Massachusetts 2026 ballot measures
| 2026 Massachusetts Ballot Measures | |
|---|---|
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As of February 21, 2026, one statewide ballot measure was certified for the ballot in Massachusetts for the election on November 3, 2026.
On the ballot
- See also: 2026 ballot measures
| Type | Title | Subject | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Firearm Regulations Referendum | Firearms | Uphold the legislation, An Act Modernizing Firearm Laws (H. 4885), passed in 2024 |
Potential measures
Certified to the legislature
| Name | Type | Subject | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts Change State Tax Revenue Limit Initiative (2026) | Revenue and spending limits | Change the limit of how much revenue the state can collect in a given year | |
| Massachusetts Decrease State Income Tax Rate to 4% Initiative (2026) | Income taxes | Decrease the state tax rates for personal taxable income from 5% to 4% | |
| Massachusetts Eliminate Recreational Marijuana Sales and Allow Limited Possession Initiative (2026) | Marijuana; Drug crime | Repeal laws that permit the sale of recreational marijuana and the personal cultivation of cannabis in homes | |
| Massachusetts Establish the Nature for All Fund Initiative (2026) | Parks and conservation; Spending | Create a fund for state money, titled the Nature for All Fund, that would be used to further efforts of nature conservation | |
| Massachusetts Legislative Stipend Calculation and Payment Rules Initiative (2026) | Salaries | Change the method of calculating the stipends that state legislators receive in addition to their base salaries | |
| Massachusetts Limit on Required Lot Size for Single-Family Homes Initiative (2026) | Land use | Require cities and towns to allow single-family homes on residentially zoned lots that meet minimum standards of at least 5,000 square feet in area | |
| Massachusetts Permit Collective Bargaining for Committee for Public Counsel Services Employees Initiative (2026) | Labor | Permit employees of the Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS) to participate in collective bargaining practices | |
| Massachusetts Permit Same-Day Voter Registration Initiative (2026) | Voter registration | Provide for same-day voter registration | |
| Massachusetts Public Records Requirements for Legislature and Governor’s Office Initiative (2026) | Public information | Make records held by the state legislature and the governor's office public records | |
| Massachusetts Rent Control Initiative (2026) | Rent | Establish rent control, limiting annual rent increases for residential units to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) or 5%, whichever is lower | |
| Massachusetts Top-Two Primary Elections Initiative (2026) | Primary elections | Eliminate political party primaries for state elections and create a single primary where candidates are listed regardless of their political party |
Getting measures on the ballot
Citizens
In Massachusetts, citizens may propose initiated state statutes and initiated constitutional amendments. The power of initiative is indirect in Massachusetts, which means the Massachusetts General Court must consider any successful initiative proposals.
Once enough valid signatures are submitted, proposed statutory initiatives are presented to the legislature. Statutes may be adopted by the legislature by a majority vote in both houses. If a statute proposed by a valid initiative petition is not adopted, proponents must collect another, smaller round of signatures to place the statute on the ballot.
Initiated constitutional amendments— following the submission of enough signatures— must be approved by one-fourth of the legislature in two successive joint sessions to reach the ballot. No secondary batch of signatures is required.
Legislature
- See also: Amending state constitutions
The Massachusetts General Court can also place measures on the ballot as legislatively referred constitutional amendments. Legislative referrals must receive majority approval in two successive joint legislative sessions to be placed on the ballot.
Not on the ballot
State profile
| Demographic data for Massachusetts | ||
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | U.S. | |
| Total population: | 6,784,240 | 316,515,021 |
| Land area (sq mi): | 7,800 | 3,531,905 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White: | 79.6% | 73.6% |
| Black/African American: | 7.1% | 12.6% |
| Asian: | 6% | 5.1% |
| Native American: | 0.2% | 0.8% |
| Pacific Islander: | 0% | 0.2% |
| Two or more: | 2.9% | 3% |
| Hispanic/Latino: | 10.6% | 17.1% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate: | 89.8% | 86.7% |
| College graduation rate: | 40.5% | 29.8% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income: | $68,563 | $53,889 |
| Persons below poverty level: | 13.1% | 11.3% |
| Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Massachusetts. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | ||
Presidential voting pattern
Massachusetts voted for the Democratic candidate in all seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.
More Massachusetts coverage on Ballotpedia
- Elections in Massachusetts
- United States congressional delegations from Massachusetts
- Public policy in Massachusetts
- Endorsers in Massachusetts
- Massachusetts fact checks
- More...
See also
- 2026 ballot measures
- List of Massachusetts ballot measures
- Laws governing the initiative process in Massachusetts
- Massachusetts General Court
