Required Actions by Registrars

(1) When nomination papers and petitions are submitted for certification, registrars shall mark each page with the date and time of submission. They shall provide to the person submitting the nomination papers or petitions a receipt showing the number of pages submitted. They shall certify nomination papers and petitions in the order they were submitted. (2) Registrars shall place a check mark (v) in the left column of the nomination paper or petition next to each name they certify. They shall place the proper capital letter symbol, [N,S,D,R,E,W,T, as indicated in 950 CMR 55.03(1)] next to each name they do not certify. (3) For the purpose of checking whether a voter is registered as of the date of certification under 950 CMR 55.03(1)(a), registrars shall consult their records of recent voter registrations since the closing date of the voting list being used for certification. (4) Registrars shall keep the following records and enter such records into the Central Voter Registry: (a) which nomination papers and petitions each voter signs; (b) the voters who have signed a state initiative petition for a law, to check against the additional signers in the following summer; and (c) the total number of names that they certify on each candidate's nomination paper and on each petition. (5) Registrars shall draw a solid line across all unused signature spaces on each page of nomination papers and petitions. If the papers or petitions are submitted inperson, this shall occur at the time of submission and in the presence of the submitting person. (6) The registrars shall indicate the number of names certified on each page in words as well as numerals. (7) Three or more registrars must sign their certificate on eachpage. Afacsimile stamp maybe used for this purpose. (8) Registrars need not certify more than two-fifths more (for a city or town primary or preliminary election, one-fifth more) than the total number of names necessary for nomination or qualificationofa petition. (9) If a candidate for state office resides in his/her city or town and meets the requirements of M.G.L. c. 53, §§ 6 or 48 and of 950 CMR 55.03(5), three or more registrars shall sign the appropriate certificate ofvoterregistrationorpartyenrollment on one or more of the candidate's nomination papers. A facsimile stamp may be used for this purpose. 55.02: continued (10) All writing by registrars on a nomination paper or petition shall be only in red ink. (11) The registrars' failure to comply with any requirement of 950 CMR 55.02, except 950 CMR 55.02(7), shall not invalidate their certification. (12) The registrars may authorize the office employees of the city or town clerk's office, including the city or town clerk, to performallthe actions required by 950 CMR 55.02 and by M.G.L. c. 53, § 7. This authorization may be accomplished by, among other things, a vote of the board of registrars. (13) When certifying names on all petitions for state ballot questions, the registrars, in addition to the requirements set forth in 950 CMR 55.00 et seq., must comply with the requirements set forth in950 CMR 48.06 et seq.