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Massachusetts Question 4, Expand Local Authority Over Municipal Charters Amendment (1966)
| Massachusetts Question 4 | |
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| Election date |
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| Topic Local government organization |
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| Status |
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| Type Legislatively referred constitutional amendment |
Origin |
Massachusetts Question 4 was on the ballot as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment in Massachusetts on November 8, 1966. It was approved.
A “yes” vote supported allowing cities and towns to adopt, amend, and repeal their own charters and local laws, while maintaining the Legislature’s authority to pass general and special laws and limiting local authority in certain areas. |
A “no” vote opposed allowing cities and towns to adopt, amend, and repeal their own charters and local laws. |
Election results
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Massachusetts Question 4 |
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| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
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1,186,608 | 81.46% | ||
| No | 270,087 | 18.54% | ||
Text of measure
Ballot title
The ballot title for Question 4 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 July 16, 1963, received 208 votes in the affirmative and 43 in the negative, and in a joint session of the two branches held May 19, 1965, received 219 votes in the affirmative and 39 in the negative? | ” |
Ballot summary
The ballot summary for this measure was:
| “ | The proposed amendment confers considerable authority upon cities and towns with respect to the conduct of municipal government, including the authority to adopt, repeal and amend city and town charters and, in accord therewith, local ordinances and by-laws. The General Court retains general power to act in relation to cities and towns and classes thereof and, in some circumstances, to enact special laws regarding a particular municipality, including laws for its incorporation, dissolution or merger. Cites and towns are not empowered to act with respect to general elections, taxation, pledges of credit, dispositions of park land, general civil relationships, the punishment of felonies, or the imposition of imprisonment except as the General Court may lawfully confer such powers upon them. | ” |
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"
- Transcript-Telegram, "LEGAL NOTICES," October 18, 1966
Footnotes
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State of Massachusetts Boston (capital) |
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