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Massachusetts Question 1, State Executive Officer Term Lengths Amendment (1964)
| Massachusetts Question 1 | |
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| Election date |
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| Topic State executive elections |
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| Status |
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| Type Legislatively referred constitutional amendment |
Origin |
Massachusetts Question 1 was on the ballot as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment in Massachusetts on November 3, 1964. It was approved.
A “yes” vote supported changing the terms of the Governor and other statewide constitutional officers from two years to four years, starting with the November 1966 election, while keeping two-year terms for Executive Councillors, Senators, and Representatives. |
A “no” vote opposed changing the terms of the Governor and other statewide constitutional officers from two years to four years, keeping all terms at two years. |
Election results
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Massachusetts Question 1 |
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| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
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1,391,922 | 75.55% | ||
| No | 450,367 | 24.45% | ||
Text of measure
Ballot title
The ballot title for Question 1 was as follows:
| “ | Do you approve of the adoption of an amendment to the constitution summarized below which was approved by the General Court in a joint session of the two branches held March 29, 1961, received 219 votes in the affirmative and 26 in the negative, and in a joint session of the two branches held May 8, 1963, received 244 votes in the affirmative and 14 in the negative? | ” |
Ballot summary
The ballot summary for this measure was:
| “ | The proposed amendment provides that the terms of office of the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of the Commonwealth, Treasurer and Receiver General, Attorney General and Auditor shall be four years. Executive Councillors, Senators and Representatives shall continue to serve for two years. The four-year term for constitutional officers would become effective at the time of the November election In the year 1966. | ” |
Path to the ballot
- See also: Amending the Massachusetts Constitution
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.
See also
External links
- William Francis Galvin Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, "Massachusetts Statewide Ballot Measures: 1919-Present"
- The Springfield Union, "Legal Notice," October 27, 1964
Footnotes
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State of Massachusetts Boston (capital) |
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