2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VIII - Elections › Chapter 54 - Elections › Section 11b - Filing for Appointment in Cities; Procedure; Eligibility; Examinations

Section 11B. The chairman of the city committee of each political party entitled to representation in the appointment of election officers may, not later than June first in each year, file with the registrars lists of enrolled members of such party who desire appointment as election officers as submitted to him by the several ward committees. The registrars shall, not later than April fifteenth of each year, make written notification to the chairman of record of the city committee of each political party and the chairman of record of the ward committee of each political party that said list must be submitted no later than June first of the same year. Upon the filing of such lists the registrars shall forthwith proceed to the consideration thereof and shall, on or before June thirtieth, submit to the mayor or other appointing authority the names of persons whose names appear on the lists, who in their opinion are qualified to act as election officers. The lists submitted by the several ward committees shall contain not more than eight names for each office to be filled. Supplemental lists for any election district as submitted by the several ward committees therein may be filed by the said chairman at any time before the appointments for such district are made, for the purpose of filling vacancies which may occur in the original lists. No person shall be appointed as an election officer until he is found qualified to act as such as herein provided. Appointments shall be made from the original list before any names are taken from any supplemental list.
If, upon the expiration of fifteen days after notice given in writing prior to June fifteenth, in any year by the mayor or other appointing authority to the chairman of any political committee by whom lists are to be filed hereunder, and to the chairman of the state committee of such political party, neither the state nor city chairman shall have filed original or supplemental lists, the mayor or other appointing authority may appoint as election officers registered voters in the commonwealth, except as otherwise provided in this section recommended by the city clerk or election commission, who, in the opinion of the mayor or other appointing authority, are qualified to act as such.
Not more than 2 such election officers may be appointed who: (1) are 16 or 17 years of age; (2) are residents of the commonwealth; (3) are United States citizens when appointed; (4) are able to speak, read and write the English language; (5) have provided a letter from a parent or guardian giving permission for them to serve as election officers; (6) have provided a letter from their school principal giving permission for them to be absent from school to serve as election officers if the election or a training will take place when school is in session or, if home schooled, have provided a copy of the document indicating approval to be home schooled; and (7) agree to attend required training sessions. If an election officer under this paragraph attends a school that encourages or requires community service, serving as an election officer may be considered a community service activity. In no case shall a person 16 or 17 years of age serve as an election officer on the day of an election for more than the number of hours permitted for such a person to work pursuant to section 66 of chapter 149.
The registrars may, if they deem it necessary, conduct examinations of persons whose names appear on the lists filed hereunder. Five days' notice shall be given of any such examination. The chairman of each city committee may appear and be heard either in person or by counsel, during the conduct of such examinations.