Code of Massachusetts Regulations
950 CMR - OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF THE COMMONWEALTH
Title 950 CMR 47.00 - Early Voting Procedures
Section 47.13 - Designation of Central Tabulation Facility
Universal Citation: 950 MA Code of Regs 950.47
Current through Register 1537, December 20, 2024
(1) A city or town may determine to tally early voting ballots at a central tabulation facility.
(a)
Determination to Use a Central Tabulation Facility.
The local election official shall designate any central tabulation facility at
least 21 days before Election Day and notice of such determination must be sent
within two business days to the Secretary. The central tabulation facility must
be in compliance with accessibility regulations found at
950 CMR 51.00:
Polling Place Accessibility for Elderly and Handicapped
Voters.
1. The notice shall contain
the name and address of the approved early central tabulation facility and the
time that the facility will open.
2. If the city or town uses electronic voting
equipment, the notice shall also contain a certification from the local
election official that he or she understands that if the tabulator or
tabulators used at the central tabulation facility fail or become unusable, all
early voting ballots must be counted by hand.
(b) There shall be at least one tabulator or
counting unit at each such tabulation center, which must be tested in
accordance with the provisions of
950 CMR 54.02:
Testing.
(c) The
local election official shall designate sufficient staffing of election
officers at the central tabulation facility for the orderly processing of early
voting ballots.
(d) The hours of
operation of the central tabulation facility shall be set by the local election
official. Central tabulation facilities may open as early as the polling
places, but once open must remain open until the closing of the
polls.
(e) After the hour fixed for
the closing of the polls, the central tabulation facility shall remain open for
public viewing of the final tabulation of the early voting ballots.
(f) Only early voting ballots received prior
to Election Day can be processed at a central tabulation facility.
(g) Any early voting ballots received on the
day of the election shall be processed at the polls.
(2) Each central tabulation facility must be open to the public for viewing the proceedings from behind a guard rail.
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