Scope and Content: St 1692-93, c 36 mandated the language of the royal writ issued to each county sheriff in the Province of the Massachusetts Bay for initiating the process of selecting representatives to the legislature, the sheriff’s subsequent precept to town selectmen, their return indicating representative chosen, and town constable’s statement that the one chosen had been notified (see: Massachusetts archives collection ((M-Ar)45X), v. 48, p. 206-208).  Series includes for each locality (generally as a single document) signed and sealed sheriff’s precept (Aug. 1693) ordering election for the Sept. 27, 1693 General Court session, selectmen’s return, and constable’s statement. –The September session did not take place for lack of a quorum; another was called for Nov. 8, 1693.  In that session legislation (St 1693-94, c 14) imposed penalties for future neglect of duties in the elections process by sheriffs, selectmen, constables, or representatives. –For returns from 1778-1866 (i.e., for the State of the Massachusetts Bay and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts) see: Returns of votes for state representatives ((M-Ar)197X)
Arrangement: Arranged alphabetically by county
Notes: The state secretary, who currently has constitutional and statutory responsibilities for elections in Massachusetts, has preserved corresponding records from earlier periods
Related Catalog Records:

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