**[Requirements for Serving as a Pollworker]{.underline}**

**[Massachusetts]{.underline}**

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| **[State Registration Requirement]{.underline}**                      |
|                                                                       |
| **[(Exceptions may be found in Student Election Assistant             |
| category)]{.underline}**                                              |
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| Must be enrolled voters.                                              |
|                                                                       |
| *Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 54, §11; Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 54, §12             |
| (Thomson/West 2006).*                                                 |
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| **[Age Requirement]{.underline}**                                     |
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| 18 years old on the day of election.                                  |
|                                                                       |
| *Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 51, §1 (Thomson/West 2006).*                     |
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| **[Residency Place and Term Required for Voter                        |
| Registration]{.underline}**                                           |
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| City or town.                                                         |
|                                                                       |
| *Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 51, §1 (Thomson/West 2006).*                     |
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| **[Residency Requirement for Service (State, County or                |
| Precinct)]{.underline}**                                              |
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| Commonwealth.                                                         |
|                                                                       |
| *Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 54, §11; Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 54, §12             |
| (Thomson/West 2006).*                                                 |
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| **[Affiliation with Political Party Requirement]{.underline}**        |
|                                                                       |
| **[and Process for Nomination as Poll Worker]{.underline}**           |
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| Affiliation Preferred, but Allows for a Limited Number of             |
| Non-Affiliated.                                                       |
|                                                                       |
| Election officers shall be appointed as equally to represent the 2    |
| leading political parties, except that, without disturbing the equal  |
| representation of such parties, not more than 1/3 of the election     |
| officers not representing either of them may be appointed. The warden |
| shall be of a different political party from the clerk, and not more  |
| than one half of the inspectors shall be of the same political party. |
| In each case the principal officer and his deputy shall be of the     |
| same political party.                                                 |
|                                                                       |
| *Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 54, §13 (Thomson/West 2006).*                    |
|                                                                       |
| Parties must submit a list of recommended enrolled voters by June 1   |
| of each year.                                                         |
|                                                                       |
| *Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 54, §11B (Thomson/West 2006).*                   |
|                                                                       |
| If no list filed by June 15, city clerk or election commission make   |
| recommendations and party representation requirements do not apply.   |
|                                                                       |
| *Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 54, §11B; §13 (Thomson/West 2006).*              |
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| **[Term Requirements]{.underline}**                                   |
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| Every election officer shall hold office for one year, beginning with |
| September first succeeding his appointment, and until his successor   |
| is qualified, or until his removal.                                   |
|                                                                       |
| *Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 54, §13 (Thomson/West 2006).*                    |
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| **[Compensation and Hour Requirements]{.underline}**                  |
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| Election officers shall receive such compensation as the city council |
| or the selectmen respectively may determine.                          |
|                                                                       |
| *Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 54, §22 (Thomson/West 2006)*                     |
|                                                                       |
| \* Pending legislation - H.B. 129 protects the rights of employees    |
| who have been appointed to serve as election officers. Any            |
| interference in their duties may be met with criminal and civil       |
| penalties.                                                            |
|                                                                       |
| *2005 MA H.B. 129 (NS) (Thomson/West 2006)*                           |
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| **[Training, Certification and Oath Requirements]{.underline}**       |
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| Oath required.                                                        |
|                                                                       |
| *Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 54, §20 (Thomson/West 2006).*                    |
|                                                                       |
| \*Pending Legislation - H.B. 128: No later than June 30, 2006, the    |
| state secretary shall adopt uniform standards for the training of     |
| election officers.                                                    |
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| **[Elected Public Officials Prohibited]{.underline}**                 |
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| Neither a town moderator nor any member of a board of selectmen shall |
| be eligible or act as an election officer in a state or presidential  |
| primary, or state election.                                           |
|                                                                       |
| *Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 54, §15 (Thomson/West 2006).*                    |
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| **[Candidates Prohibited]{.underline}**                               |
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| No person shall, at a state, city or town election, be eligible or    |
| act as an election officer in a voting precinct where he is a         |
| candidate for election.                                               |
|                                                                       |
| *Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 54, §15 (Thomson/West 2006).*                    |
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| **[The Effect of Felon Status on Participation]{.underline}**         |
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| Prohibited if incarcerated in a correctional facility due to a felony |
| conviction.                                                           |
|                                                                       |
| *Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 51, §1; Mass. Const. Amend. Art. III             |
| (Thomson/West 2006).*                                                 |
|                                                                       |
| May be temporarily or permanently disqualified by law because of      |
| corrupt practices in respect to elections.                            |
|                                                                       |
| *Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 51, §1; Mass. Const. Amend. Art. III             |
| (Thomson/West 2006).*                                                 |
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| **[The Effect of Mental Incapacitation on                             |
| Participation]{.underline}**                                          |
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| Prohibited if adjudicated incompetent or under guardianship.          |
|                                                                       |
| *Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 51, §1; Mass. Const. Amend. Art. III             |
| (Thomson/West 2006).*                                                 |
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| **[English Fluency and Literacy Requirement]{.underline}**            |
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| Must be able to read the constitution in the English language, and    |
| write name. This provision neither applies to any person prevented by |
| a physical disability from complying, nor to any person who at the    |
| time of the amendment had the right to vote, nor to anyone who was    |
| sixty or over when the amendment took effect.                         |
|                                                                       |
| *Mass. Const. Amend. Art. XX (Thomson/West 2006).*                    |
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| **[Good Reputation Requirement]{.underline}**                         |
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| No Information Available.                                             |
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| **[Alternative Positions with Different Requirements]{.underline}**   |
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| No Information Available.                                             |
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| **[Student Election Assistant Statute]{.underline}**                  |
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| Two 16 or 17 years old election officers may be a appointed who meets |
| the following qualifications:                                         |
|                                                                       |
| • are residents of commonwealth and are United States citizens;       |
|                                                                       |
| • have the ability to speak, read, and write the English language;    |
|                                                                       |
| • have permission from parents and principal; and                     |
|                                                                       |
| • are trained.                                                        |
|                                                                       |
| May be considered community service activity.                         |
|                                                                       |
| *Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 54, §11B (Thomson/West 2006).*                   |
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