Bill > H4132

This bill grants legal permanent residents (green card holders) in the town of Lexington, Massachusetts, the right to vote in municipal elections and participate in town meetings, despite not being U.S. citizens. The bill requires the Town Clerk to create a separate registration list for these "local voters" with a special registration form, and mandates that these voters will be removed from the list and notified to register as regular voters once they become U.S. citizens. The Select Board is authorized to create regulations to implement the act, and a separate local ballot will be printed for local questions to ensure local voters can only vote on municipal matters. Importantly, the bill explicitly states that local voters cannot vote in state or federal elections or on state or federal ballot questions. The Town of Lexington is authorized to enact bylaws to implement the act, subject to specific historical legislative provisions. This bill represents a unique approach to local civic participation by expanding voting rights to non-citizen residents at the municipal level.

Government Affairs

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H4132