POR 2016 #296 · Agenda item attachment · Nov 7 2016

__________________________________________________________________ AN ACT TO EMPOWER NON-CITIZEN RESIDENTS OF CAMBRIDGE TO VOTE IN CITY COUNCIL AND SCHOOL COMMITTEE ELECTIONS Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows: SECTION 1. Notwithstanding the provisions of section one of chapter fifty-one of the general laws, or any other general or special law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, non-citizens eighteen years or older who reside in the City of Cambridge, upon application, have their names entered on a list of voters, established by the Election Commission, for the city of Cambridge and may thereafter vote in any election for school committee members, City Council, and municipal ballot questions. Such non-citizens members shall remain eligible to vote in school committee and City Council elections for so long as they remain domiciled in Cambridge. SECTION 2. The Election Commission is authorized to formulate regulations, guidelines and registration forms to implement the purpose of this act. The voter registration forms include a declaration to be signed under pains and penalties of perjury by the non-citizen voter that: 1) s/he is over the age of eighteen; 2) s/he currently resides in Cambridge; 3) s/he does not hold a non-immigrant visa. SECTION 3. Nothing in this act shall be construed to confer upon non-citizens the right to vote for any state or federal office, any state or federal ballot questions, or the right to run for any public office.