Bill
H 4095
Allows Conway to let 16- and 17-year-olds vote in local Conway elections and on local questions, with separate local voter rolls, not for state or federal offices.
Status: Introduced (House)/Senate concurred; local approval received
Filed: 04/25/2025; Introduced: 05/08/2025
Classification: Local Act (resolution/act authorizing municipal action)
Note on document contents
- The submitted bill text primarily concerns a Massachusetts local act authorizing the Town of Conway to extend municipal voting rights to 16- and 17‑year‑old residents.
- The file also contains an unrelated South Carolina House resolution congratulating Russell Glover on his induction into the South Carolina Golf Hall of Fame; that resolution is separate from the Conway voting measure.
Purpose and intent
- To give the Town of Conway discretionary authority to allow 16- and 17‑year‑old Conway residents to register and vote in municipal elections and on local ballot questions, despite state minimum‑age restrictions for state and federal elections.
Key provisions (by section)
- Section 1: Authorizes Conway residents aged 16 or 17 who are otherwise eligible under state law (except for age) to apply to have their names placed on a town list of “local voters” maintained by the board of registrars. These local voters may vote in local elections and on local ballot questions in Conway.
- Section 2: Requires the board of registrars to create a separate registration list and an alternative registration form for local voters. The town must print the form at its expense. When a local voter turns 18, they are removed from the separate list and must register as a regular voter under state law to continue voting in state/federal contests.
- Section 3: Authorizes the board to promulgate regulations, guidelines, and forms needed to implement the act.
- Section 4: If a local ballot question appears on a state election ballot, the board must print a separate ballot for that question at the town’s expense.
- Section 5: Allows the town to adopt ordinances to implement the act, subject to the Conway town charter.
- Section 6: Explicitly prevents local voters from voting for state or federal offices or on state/federal ballot questions.
Who is affected
- Directly: Conway residents aged 16 and 17 (who meet other voter eligibility criteria) and the Town of Conway’s election administration (board of registrars, town clerks).
- Indirectly: Voters and candidates in Conway municipal elections, and town election budgets (for printing/forms).
Administrative and fiscal impacts
- Town expense for printing alternative registration forms and, when applicable, separate local-ballot questions on state ballots. Additional administrative workload for registrars to maintain a separate list and issue regulations.
Procedural/timeline notes
- Filed 04/25/2025 (House Docket No. 4607). Referred to the House Committee on Election Laws 05/08/2025. Senate concurred 05/12/2025. A hearing was scheduled for 09/16/2025 (1:00–5:00 PM, B‑1). The bill notes “Local Approval Received,” indicating the town voted to petition for this authority.
Limitations and legal scope
- The act is a local authorization (not a statewide change). It does not alter the state minimum voting age for state or federal elections. Local voters granted by this act have rights only in Conway municipal matters.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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