Legislature to

prescribe for the

ART. XIX. The legislature shall prescribe, by general election of sher- law, for the election of sheriffs, registers of probate, commisiffs, registers of sioners of insolvency, and clerks of the courts, by the people of the several counties, and that district-attorneys shall be chosen by the people of the several districts, for such term of office as the legislature shall prescribe.

probate, &c., by the people.

Reading consti

and writing, ne

tions of voters. Proviso.

ART. XX. No person shall have the right to vote, or be tution in Englise eligible to office under the constitution of this Commoncessary qualifica- wealth, who shall not be able to read the constitution in the English language and write his name: provided, however, that the provisions of this amendment shall not apply to any person prevented by a physical disability from complying with its requisitions, nor to any person who now has the right to vote, nor to any persons who shall be sixty years of age or upwards at the time this amendment shall take effect.

Census of legal voters and of in

ART. XXI. A census of the legal voters of each city and habitants, when town, on the first day of May, shall be taken and returned taken, &c. into the office of the secretary of the Commonwealth, on or See General Stat. before the last day of June, in the year one thousand eight

chapter 20.

House to consist of 240 members.

hundred and fifty-seven; and a census of the inhabitants of each city and town, in the year one thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, and of every tenth year thereafter. In the census aforesaid, a special enumeration shall be made of the legal voters; and in each city said enumeration shall specify the number of such legal voters aforesaid, residing in each ward of such city. The enumeration aforesaid shall determine the apportionment of representatives for the periods. between the taking of the census.

The house of representatives shall consist of two hundred and forty members, which shall be apportioned by the legis lature, at its first session after the return of cach enumeration as aforesaid, to the several counties of the Commonwealth, equally, as nearly as may be, according to their relative numbers of legal voters, as ascertained by the next preceding special enumeration; and the town of Cohasset, in the county of Norfolk, shall, for this purpose, as well as in the formation of districts, as hereinafter provided, be considered a part of the county of Plymouth; and it shall be the duty of the secretary of the Commonwealth, to certify, as soon as may be after it is determined by the legislature, the number of representatives to which each county shall be entitled, to the board authorized to divide each county into representative districts. The mayor and aldermen of the city of Boston, the county commissioners of other counties than Suffolk,—

of

representatives.

or in lieu of the mayor and aldermen of the city of Boston, Legislature to or of the county commissioners in each county other than apportion, &c. Suffolk, such board of special commissioners in each county, to be elected by the people of the county, or of the towns therein, as may for that purpose be provided by law, shall, on the first Tuesday of August next after each assignment representatives to each county, assemble at a shire town of their respective counties, and proceed as soon as may be, to divide the same into representative districts of contiguous territory, so as to apportion the representation assigned to each county equally, as nearly as may be, according to the relative number of legal voters in the several districts of each county; and such districts shall be so formed that no town or ward of a city shall be divided therefor, nor shall any district be made which shall be entitled to elect more than three representatives. Every representative, for one Qualifications of year at least next preceding his election, shall have been an inhabitant of the district for which he is chosen, and shall cease to represent such district when he shall cease to be an inhabitant of the Commonwealth. The districts in each county shall be numbered by the board creating the same, and a description of each, with the numbers thereof and the number of legal voters therein, shall be returned by the board, to the secretary of the Commonwealth, the county treasurer of each county, and to the clerk of every town in each district, to be filed and kept in their respective offices. The manner of calling and conducting the meetings for the choice of representatives, and of ascertaining their election, shall be prescribed by law. Not less than one hundred One hundred members of the house of representatives shall constitute a quorum. quorum for doing business; but a less number may organize temporarily, adjourn from day to day, and compel the attendance of absent members.

members

ART. XXII. A census of the legal voters of each city Census, &c. and town, on the first day of May, shall be taken and returned into the office of the secretary of the Commonwealth, on or before the last day of June, in the year one thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven; and a census of the inhabitants of each city and town, in the year one thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, and of every tenth year thereafter. In the census aforesaid, a special enumeration shall be made of the legal voters, and in each city said enumeration shall specify the number of such legal voters aforesaid, residing in each ward of such city. The enumeration aforesaid shall determine the apportionment of senators for the periods

Senate to consist between the taking of the census.

of 40 members.

Senatorial districts, &c.

Proviso.

senators.

The senate shall consist of forty members. The general court shall, at its first session after each next preceding special enumeration, divide the Commonwealth into forty districts of adjacent territory, each district to contain, as nearly as may be, an equal number of legal voters, according to the enumeration aforesaid: provided, however, that no town or ward of a city shall be divided therefor; and such districts shall be formed, as nearly as may be, without uniting two counties, or parts of Qualifications of two or more counties, into one district. Each district shall elect one senator, who shall have been an inhabitant of this Commonwealth five years at least immediately preceding his election, and at the time of his election shall be an inhabitant of the district for which he is chosen; and he shall cease to represent such senatorial district when he shall Sixteen members cease to be an inhabitant of the Commonwealth. Not less than sixteen senators shall constitute a quorum for doing business; but a less number may organize temporarily, adjourn from day to day, and compel the attendance of absent members.

a quorum.

Residence of two

years required of

ART. XXIII. No person of foreign birth shall be entitled naturalized citi- to vote, or shall be eligible to office unless he shall have zen, to entitle to resided within the jurisdiction of the United States for two eligible to office. years subsequent to his naturalization, and shall be otherwise

suffrage or make

senate.

qualified, according to the constitution and laws of this Commonwealth: provided, that this amendment shall not affect the rights which any person of foreign birth possessed at the time of the adoption thereof; and, provided, further, that it shall not affect the rights of any child of a citizen of the United States, born during the temporary absence of the parent therefrom.

Vacancies in the ART. XXIV. Any vacancy in the senate shall be filled by election by the people of the unrepresented district, upon the order of a majority of senators elected.

Vacancies in the council.

ART. XXV. In case of a vacancy in the council, from a failure of election, or other cause, the senate and house of representatives shall, by concurrent vote, choose some eligible person from the people of the district wherein such vacancy occurs, to fill that office. If such vacancy shall happen when the legislature is not in session, the governor, with the advice and consent of the council, may fill the same by appointment of some eligible person.

[NOTE.-The Constitution of Massachusetts was agreed upon by delegates of the people, in convention, begun and held at Cambridge, on the first day of September, 1779, and continued by adjournments to the second day of March, 1783, when the convention adjourned to meet on the first Wednesday of the ensuing June. In the meantime the Constitution was submitted to the people, to be adopted by them, provided two-thirds of the votes given should be in the affirmative. When the convention assembled, it was found that the Constitution had been adopted by the requisite number of votes, and the convention accordingly Resolved, “That the said Constitution or Frame of Government shall take place on the last Wednesday of October next; and not before, for any purpose, save only for that of making elections, agreeable to this resolution." The first legislature assembled at Boston, on the twenty-fifth day of October, 1780.

The first nine Articles of Amendment were submitted, by delegates in convention assembled, November 15, 1820, to the people, and by them approved and ratified April 9, 1821.

The tenth Article of Amendment was adopted by the legislatures of the political years 1829-30, and 1830-31, respectively, and was approved and ratified by the people, May 11, 1831.

The eleventh Article of Amendment was adopted by the legislatures of the political years 1832 and 1833, respectively, and was approved and ratified by the people, November 11, 1833.

The twelfth Article of Amendment was adopted by the legislatures of the political years 1835 and 1836, respectively, and was approved and ratified by the people, the fourteenth day of November, 1836.

The thirteenth Article of Amendment was adopted by the legislatures of the political years 1839 and 1840, respectively, and was approved and ratified by the people, the sixth day of April, 1840.

The fourteenth, fifteenth, sixteenth, seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth Articles of Amendment were adopted by the legislatures of the political years 1854 and 1855, respectively, and ratified by the people, the twenty-third day of May, 1855.

The twentieth, twenty-first and twenty-second Articles of Amendment were adopted by the legislatures of the political years 1856 and 1857, respectively, and ratified by the people on the first day of May, 1857.

The twenty-third Article of Amendment was adopted by the legislatures of the political years 1858 and 1859, respectively, and ratified by the people on the ninth day of May, 1859.

The twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth Articles of Amendment were adopted by the legislatures of the political years 1859 and 1860, respectively, and ratified by the people on the seventh day of May, 1860.]