Massachusetts General Laws
Chapter 53 - Nominations, Questions to Be Submitted to the Voters, Primaries and Caucuses
Section 28 - Dates and Places for Holding Primaries

Section 28. State primaries shall be held on the seventh Tuesday preceding biennial state elections and on the fourth Tuesday preceding special state elections, except that primaries before special elections for senator or representative in congress shall be held on the sixth Tuesday preceding said elections. If a religious holiday falls on or immediately before the second Tuesday in September in an even-numbered year, the state primary shall be held on a date set by the state secretary within 7 days of the second Tuesday in September. The state secretary shall publish the date change of the state primary not later than February 1 of that year by: (i) providing notice of the change to the state parties; (ii) filing notice with the state publications and regulations division; (iii) posting the information on the website of the state secretary; and (iv) any other means necessary to ensure proper notification. Presidential primaries shall be held on the first Tuesday in March in any year in which presidential electors are to be elected. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, any town may hold its preliminary or regular town elections on the same date designated as the date to hold a presidential primary, in any year in which presidential electors are to be elected, provided that such election is by a ballot independent of the ballot used at a presidential primary. City and town primaries before all city and town elections shall be held on the twenty-eighth day preceding such elections.
Except in Boston, primaries shall be held wholly or partly by wards, precincts or towns, as the aldermen or selectmen may designate.
Notwithstanding the provisions of any general or special law, town charter or by-law to the contrary, if the date for holding a preliminary, primary or town election or annual town meeting falls within thirty days before or after the presidential primary, the town council in a town having a town council and the board of selectmen in any other town, after consulting the town clerk may, by majority vote, establish a date between February first and May thirty-first for holding such preliminary, primary or town election or annual town meeting. Any preliminary, primary or town election or annual meeting shall be held on the date or dates established and shall be called as provided by sections nine A and ten of chapter thirty-nine.
Notwithstanding the provisions of any general or special law to the contrary, if the date for holding a district election falls within thirty days before or after the presidential primary, the prudential committee, if any, otherwise the commissioners, of the district may, by majority vote, establish a date between February first and May thirty-first for holding such district election. Any district election shall be held on the date established and shall be called as provided by section one hundred and nineteen of chapter forty-one. For the purposes of this section, district shall mean a district created by special law or established under the provisions of a general law.

Structure Massachusetts General Laws

Massachusetts General Laws

Part I - Administration of the Government

Title VIII - Elections

Chapter 53 - Nominations, Questions to Be Submitted to the Voters, Primaries and Caucuses

Section 1 - Parties Entitled to Make Nominations

Section 2 - Nominations and Elections; Necessity; Procedure

Section 3 - Nomination of Person Not Printed on Primary Ballot; Acceptance; Statement of Financial Interest

Section 4 - Conventions to Nominate Candidates; Dates

Section 5 - Certificate of Nomination; Contents; Signatures; Filing; Written Acceptance of Candidate

Section 6 - Nomination Papers; Contents; Number of Signatures; Unenrolled Candidates

Section 7 - Nomination Papers; Signatures; Addresses; Submission; Deadlines; Correction Procedures; Certification and Checking; Special Elections

Section 7a - Nomination Papers for City Offices; Deadlines; Signatures; Certification and Checking

Section 8 - Certificates of Nomination and Nomination Papers; Contents; Party Designation

Section 9 - Certificate of Nomination and Nomination Papers; Certification of Candidate as Registered Voter; Acceptance Procedure

Section 9a - Nomination Papers for Cities or Towns; Applicable Provisions

Section 10 - Certificates of Nomination and Nomination Papers; Time for Filing

Section 11 - Certificates of Nomination and Nomination Papers; Objections; Filing

Section 13 - Withdrawal of Nominated Candidates

Section 14 - Death, Withdrawal or Ineligibility of Nominated Candidates; Filling Vacancies; Objections

Section 15 - Certificate of Nomination to Fill Vacancy; Contents; Acceptance

Section 16 - Certificates of Nomination, etc.; Public Inspection; Preservation

Section 17 - Blank Forms for Nominations

Section 17a - Procedure

Section 18 - Proposed Amendments to Federal Constitution; Opinion of Voters Ascertained

Section 18a - Nonbinding Public Opinion Advisory Questions on Local Ballots

Section 18b - Information Relating to Questions on City, Town or District Ballot; Contents; Written Arguments by Principal Proponents and Opponents; Public Inspection

Section 19 - Questions of Public Policy Submitted in Certain Districts Upon Application

Section 20 - Applications; Signatures; Identification; Certification; Submission

Section 21 - Applications; Filing Deadline; Number of Questions; Resubmission

Section 22 - Instructions to Representatives; Necessity of Majority Vote

Section 22a - Signing Petitions; Forms; Receipt; Filing Date

Section 23 - Sections Applicable to All Primaries

Section 24 - Applicability of Sections Relating to Elections and Corrupt Practices

Section 25 - Withdrawal of Nominations

Section 28 - Dates and Places for Holding Primaries

Section 29 - Designation of Primary Officers; Compensation

Section 30 - Designation of Primary Officers; Wards or Towns

Section 31 - Ineligibility to Act as Primary Officers

Section 32 - Ballots; Preparation; Number

Section 33 - Ballots; Color; Specimen Ballots

Section 34 - Ballots; Contents; Arrangement; Form

Section 34a - Absentee Ballots; Application; Forms; Envelopes; Preparation

Section 35 - Cross Constituting as Vote

Section 35a - Use of Pasters or Stickers

Section 35b - Persons Nominated by Pasters or Write-Ins; Notice

Section 36 - Delivery of Ballots, etc., at Polling Places; Posting Specimen Ballots

Section 37 - Party Enrollment of Voters

Section 37a - Absentee Ballots; Application; Unenrolled Voters; Recording Upon Voting Lists

Section 38 - Party Designation of Voters and Eligibility to Vote Under Party Enrollments; Certificate to Establish, Change or Cancel Enrollment

Section 38a - Enrolled and Unenrolled Voters; Precinct Count

Section 39 - Counting Votes

Section 40 - Number of Votes Necessary to Nominate Candidate Not on Ballot

Section 40a - Petitions for Recounts

Section 41 - Sections Applicable to Nominations at State Primaries

Section 42 - Primaries Held by Wards, Precincts or Groups of Precincts; Notice to State Secretary

Section 43 - Polls; Hours When Open

Section 44 - Nomination Papers; Number of Signatures

Section 45 - Nomination Papers; Contents; Signatures; Acceptance; Number of Candidates; Penalty Provisions

Section 46 - Nomination Papers; Submission to Registrars; Certification; Correction of District; Number of Names

Section 47 - Nomination Papers; Preparation; Availability

Section 48 - Nomination Papers; Certificates of Nomination; Filing; Political Party Membership; Term Limits

Section 49 - Nomination in Case of Withdrawal, Death or Ineligibility

Section 50 - Vacancies Caused by Withdrawal; Nominations to Fill; Objections

Section 51 - Counting Ballots

Section 52 - Canvass and Return of Votes; Certification and Notification of Nominees

Section 53 - Vacancies Caused by Ties; Filling

Section 53a - Objections to Nominations; Withdrawals by Nominees

Section 55 - Primaries for City and Town Nominations; Objections; Withdrawals

Section 56 - Primaries for Nomination; Submission of Question; Notice of Result to State Secretary

Section 57 - Notices of Intention to Participate in Primaries

Section 58 - Blank Nomination Papers; Contents

Section 59 - Nominations on Blank Nomination Papers; Signatures; Acceptance

Section 60 - Nomination Papers; Contents

Section 61 - Nomination Papers; Filing; Certification; Correction of District

Section 62 - Death, Withdrawal, or Ineligibility of Candidates; Filling Vacancies

Section 63 - Polls; Hours

Section 64 - Returns of Votes; Canvass and Certification

Section 70a - Sections Applicable

Section 70b - Delegates to National Conventions; Election; Number

Section 70c - Primaries by Wards, Precincts or Groups of Precincts; Notice to State Secretary

Section 70d - Nomination Papers

Section 70e - Order of Names on Ballots; Statement of Preference; Preferential Vote Count

Section 70f - Canvass of Returns; Notice; Certification; Certificates

Section 70g - Filling Vacancies

Section 70h - Applicability of Certain Other Sections

Section 70i - Delegates and Alternate Delegates to National Conventions; Voting for President on First Roll Call

Section 71 - Nomination at Caucuses

Section 72 - Regulations for City or Town Caucuses

Section 72a - Time for Holding City or Town Caucuses

Section 73 - Caucuses Held by Precincts or Groups of Precincts; Notice

Section 74 - Caucuses Relative to Special Elections

Section 75 - Calling of Caucuses; Notice

Section 76 - Persons Entitled to Vote or Take Part in Caucuses; Oath; Challenges; Penalties

Section 77 - Balloting; Use of Voting Lists

Section 78 - Tie Vote for Caucus Officers

Section 79 - Certificate of Election; Notice of Nomination

Section 80 - Returns of Caucuses Where Direct Nominations Made; Tabulation of Results; Notice; Recounts

Section 81 - Tie Votes in Direct Nominations; Filling Vacancies

Section 82 - Polling Places Provided; Notice

Section 83 - Notice of Caucuses; Procedure

Section 84 - Balloting; Duration

Section 85 - Tie Vote for Elective Office; Proceedings

Section 86 - Ballots and Check Lists; Transmission to City or Town Clerk; Preservation

Section 87 - Contested Elections or Nominations; Preservation of Ballots; Notice; Recount; Penalties

Section 88 - Calling of Caucuses

Section 89 - Adoption of Law for Official Ballots; Calling Caucuses; Notice

Section 90 - Revocation of Acceptance of Special Provisions; Notice

Section 91 - Time of Holding Caucuses

Section 92 - Notices of Caucuses; Contents

Section 93 - Provision of Polling Places; Voting Lines

Section 94 - Notice by City or Town Committees

Section 95 - Blank Nomination Papers; Contents

Section 96 - Nominations Made by Nomination Papers; Acceptance; Vacancies

Section 97 - Nomination Papers; Sealing; Filing; Opening

Section 98 - Correction of Errors; Notice

Section 99 - Proceedings in Cities When Papers Not Filed; Filling Vacancies

Section 100 - Proceedings in Towns When Papers Not Filed

Section 101 - Withdrawals; Filling Vacancies

Section 102 - Nomination Papers; Delivery to City or Town Clerk

Section 103 - Nomination Papers; Correction of Errors

Section 104 - Objections to Nomination Papers

Section 105 - Ballots; Provision by Cities or Towns

Section 106 - Form of Official Ballot

Section 107 - Applicability of Certain Laws

Section 108 - Order of Business

Section 109 - Challenges

Section 110 - Counting of Ballots; Announcement of Result; Sealing; Transmittal of Records

Section 111 - Voting Lists; Certified Copies

Section 112 - Recount of Ballots

Section 113 - Caucus Officers; Eligibility; Terms; Oaths; Duties

Section 114 - Vacancies; Additional Officers

Section 115 - Appointment of Officers for First Caucus

Section 116 - Caucus Officers in Newly Incorporated Cities or Cities Redivided Into Wards

Section 117 - Caucuses to Nominate Municipal Officers; Convention Delegates; Committees

Section 118 - Notice of Caucus; Chairman; Order of Business

Section 119 - Elections by Ballot; Written Request

Section 120 - Preservation of Ballots and Voting Lists

Section 121 - Calling Town Caucus at Annual Meeting; Rescission; Nominations; Tie Vote

Section 122 - Regional School District-Wide Elections; Applicable Provisions