Massachusetts Statutes § 54:41 Names; residences; political designations; incumbents

Statute Text

Ballots for the use of voters in a voting precinct, polling place or town shall contain the names of all candidates duly nominated for election therein, and, except as provided in section forty-three, they shall contain the name of no other person.

To the name of each candidate for a state office shall be added the name of the city or town where he resides, with the name of the street and number, if any, of his residence, except as provided in section forty-one A. To the name of each candidate for a city office shall be added the name of the street on which he resides, with his street number, if any; and to the name of each candidate for alderman at large shall also be added the number of the ward where he resides.

To the name of each candidate for a state or city office, except for city elections which are not preceded by primaries, shall be added in the same space his party or political designation. Failure to make a political designation shall result in the term "Unenrolled" being used. To the name of a candidate for a state or city office who is an elected incumbent thereof there shall be added in the same space the words "Candidate for Reelection", except in the case of political party candidates for the offices of governor and lieutenant governor. A candidate for election to the same office in a precinct, ward or district which contains any portion of the territory which he was elected to represent at the last preceding municipal or state election for that office shall be considered an elected incumbent within the meaning of this section; provided, however, that a district alderman, councilor or school member seeking election as an at-large alderman, at-large councilor or at-large school committee member, shall not be considered an incumbent. To the name of each candidate for a town office upon an official ballot shall be added the name of the street on which he resides, with his street number, if any and, except for town elections which are not preceded by primaries or political party caucuses, the political designation contained in the certificate of nomination or nomination papers. To the name of each candidate for a town office upon an official ballot who is an elected incumbent thereof shall be added the words "Candidate for Re-election". The town clerk shall add the words "Caucus Nominee" to the name of any candidate nominated for a town office by a caucus held under the provisions of sections one hundred and seventeen to one hundred and twenty, inclusive, of chapter fifty-three.

If a candidate shall receive the nomination of more than one party or more than one political designation for the same office, he may, by a writing delivered to the officer or board required by law to prepare the official ballot, direct in what order the several nominations or political designations shall be added to his name upon the official ballot, and such directions shall be followed by such officer or board.

For all elections following primaries, such direction shall be filed within the time required by section three of chapter fifty-three for acceptance of a write-in or sticker nomination; and for all other elections, within seventy-two hours next succeeding the last time for filing nomination papers or certificates of nomination.

If, during said time, said candidate shall neglect to so direct, said officer or board shall add said nominations or political designations to the name of said candidate upon the official ballot in such order as said officer or board shall determine. The name of any person shall not be printed on the official ballot or on ballot labels more than once as a candidate for the same office nor more than once for any office wherein a full term and a partial term running concurrently are to be filled.

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