Massachusetts voters have voted on 231 ballot measures between 1910 and 2024. Of those, 161 (69.7%) were approved and 70 (30.3%) were defeated.
During that period, 39.8% of the measures (92) were referred to the ballot by the Massachusetts state legislature, 50.2% of the measures (116) were citizen-initiated, and 10.0% of the measures were placed on the ballot by a constitutional convention. Legislatively referred measures passed 86% of the time, compared to a 51% approval rate for initiatives placed on the ballot by citizens. Voters approved 100% of constitutional convention ballot measures.
The inventory of Massachusetts statewide ballot measures is part of Ballotpedia's Historical Ballot Measure Factbook, which will document nearly 200 years of direct democracy in the United States. This ongoing research effort will provide an unparalleled resource for researchers, reporters, and the voting public on how ballot measures have evolved, the issues they've covered, and the role they have played in our civic life.
A searchable table of Massachusetts' historical ballot measures by decade.
Summaries of notable topics and measures that Massachusetts voters have voted on.
A summary of measures with the closest and widest margins, and breakdowns by topic, decade, and type.
An overview of the process for placing a statewide measure on the ballot.
Ballotpedia completed an inventory of Massachusetts ballot measures from 1910 to 2024. Massachusettsans have voted on 231 measures that were placed on the ballot either through successful citizen initiatives or by the Massachusetts State Legislature. The types of measures included indirect initiated state statutes, veto referendums, indirect initiated constitutional amendments, legislatively referred constitutional amendments, legislatively referred state statutes, advisory questions, and constitutional convention referrals and questions. One hundred sixty-one (161) measures were approved (69.7%), and 70 were defeated (30.3%).
The inventory of Massachusetts statewide ballot measures is part of Ballotpedia's Historical Ballot Measure Factbook, which will document nearly 200 years of direct democracy in the United States. This ongoing research effort will provide an unparalleled resource for researchers, reporters, and the voting public on how ballot measures have evolved, the issues they've covered, and the role they have played in our civic life.
Notable topics
Notable topics appearing on the Massachusetts ballot include women's suffrage, the ballot measure process, taxation, education, abortion, vehicle regulations, and voting systems, among others.
Voting, elections, and government
- In 1915, male voters rejected a constitutional amendment to grant women the right to vote under the Massachusetts Constitution, with 64.6% voting against the proposal.
- Voters approved a constitutional convention referral, Question 1, in 1918 that established the state's initiative and referendum process. The vote was 51.3% to 48.7%. In 1950, voters changed the constitutional signature requirements for ballot initiatives from fixed numbers to percentages based on the total number of votes cast for governor in the most recent state election.
- In 1938, voters approved Question 1, a ballot initiative that changed legislative sessions—and the state budget—from annual to biennial. However, in 1944, the legislature placed a constitutional amendment, Question 3, on the ballot to reverse that change, which voters approved.
- In 1966, voters approved a constitutional amendment, Question 1, that provided for gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial candidates to run on a joint ticket at elections.
- Voters approved a constitutional amendment, Question 2, in 1974 that downsized the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 240 to 160 state representatives.
- Voters approved a ballot initiative, Question 2, in 1998 that created a public campaign financing system for state candidates who agree to spending and contribution limits.
- Voters rejected Question 2 in 2006, which proposed implementing a system of fusion voting that would have allowed candidates for public office to be nominated by more than one political party or political designation.
- In 2020, voters rejected Question 2, which would have adopted ranked-choice voting for congressional, state, and specific local elections.
Taxation
- Voters rejected ballot measures to establish a graduated income tax, rather than a flat rate, in 1962, 1968, 1972, 1976, and 1994. However, in 2022, voters approved Question 1, which created an additional tax of 4% for income over $1 million, in addition to the existing 5%.
- Voters approved a ballot initiative, Question 4, in 2000 to decrease the state income tax from 5.95% to 5.00%. Voters twice rejected ballot initiatives—in 2002 and 2008—to eliminate the income tax.
- Voters approved Question 2, also known as Proposition 2½, in 1980. Question 2 limited total state and local taxes on real estate and personal property to 2.5%, among other changes.
Constitutional rights and language
- Voters approved Question 5 in 1972, which provided for a state constitutional right to clean air and water, freedom from excessive noise, and the protection of environmental and natural resource qualities.
- In 1976, voters approved Question 1, which prohibited the denial or abridgment of rights on the basis of sex, race, color, creed, or national origin.
- In 1986, voters rejected Question 1, which would have added language to the state constitution that said that nothing in the constitution could prevent the Massachusetts General Court from regulating or prohibiting abortion. With Question 1, Massachusetts joined Rhode Island as the first states to vote on a constitutional amendment stating that their state constitutions could not be interpreted as providing a right to abortion.
Other measures
- Voters twice rejected citizen-initiated ballot measures that would have decriminalized providing married persons with contraceptives. In 1942, 57.9% of voters rejected Question 1. In 1948, 57.4% of voters rejected Question 4.
- In 1948, voters rejected Question 5, a ballot initiative to adopt a right-to-work law prohibiting membership or non-membership in a labor organization as a condition of employment.
- The issue of vehicle seat belts appeared on the ballot twice. In 1986, voters rejected Question 5, repealing a law that required drivers and passengers to wear seat belts. The state legislature later passed a new seat belt law, which was again challenged through a veto referendum. In 1994, voters approved Question 2, upholding the requirement for drivers and passengers to wear seat belts.
- In 1994, voters approved Question 9, which prohibited rent control laws in the state. The vote was 51.3% to 48.7%.
- In 2002, voters approved Question 2, a ballot initiative that replaced the transitional bilingual education system in public schools with a sheltered English immersion program, requiring that all subjects be taught in English. The initiative stated, “The English language is the common public language of the United States of America and of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.”
Statistics
Closest and widest margins
Of the 231 ballot measures, six were decided by less than two percentage points of the vote. The top six closest measures are below:
| Closest vote margins for Massachusetts statewide ballot measures, 1910-2024 | |||||||
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| Measure | Year | Yes votes | No votes | Vote margin | Outcome | ||
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The following six measures had the widest vote margins by percentage:
| Widest vote margins for Massachusetts statewide ballot measures, 1910-2024 | |||||||
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| Measure | Year | Yes votes | No votes | Vote margin | Outcome | ||
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Massachusetts ballot measure topics
Massachusetts ballot measures have addressed 131 unique topics, with some addressing multiple topics in one measure. The top 10 most common topics addressed are:
- Income taxes (17 measures)
- Business regulations (15 measures)
- State legislative processes and sessions (11 measures)
- Restricted-use funds (10 measures)
- State legislative authority (10 measures)
- State executive powers and duties (9 measures)
- Sex and gender issues (8 measures)
- Property taxes (8 measures)
- Pollution, waste, and recycling policy (8 measures)
- Alcohol laws (8 measures)
By the decade
The average number of ballot measures per decade was just above 19, with an average approval rate of 67.3%. The 1910s had both the highest number of measures, with 38 on the ballot, and the highest approval rate — 36 (94.7%) were approved and 2 (5.3%) were defeated. The 1950s saw the fewest number of measures, with six on the ballot — four (66.6%) were approved and two (33.3%) were defeated. The lowest approval rate was in the 1980s, when 22 measures were decided — 10 (41.2%) were approved and 12 (58.8%) were defeated.
By type
Between 1910 and 2024, eight different types of ballot measures have appeared on the ballot in Massachusetts. Indirect initiated state statutes have appeared on the ballot more than any other type (91). Legislatively referred constitutional amendments had the highest success rate at the ballot box, with 60 (84.5%) of the 71 measures approved by voters.
Legislatively referred measures have had better success at the ballot box than citizen-initiated measures. Legislatively referred measures were approved 86% of the time, as compared to 51% for ballot initiatives.
Background
Citizen-initiated ballot measures
In Massachusetts, citizens have the power to indirectly initiate constitutional amendments and state statutes and initiated veto referendums. In 1918, 51.3% of voters approved a constitutional amendment granting this power to the people, by which Massachusetts became the twenty-first state in the nation to establish an initiative and referendum process.
Indirect initiated constitutional amendments
An indirect initiated constitutional amendment is a citizen-initiated ballot measure that amends a state's constitution. There are two states – Massachusetts and Mississippi – that allow citizens to initiate indirect constitutional amendments.
While a direct initiated constitutional amendment is placed on the ballot once supporters file the required number of valid signatures, an indirect initiated constitutional amendment is first presented to the state legislature, which has various options depending on the state.
In Massachusetts, the number of signatures required for an indirect initiated constitutional amendment is equal to 3% of the votes cast in the last gubernatorial election. Massachusetts also has a distribution requirement that requires no more than 25% of the certified signatures on any petition can come from a single county.
If the petition meets the signature requirements, 25% of the Legislature in two joint sessions must approve the amendment to send it to the ballot. The petition may be amended by a 75% vote of the Legislature. Unlike indirect initiated state statutes in Massachusetts, a second round of signatures is not required. The state Legislature also has the power to place an alternative measure alongside the proposed amendment via a simple majority vote.
A simple majority vote is required for voter approval. However, the number of affirmative votes cast for the measure must be greater than 30% of the votes cast in the election.
Indirect initiated state statutes
- See also: Indirect initiated state statute
An indirect initiated state statute is a citizen-initiated ballot measure that amends state statute. There are nine (9) states that allow citizens to initiate indirect state statutes.
While a direct initiative is placed on the ballot once supporters file the required number of valid signatures, an indirect initiative is first presented to the state legislature. Legislators have a certain number of days, depending on the state, to adopt the initiative into law. Should legislators take no action or reject the initiative, the initiative is put on the ballot for voters to decide.
In Massachusetts, the number of signatures required for an indirect initiated state statute is equal to 3% of the votes cast in the last gubernatorial election. Massachusetts also has a distribution requirement that requires no more than 25% of the certified signatures on any petition can come from a single county.
The state Legislature has until the first Wednesday of May in the election year to pass the statute. If the legislature does not pass the proposed statute, proponents must collect a second round of signatures equal to 0.5% of the votes cast in the last gubernatorial election. The Legislature also has the power to place an alternative measure alongside the proposed statute via a simple majority vote of the state legislature.
A simple majority vote is required for voter approval. However, the number of affirmative votes cast for the measure must be greater than 30% of the votes cast in the election.
Veto referendums
- See also: Veto referendum
A veto referendum is a citizen-initiated ballot measure that asks voters whether to uphold or repeal an enacted law. This type of ballot measure is also called statute referendum, popular referendum, people's veto, or citizen's veto. There are 23 states that allow citizens to initiate veto referendums.
In Massachusetts, the number of signatures required for a veto referendum election is equal to 1.5% of the votes cast in the last gubernatorial election. To suspend the law prior to the election, the number of signatures required is equal to 2% of the votes cast in the last gubernatorial election. Massachusetts also has a distribution requirement that requires no more than 25% of the certified signatures on any petition can come from a single county. Signatures for a veto referendum petition must be submitted no more than 90 days after the governor signs the targeted bill or it is enacted into law.
A simple majority vote is required for voter approval. However, the number of affirmative votes cast for the measure must be greater than 30% of the votes cast in the election.
Legislatively referred ballot measures
In Massachusetts, the state legislature has the power to place constitutional amendments, advisory questions, and constitutional convention proposals on the ballot.
Legislatively referred constitutional amendments
A simple majority vote is required during two successive joint legislative sessions for the Massachusetts State Legislature to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 101 votes in the joint session of the state legislature, assuming no vacancies. Amendments do not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.
Advisory questions
- See also: Advisory question
A simple majority vote of a resolve is required during one legislative session of the Massachusetts State Legislature to place an advisory question on the ballot. That amounts to 81 votes in the Massachusetts House of Representatives and 21 votes in the Massachusetts State Senate, assuming no vacancies. Advisory questions do not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.
Constitutional convention questions
- See also: State constitutional conventions
Massachusetts does not, in the constitution or state law, have a process for presenting a question to the people on whether or not there should be a convention called to rewrite or alter the constitution. Only once between 1910 and 2024 was a constitutional convention question presented to voters. In 1916, 64.2% of voters approved a ballot measure which called a state constitutional convention to revise the constitution.
