Little known Massachusetts law ensures transparency in elections

There’s a little known Massachusetts law that ensures transparency in elections but many communities are not practicing it.

Massachusetts General Law C.54 section 12 details what towns across the Commonwealth must follow when it comes to the appointment of election workers, including poll workers and wardens. Per section 12, the Board of Selectmen must send a letter asking for suggested appointees to each of the political town committees, both Democratic and Republican, by April 15th of each year. Each town committee can then submit individuals of their respected party to the Board of Registrars for consideration. Those names are then sent to the Board of Selectmen, who then make the final decision and vote to appoint poll workers.

The matter was recently brought to the Town Clerk in Somerset by members of the Somerset Republican Town Committee. The Committee, which was established in March of this year, identified that state law was not being followed and brought the matter to the attention of the Town Clerk, Caitlin Hadala.

Hadala, who became clerk in April of this year, admitted that the practice of appointing election officials and poll workers in Somerset had traditionally not been adhering to state law. Hadala, who was unaware of the law herself, then partnered with Somerset Town Administrator Mark Ullicci for a solution. Hadala sent an email to both the Somerset Democratic Town Committee and Republican Town Committee, asking for names to be submitted for consideration. Soon after, a meeting of the Somerset Board of Registrars was held where those names were voted on and the list was then submitted to the Board of Selectmen, who voted to approve the names at their next scheduled meeting, which took place the next night.

Speaking with a representative from the Secretary of State’s Elections Division, Fall River Reporter learned that despite being a long-standing law in Massachusetts, the process for appointing election officials and poll workers has rarely been adhered to. The representative stated that only after the 2020 Presidential election has there been an interest in the process of appointing election officials and poll workers, with many communities unaware of the law.

Large cities, such as Boston, have a website dedicated to enlisting individuals to help work the polls, with an online form interested workers can use to sign up. The town of Somerset offers an online application that can be printed, filled out and returned to town hall.

Election officials and poll workers are not to be confused with poll watchers, individuals who need not be appointed to observe election day proceedings. For more information on poll watchers, you can read more here: https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/poll-watchers-and-challengers