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HD 5307

An Act ensuring uniform faithful presidential electors

194th Legislature (2025-2026)

Requires parties to nominate alternate electors, binds electors to vote for party nominees, and establishes vacancy/substitution rules plus amended certificates.

Referred to the committee on House Rules
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HD 5307

Summary: An Act ensuring uniform faithful presidential electors (HD 5307)

Overview

HD 5307, titled “An Act ensuring uniform faithful presidential electors,” aims to standardize how Massachusetts electors are selected and how they vote to align with party nominations. Introduced on November 6, 2025 and referred to the House Rules Committee, the bill modifies several chapters of the General Laws (Chapter 53 and Chapter 54) to create formalized roles for alternate electors, tighten pledges, establish vacancy substitution rules, and ensure accurate certificates of ascertainment with the Electoral College.

Key Provisions

Section 1 – Nomination of alternates

  • For each presidential elector nominated by a state party committee, the state committee must also nominate an alternate elector nominee.
  • The party must submit to the Secretary of the Commonwealth two qualified individuals: one designated as the “elector nominee” and the other as the “alternate elector nominee.”

Section 2 – Pledge language update

  • The pledge previously required of presidential electors (“to vote for the candidate named in the filing”) is replaced.
  • New pledge: “If selected for the position of elector, I agree to serve and to mark my ballots for President and Vice President for the nominees for those offices of the party that nominated me.”
  • Executed pledges must accompany the submitted names to the Secretary.

Section 3 – Section 8A (new)

  • If a party’s presidential or vice-presidential candidate dies or withdraws after nomination but before the meeting of electors, the pledge applies to the successor candidate chosen by the party under its rules.

Section 4 – Certification language (Section 118, Chapter 54)

  • When submitting the commonwealth’s certificate of ascertainment, the governor must state that electors serve unless vacancies occur before the end of the electors’ meeting, with substitutes filling vacancies and amended certificates issued if substitutions occur.

Sections 148A–148C (new)

  • 148A: Vacancy procedures for elector positions.
    • If an elector is absent, substitute electors may be appointed in order: (i) alternate elector nominee present, (ii) if not, a lot among present alternates, (iii) remaining vacancies filled by nomination and plurality vote of remaining electors, (iv) tie broken by lot.
    • If all positions are vacant and cannot be filled, the Secretary appoints a single elector to fill remaining positions later.
    • Substitutes must execute the required pledge.
  • 148B: Voting process for electors and ballot integrity.
    • After vacancies are filled, electors receive ballots; ballots must be completed and signed, consistent with pledges.
    • Ballots not meeting pledge requirements are not counted; refuser or unmarked ballots vacate the elector’s position and trigger substitution.
    • The Secretary repeats the process until all electoral votes are cast and recorded.
  • 148C: Certificate of ascertainment adjustments.
    • If the final elector list differs from the governor’s certificate, the Secretary issues an amended certificate consistent with 3 U.S.C. §4; the governor signs it.

Who is Affected

  • State political party committees (nominating electors and alternates)
  • Presidential electors and alternate electors
  • Governor (certification of electors)
  • Secretary of the Commonwealth (state secretary) (submission and counting processes; amended certificates)
  • Voters indirectly via the reliability and transparency of Massachusetts’ electoral process

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Status: Referred to the committee on House Rules.
  • Introduced: November 6, 2025; Filed October 30, 2025.
  • The bill modifies procedural timelines around nomination, elector meeting timing (referenced to section 148 of Chapter 54), vacancy filling, and certificate submission/amendment processes, but it does not specify an effective date within the provided text.

Notes

  • The bill focuses on ensuring “uniform faithful” performance by electors, emphasizing pledged fidelity to party nominees and a structured framework for vacancies and substitutions.
  • It aligns Massachusetts’ electors more closely with formal party nominations and provides explicit mechanisms to handle changes in candidacy and elector vacancies.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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