Massachusetts General Laws
Chapter 54 - Elections
Section 69 - Persons Permitted Within Guard Rail

Section 69. No persons except the election officers, supervisors, custodians of voting machines when acting in the course of their duties, the city or town clerks, and voters admitted for the purpose of voting, shall, during the progress of an election and until the public declaration of the vote, be permitted within the guard rail, unless authorized by the election officers for the purpose of keeping order and enforcing the law. Children, in the company of a voter, may be admitted within the guardrail unless the election officer in charge deems that the admittance of such child would disrupt the maintenance of order.

Structure Massachusetts General Laws

Massachusetts General Laws

Part I - Administration of the Government

Title VIII - Elections

Chapter 54 - Elections

Section 1 - Decennial Division of Cities Into Wards and Precincts

Section 2 - Division of Cities and Wards Into Voting Precincts; Census; Effect Upon Formation of Congressional, Representative, Senatorial or Councillor Districts

Section 4 - New Divisions of Cities Into Wards, When Effective; Congressional Districts

Section 5 - Maps or Descriptions of New Divisions; Publication and Posting

Section 6 - Division of Towns Into Voting Precincts

Section 7 - Changes in Voting Precincts of Towns

Section 7a - Dividing Precincts to Facilitate Voting; Applicable Laws

Section 8 - Maps or Descriptions of New Precincts; Posting

Section 9 - Discontinuance of Voting Precincts

Section 9a - Redivision Into Precincts or Districts; Elections Thereafter; Census

Section 10 - Changes in Wards; Notice to State Secretary

Section 11 - Election Officers in Certain Cities

Section 11a - Deputies

Section 11b - Filing for Appointment in Cities; Procedure; Eligibility; Examinations

Section 12 - Election Officers in Towns; Procedure; Eligibility; Examinations

Section 13 - Party Representation; Term of Office; Removal

Section 14 - Vacancies; Filling

Section 15 - Eligibility of Candidates

Section 16 - Deputies; Duties

Section 16a - Vacancies; Appointments to Fill

Section 17 - Ballot Clerks; Duties

Section 20 - Oath of Office

Section 22 - Compensation of Election Officers

Section 23 - Supervisors of Elections; Political Party Representation; Violations

Section 24 - Designation of Polling Places

Section 25 - Marking Shelves and Guard Rails

Section 25a - Display of National Flag

Section 25b - Early Voting; Application for Early Voting Ballots; Early Voting Period, Sites and Lists; Counting of Early Voting Ballots

Section 26 - State Ballot Boxes; Furnishing

Section 27 - Blank Forms and Envelopes for Returns; Injury, Tampering, or Destruction; Penalties

Section 28 - Care, Custody and Repair of Ballot Boxes, Counting Apparatus, and Voting Machines

Section 29 - Replacement of Defective, Lost or Destroyed Ballot Boxes

Section 30 - Voting Place or Precinct Seals; Use and Custody

Section 30a - Custodians of Voting Machines; Duties; Eligibility

Section 31 - Sending Ballot Boxes, Blank Forms, and Counting Apparatus to Polls; Installation of Voting Machines; Voters' Authority Certificates

Section 32 - Examination and Approval of Voting Equipment

Section 33 - Requirements and Use of Voting Machines, Electronic Voting Systems, and Ballots

Section 33a - Additional Requirements for Voting Machines

Section 33b - Use of Voting Machines; Regulations; Mechanical Failures

Section 33c - Instructions to Voter After Entering Voting Machine Booth; Re-Entry After Voting

Section 33d - Voting for Persons Not Listed on Ballot Labels of Machine

Section 33e - Electronic Voting Systems; Marking Implements; Stickers or Pasters on Ballots; Inspection; Instructions to Voters; Write-in Candidates

Section 33f - Computers and Counting Units; Central Tabulation Centers; Preparation; Testing

Section 33g - Lease or Purchase of Marking Units or Tabulating Units; Bonds From Manufacturers or Distributors

Section 33h - Election Officers for Tabulation Center; Tabulation of Votes

Section 33i - Examination of Electronic Poll Books; Compliance With Minimum Requirements; Approval for Use in Elections

Section 34 - Use of Voting Machines by Cities and Towns

Section 35 - Public Exhibition of Voting Machines; Instruction to Voters; Delivery to Polls; Examination

Section 35a - Challenged or Absent Voting Ballots Where Voting Machines Used; Questions Submitted to Voters

Section 35b - Casting Challenged Votes Where Voting Machines Used; Counting Votes

Section 36 - Number of Election Officers Present When Voting Machines Used

Section 37 - Regulations for Use of Voting Machines, Ballot Boxes, Etc.

Section 39 - Seller's Bonds; Electronic Voting Systems, Voting Machines or Ballot Boxes

Section 40 - Preparation and Furnishing

Section 41 - Names; Residences; Political Designation; Incumbents

Section 41a - Governor and Lieutenant Governor Candidates; Grouping Party Nominees; Order

Section 42 - Arrangement of Names; Blank Spaces; Name of City or Town, Etc.

Section 42a - Questions Submitted to Voters; Designation

Section 42b - Public Policy Questions; Placement on Ballots

Section 42c - Deadline for Ballot Questions

Section 43 - Presidential Electors; Arrangement of Names

Section 43a - State Elections and Primaries; Officers to Be Elected; Manner and Order of Appearance on Ballots

Section 44 - Official Ballots

Section 45 - Number of Ballots Provided; Ballot Labels for Voting Machines

Section 46 - Packaging Ballots; Record

Section 47 - Vacancies; Printing Ballots

Section 48 - Cards of Instruction; Specimen Ballots; Copies of Information for Voters Material

Section 48a - Voters' Bill of Rights; Postings; Preparation and Revision

Section 49 - Lists of Candidates; Copies of Proposed Constitutional Amendments or Laws

Section 50 - City Elections; Posting Names of Candidates

Section 51 - Town Elections; Posting Names of Candidates

Section 52 - Lists of Candidates; Questions Submitted to Voters; Availability for Publication; State and City Elections

Section 53 - Mailing Lists of Voters; Copies of Measures, Summaries, Ballot Question Titles, Statements and Arguments to Voters; Public Examination; Petition for Amendment

Section 54 - Arguments on Measures; Preparation; Submission, Filing; Printing; Mailing

Section 58a - General Laws Submitted to Municipal Voters for Acceptance; Form of Question; Filing Date

Section 59 - Packaging and Delivery to City or Town Clerks

Section 60 - Duties of City and Town Clerks; Delivery to Polls; Receipts

Section 61 - Failure to Deliver; Substitute Ballots

Section 62 - Biennial State Elections

Section 63 - Calling City and Town Elections; Notice

Section 64 - Notices or Warrants; Requisites; Time of Opening and Closing Polls

Section 65 - Activities at Polling Places; Regulations; Penalties

Section 66 - State Ballot Boxes; Use and Custody

Section 67 - Voting Lists; Delivery and Use; Voting by Persons Not on List

Section 67a - Additional State Ballot Boxes; Use in Towns

Section 68 - Statements Made Before Public Declaration of Vote; Penalties

Section 69 - Persons Permitted Within Guard Rail

Section 70 - Number of Voters Permitted Within Guard Rail; Voters in Line at Closing Time

Section 71 - Presiding Officers; Powers and Duties

Section 71a - Supervision of Election Officers in Cities and Towns

Section 72 - Preservation of Order by Police

Section 73 - Smoking or Intoxicating Liquors in Polling Places Prohibited; Penalties

Section 74 - Detention of Offenders; Effect on Right to Vote

Section 75 - Report of Violations; Prosecutions

Section 76 - Voting; Giving Name and Address Upon Request; Delivery of Ballot

Section 76b - Failure to Present Voter Identification; Right to Challenge Vote

Section 76c - Provisional Ballot

Section 77 - Marking Ballots

Section 78 - Voting for Presidential Electors, Governor, and Lieutenant Governor; Marking Ballots

Section 78a - List of Candidates for Electors Pledged to Presidential Candidates Other Than Those on Official Ballot; Written Acceptances; Filing; Certification; Form of Write-in or Sticker Vote

Section 79 - Assistance in Marking Ballots

Section 80 - Prohibited Markings; Use of Red Pencils or Red Ink by Election Officers

Section 81 - Spoiled Ballots

Section 82 - Folding Ballots; Time for Marking Ballots

Section 83 - Deposit of Ballots, Voting List Check, Endorsement

Section 84 - Removal of Ballots Before Close of Polls

Section 85 - Challenge of Person's Right to Vote, Procedures

Section 85a - Challengers

Section 86 - Absent or Physically Disabled Voters

Section 87 - Preparation of Absent Voting Ballots, Envelopes, Instructions

Section 88 - Distribution of Absent Voting Ballots

Section 89 - Applications; Seasonably Filed; Spoiled Ballots; Application by Family Member

Section 91 - Applications; Filing and Certification; Notation on Voting Lists; Posting

Section 91a - Applications of Specially Qualified Voters

Section 91b - Delivery of Ballots

Section 91c - Absentee Ballot for Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, or Uocava, Voter; Entering Application for Ballot Into Voter Registration Information System; Transmission of Absentee Ballot

Section 92 - Method of Voting

Section 93 - Time for Mailing or Delivering Ballots

Section 94 - Examination of Ballots; Acceptance or Rejection

Section 95 - Duties of Election Officers; Deposit of Absent Voting Ballots; Receipt and Counting of Federal Write-in Absentee Ballots

Section 96 - Challenges

Section 97 - Immaterial Irregularities

Section 98 - Absent Voter Unable to Mark Ballot

Section 99 - Late Ballots; Disposition

Section 100 - Voting in Person; Death of Absent Voter

Section 102 - Printed Information and Instructions as to Absent Voting

Section 103 - Jurisdiction of Courts

Section 103a - Sections Applicable to City and Town Elections, Primaries and Caucuses, and to Regional Vocational School District Elections

Section 103p - City or Town Elections; Preliminary Elections or Primaries

Section 103q - Informality; Liberal Construction

Section 104 - Use of State Blank Forms and Apparatus; Canvass of Votes

Section 105 - Proceedings at Close of Polls; Counting Votes; Announcing and Recording Results

Section 105a - Electronic Voting Methods; Proceedings at Close of Polls; Counting of Ballots; Announcement of Vote; Transportation to Tabulation Center

Section 106 - Defective Ballots

Section 107 - Enclosing and Sealing Ballots and Voting Lists; Certification

Section 108 - Copies of Voting Lists as Checked

Section 109 - Ballots and Lists; Custody; Disposition

Section 109a - Audit of Votes Following Presidential General Election

Section 110 - Rejection of Records

Section 110a - Central Tabulation Facilities

Section 111 - Examination of Precinct Records; Errors; Certification

Section 112 - Copies of Records of Votes to State Secretary

Section 113 - Unsealed Copies Transmitted to State Secretary; Proceedings

Section 114 - Endorsement or Memorandum of Receipt

Section 115 - Copies of Records of Votes to Governor and Council; Examination; Determination of Results

Section 116 - Certification of Results; Summons; Certificates of Election

Section 116a - Election of Person Not Listed on State Ballot; Financial Interest Statement

Section 117 - Return to State Secretary; Laying Before Legislature; Filing

Section 118 - Presidential Electors; Copies of Records of Votes; Proclamations; Certificate of Election

Section 119 - Petition to Court for Declaration of Election; Notice; Hearing

Section 120 - Procedure; Compulsion and Immunity of Witness

Section 121 - Examination of Records; Certificates of Election; Notice to State Secretary

Section 122 - Board of Examiners; Duties; Certificates of Election; Notice to State Secretary

Section 123 - Incomplete Records; New Copies of Returns

Section 129 - Copies of Returns of Votes; Transmittal to State Secretary

Section 130 - Number of Ballots Cast; Statement at Length

Section 131 - Violations; Effect on Records

Section 132 - Number of Names Checked; Certification

Section 133 - Number of Registered Voters, etc.; Report

Section 134 - Contested Elections; Retention of Ballots; Recounts

Section 135 - Petition for Recount; Filing; Contents; Examination; Recounts; Notice; Amendment of Records

Section 135a - Recount Where Voting Machines Used; Period During Which Machines Locked and Sealed

Section 135b - Recount Where Electronic Voting System Used; Petition Specifying Recount by Hand

Section 136 - Information Regarding Ballots Cast by Challenged Voters

Section 137 - Election Results in Cities; Declaration Before Recounts; Certificates of Election

Section 138 - Presidential Electors

Section 140 - Senators and Representatives in Congress; Vacancies

Section 141 - Representatives in General Court; Vacancies

Section 142 - District Attorneys and County Officers

Section 143 - County Treasurers; Registers of Deeds

Section 143a - Register of Deeds; Vacancies

Section 144 - County Commissioners

Section 145 - Death After Election but Before Term

Section 146 - Notice to State Secretary

Section 147 - Elections to Fill Vacancies

Section 148 - Meetings; Organization; Record of Proceedings

Section 149 - Compensation

Section 150 - State Officers

Section 151 - Presidential Electors

Section 152 - Senators in Congress

Section 153 - Representatives in Congress

Section 154 - District Attorneys

Section 155 - Clerks of Courts

Section 156 - Registers of Probate

Section 157 - Registers of Deeds

Section 158 - County Commissioners

Section 159 - Sheriffs

Section 160 - County Treasurers

Section 162 - Regional District School Committees Members

Section 25c - Correctional Facility; Voting