Nomination Papers for Local Candidates Now Are Due on July 25

By Sue Ellen Woodcock

The Election Department has caught an error on the 2017 Election calendar and it has changed the date to turn in nomination papers to Tuesday, July 25.

Election Commissioner Diane Colella said she was working with a pre-existing calendar.

“The calendar had a flaw in it and I realized it and I had to correct the error in accordance to state law,” Colella explained.

In a prepared statement, Colella said, “In preparing the 2017 Election calendar an error was made in the calculation of the number of days needed prior to the deadline for submission of Nomination papers in order to hold the Primary Election on Tuesday, September 12, 2017.  Listed below are the sections of the Massachusetts General Law that governs the number of days needed.”

Her statement continued, “As per Massachusetts General Law Chapter 53, Section 10 which reads in part “In any city, except Boston, certificates of nomination and nomination papers for any city election shall be filed on or before the thirty-fifth day preceding such Election.”

Finally, she stated, “under Massachusetts General Law Chapter 53, section 7 which reads in part ‘Every nomination paper of a candidate for a city or town office shall be submitted to the registrars of the city or town where the signers appear to be voters on or before five o’clock post meridian of the fourteenth day preceding the day on which it must be filed with the city or town clerk’.”

As a result of the error, the new deadline for the return of nomination papers to be 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 25, 2017.

The calendar also reflects a new date for the drawing of the ballot position to be 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, August 9, 2017.

“We are now operating on a proper calendar,” Colella said. “The deadline date had to be extended a few days. It’s an unfortunate mistake but at least we are working to correct it in accordance to Massachusetts General Laws.”

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