How are Precincts officially delineated? What official documents delineate, define Precincts?

Boston Ward and Precinct Book
http://www.bostonredevelopmentauthority.org/pdf/maps/Citywide/BosWardandPrecinct_Book.pdf

Documents of the City of Boston
http://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/000065780
http://archive.org/search.php?query=boston%20city%20documents&page=5

Ward boundaries were created under the authority of Acts of 1924 Chapter 410
http://archives.lib.state.ma.us/actsResolves/1924/1924acts0410.pdf
http://www.malegislature.gov/Laws/SessionLaws/Acts/1924

The Municipal Register is online through Boston Public Library
http://archive.org/stream/municipalregiste1927bost#page/150/mode/2up

Family Search has an excellent page which describes all of the iterations of Boston’s Ward boundaries through the years
https://www.familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Boston,_Massachusetts#Maps.2C_Wards.2C_and_City_Streets

Precinct boundaries are determined by the Election Commission. Ask for the definitions of the boundaries and the Minutes of the Board of Election Commissioners of the City of Boston at
http://www.cityofboston.gov/contact/?id=33

Sources
http://www.cityofboston.gov/archivesandrecords/
http://www.bpl.org/govinfo/online-collections/regional-boston-and-massachusetts/
and the library at the Office of the Boston City Council

Boston Public Library
http://bpl.bibliocommons.com/item/show/1025323075_division_of_wards_into_voting_precincts_(title_varies)

Division of Wards into Voting Precincts. (title Varies)

Boston (Mass.)(Book)

Description
...a verbal description of the ward and precinct boundaries created in the years indicated above; issued also as numbered Boston City Documents...

• 
  
• Full Record

Corporate AuthorBoard of Election CommissionersLanguage: EnglishPhysical description: irregular; Library has on this number 1895 (and changes through 1921) ; cm

Format: Book

Author:
Boston (Mass.). Board of Election Commissioners.

Title:
Division of wards into voting precincts. (title varies).

Publisher, Date:
[1---]
Description:
irregular; Library has on this number 1895 (and changes through 1921) ; cm.

Summary:
...a verbal description of the ward and precinct boundaries created in the years indicated above; issued also as numbered Boston City Documents...

Subjects:
Precincts -- Massachusetts -- Boston -- Wards -- Boundaries.
Guardian and ward -- Massachusetts -- Boston -- Boundaries.

Call Number:
GOVDOC/9317.446A16 (REFERENCE)

Availability
Call Number     Shelf Location
 BPL - Social Sciences
 Nonfiction
GOV DOCS GOVDOC/9317446A16 (REFERENCE)
Status
Non-circulating

Type
Government Document

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CITY OF BOSTON -- BOSTON ELECTION DEPARTMENT

BOARD OF ELECTION COMMISSIONERS 

BOARD MEETING 

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012 

Attendance:

Geraìdine Cuddyer, Chair

Shawn Burke, Repubîican Member

Ellen Rooney, Republican Member 

John Donovan, Head Assistant Registrar of Voters 

Sabino Piemonte, Boston Election Department 

Douglas Qian Yu, Emerson College 

Meeting called to order at 10:08 AM by Commissioner Cuddyer.

Commissioner Burke submitted to the Board for its review and approval the August 15, 2012 Board Meeting Minutes. 

The Board subsequently reviewed the minutes.

Commissioner Rooney made a motion to the Board to accept minutes as submitted.

Commissioner Burke seconded the motion. 

The motion carried unanimously 

MATTER: REVIEW OF STAFF MEETING 

Commissioner Geraldine Cuddyer reviewed the issues discussed at the Election Department Senior Staff Meeting. 

1. Polling Locations will remain the same as the September 7th 2012 State Primary 

<---- Any additional accommodations that are needed for the benefit of the voting public 

 <--- will be made by the Election Department. 

2. The Department will be meeting with the Boston School Department next week to coordinate the use of schools for polling locations for the Presidential Election. 

MATTER: ELECTION PREPARATIONS 

Ballots:

1. John Donovan informed the Board that the Boston Election Department has received 1.6 Million Balìots. The ballots are 18 inches long, on two separate pages. 

2. The Elections Department will have enough baîlots on November to cover over 

100% of the registered voters of every precinct in the city. These Ballots be 

secured before Election Day in the Boston Eìection Department and a secured location 

under the supervision of the department. 

3. With the expansive number of baîlots for the November Election, the Department will 

Work out the logistics of primary and Secondary deliveries with the Boston Police 

Department.

4. Sabino Piemonte informed the Board that the Department found a new secure container

that would easily hold ballots for 1,000 voters. The container is a plastic box that can 

be easily be sealed for transportation to polling locations on Election Day. These boxes 

will be used fof the secondary ballot transport. 

Poll Workers: 

1. Commissioner Cuddyer began the discussion of Poil Workers for the November 6, 

2012 Election by informing the board that the Election Department Wilî be empioying 

close to 1,800 Eîection Day Workers. 

2. Currently the Department will be fiìling in any gaps at polling locations, in-offìce 

phone bank and language assistance table with new applicants from throughout the city 

and from the department relationship with Suffolk University. 

Voter Regstration: 

1. Mr. Donovan reported that 4,850 Voter Registration Forms were received by the 

Election Department on October 17, 2012, the last day to register for the November 6, 

2012 Election. 

2. Commissioner Cuddyer expressed appreciation on behalf of herseìf and the Board for 

the diligent and committed work of the Election Deparmient staff in collecting, 

receiving and processing the Voter Registration Forms. The Commissioner aiso praised 

the staff's care in dealing with the public, answering ali questions, assisting the general 

public and assuring voters that they can practice their right to participate in this 

upcoming election. 

Absentee Ballot Application: 

î. Mr. Donovan told the Board that the Department to date has received 9,200 

Applications for Absentee Balìots for the November Eîection and it is expected to 

break the 10,000 Application mark by the end of the week. 

MATTER: CERTIFICATION OF SEPTEMBER STATE PRIMARY RESULTS 

Mr. Donovan presented to the Board for its certiñcation the amended results for the September 6, 2012 State primary election for the City of Boston. 

Board of Election Commissioners’ Vote: 

Commissioner Burke moved to certify the Amended Results for September 6, 2012 

Commissioner Rooney seconded. 

Motion passed unanimously.

Board of Eìection Commissioners’ Vote: 

Commissioner Cuddyer proposed to the Board that it meet on November 20, 2012 at 10AM, for the purpose of certifying the November 6, 2012 Eìection results for the City of Boston. 

Commissioner Burke moved to accept the aforementioned meeting date. 

Commissioner Rooney seconded. 

Motion passed unanimously. 

Meeting adjourned at 10:37 AM by Commissioner Cuddyer.