Elections Process

The process for electing the Boston Region MPO’s municipal board members, described below, is overseen by MAPC and the MBTA Advisory Board according to the 2011 MOU for the Boston Region MPO. At the MAPC’s Fall Council meeting the elections will be announced for four (4) of the twelve (12) elected municipal seats

 

1.    Eligible Nominations

           

The elected municipal MPO seats are held by the municipality. The chief elected official (or their official designee) shall represent the municipality throughout the municipality’s term of office. Chief elected officials are considered to be the following:

      1. In cities, this is the Mayor or, if the city does not have the office of Mayor, then the Chair of the Council, with the exception of Plan E cities in which case it shall be the City Manager. 
      2. In towns, the chief elected official is the Chair of the Select Board.

 

Nominations for the elected municipal seats of the MPO can be made by any chief elected official from the Boston region, regardless of which sub-region they are from. Nominees shall be the chief elected official of the municipality. 

 

The MPO will accept the Select Board Chair’s nomination of a candidate whether or not the full Select Board has voted for it.

 

A nominee for an open municipal seat must receive three nominations made by any chief elected official from the Boston region, regardless of which sub-region they are from. A chief elected official may nominate his/her/their municipality and that nomination shall count as one of the three nominations needed to place a municipality on the ballot. Each chief elected official may only nominate one municipality per open seat.

 

  1. Nominations Process

MAPC staff shall send a forthcoming correspondence inviting nominations with information about the process and deadlines.

 

Nominations shall be submitted electronically to MAPC staff. Nomination papers shall include a statement of candidacy (250-word limit) of the community, also due at this time.

 

MAPC staff shall contact the nominating municipal CEOs by phone or email to confirm their nomination.  

 

3.    Engagement with Representatives of the Candidate Communities

MAPC and the MBTA Advisory Board shall provide an appropriate opportunity for the electorate to meet representatives of candidate communities. This may be accomplished by holding a virtual Candidates Forum.

 

4.    Elections Process

The election will be held through the submission of ballots electronically to MAPC. A ballot will be prepared by MAPC and the Advisory Board based on the certification of nominations. The ballot shall contain a list of the nominated municipalities. Candidate communities shall appear on the ballot in an order drawn by lot by designated officers of MAPC and the Advisory Board. The subregion of each of the communities shall be identified on the ballot. Electronic ballots will be emailed from MAPC to the chief elected official of each municipality in the Boston MPO region with correspondence explaining the ballot submittal process and deadlines.

 

Only municipalities in the subregion with an open seat shall cast a ballot for that seat. All municipalities may vote for the at-large open seats.

 

The ballot shall be submitted electronically to MAPC by the municipal CEO.

 

The designated officers of MAPC and of the Advisory Board shall certify the results of the election to the Chair of the MPO by 12 noon on the Monday following the election.