Massachusetts Question 3, Monthly Assistance to Low-Income Seniors Initiative (1950)
| Massachusetts Question 3 | |
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| Election date |
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| Topic Public assistance programs |
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| Status |
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| Type Indirect initiated state statute |
Origin |
Massachusetts Question 3 was on the ballot as an indirect initiated state statute in Massachusetts on November 7, 1950. It was approved.
A “yes” vote supported providing monthly assistance payments of at least $75, or $85 for blind individuals, to eligible low-income residents aged 63 or older. |
A “no” vote opposed providing monthly assistance payments of at least $75, or $85 for blind individuals, to eligible low-income residents aged 63 or older. |
Election results
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Massachusetts Question 3 |
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| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
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918,555 | 59.53% | ||
| No | 624,362 | 40.47% | ||
Text of measure
Ballot title
The ballot title for Question 3 was as follows:
| “ | Do you approve of a law summarized below on which the House of Representatives did not vote and on which the Senate did not vote? | ” |
Ballot summary
The ballot summary for this measure was:
| “ | This measure provides for minimum payments of seventy-five dollars per month, or eighty-five dollars per month if blind, as assistance to deserving aged per sons who have reached the age of sixty-three years or over and are in need of relief and support. | ” |
Path to the ballot
Before 1952, citizen-initiated ballot measures in Massachusetts required a fixed number of signatures. In 1950, voters approved a constitutional amendment changing this to a percentage-based system, tying the number of required signatures to ballots cast in the most recent gubernatorial election. Before 1952, the signature requirement for indirect initiated state statutes was 20,000, with an additional 5,000 if the Legislature rejected the proposal and proponents wanted it placed on the ballot.
See also
External links
- William Francis Galvin Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, "Massachusetts Statewide Ballot Measures: 1919-Present"
- The North Adams Transcript, "Legal Notice!" October 20, 1950
Footnotes
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