approval process. Specifically, non-citizens who are 18 years or older and residing in a municipality that chooses to accept the law could vote in municipal elections for school committee, city council, and board of selectmen, provided they sign a declaration of intent to become a U.S. citizen. The process requires approval by the local legislative body and subsequent voter referendum, with the ballot question requiring a majority affirmative vote to take effect. Non-citizens would be required to complete a voter registration form that includes a signed declaration confirming their municipal residency and good faith intention to pursue U.S. citizenship. Importantly, the proposed law explicitly prohibits these non-citizen voters from participating in state or federal elections. The law would take effect 90 days after a successful local vote, with specific deadlines established for filing ballot questions. This legislation represents a significant potential expansion of local voting rights for non-citizen residents while maintaining clear limitations on their electoral participation.