My mid 50's home has ballasts on incandescent lighting fixtures. Can I remove them?
They look like a they are part of a Bryant low voltage relay system. There is a guide to low voltage systems describing them here.



If that is so, it is a 24 volt system. While it appears that you have 120 volt line at the fixture, it is quite possible that the wiring in your wall is not suitable for line voltage. You need at least 14 gauge wire with a grounding wire or equivalent in cable for the entire run, fully enclosed boxes, all of which are accessible and all connections in boxes.

If you are confident that is the case, then you could remove the relays and replace the switches with 120 volt switches. If not, you either need to have someone confirm the wiring meets minimum standards or you need to run a new cable for the replacement switch.

An alternative is to buy replacement parts to keep the Bryant system running.