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H857 • 2025

An Act increasing voter participation in primary elections

An Act increasing voter participation in primary elections

Elections
Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
James M. Murphy
Last action
2026-04-02
Official status
Accompanied a study order, see H5311 (under House Rule 27)
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

An Act increasing voter participation in primary elections

An Act increasing voter participation in primary elections By Representative Murphy of Weymouth, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.

What This Bill Does

  • An Act increasing voter participation in primary elections By Representative Murphy of Weymouth, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.
  • 857) of James M.
  • Murphy for legislation to establish a special commission (including members of the General Court) to investigate ways to increase voter participation in primary elections.
  • Election Laws.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-02 House

    Accompanied a study order, see H5311 (under House Rule 27)

  2. 2025-08-29 Joint

    Hearing scheduled for 09/16/2025 from 1:00 PM-5:00 PM in B-1

  3. 2025-02-27 House

    Referred to the committee on Election Laws

  4. 2025-02-27 Senate

    Senate concurred

  5. House

    Reported by committee to Clerk’s Office for processing, will accompany a study order

Official Summary Text

An Act increasing voter participation in primary elections
By Representative Murphy of Weymouth, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 857) of James M. Murphy for legislation to establish a special commission (including members of the General Court) to investigate ways to increase voter participation in primary elections. Election Laws.

Current Bill Text

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Bill H.857

A special commission is hereby established pursuant to section 2A of chapter 4 for the purpose of making an investigation and study relative to increasing voter participation in primary elections. Said commission shall specifically investigate the implementation of a “Top Two Primary system” as well as party convention rules relative to party nominations of candidates, primary election dates, and the elimination of the current party primary election system. The commission shall consist of 2 members of the senate, 1 of whom shall be appointed by the Senate President, 1 of whom shall be appointed by the minority leader, 1 of whom shall act as co-chairperson; 2 members of the house of representatives, 1 of whom shall be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, 1 of whom shall be appointed by the minority leader 1, 1 of whom shall act as co-chairperson; the secretary of the commonwealth or their designee; the president of the Massachusetts Town Clerks’ Association or their designee; the president of the Massachusetts City Clerks’ Association or their designee; the executive director of Common Cause Massachusetts or their designee; and 1 person from each of the political parties as defined in section 1 of chapter 50 of the General Laws eligible to conduct primary elections at the next following biennial state election.

Said commission shall report to the general court the results of its investigation and study and its recommendations, if any, together with drafts of legislation necessary to carry its recommendations into effect, by filing the same with the clerk of the senate and the clerk of the House of Representatives six months after the enactment of this legislation.

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