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Massachusetts 2028 ballot measures
| 2028 Massachusetts Ballot Measures | |
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As of October 20, 2025, zero statewide ballot measures were certified for the ballot in Massachusetts for the election on November 7, 2028.
Potential measures
| Type | Title | Subject | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| IndICA | Grant Incarcerated Felons the Right to Vote Amendment | Voting rights for persons with criminal convictions | Repeal Article CXX of the Articles of Amendment in the Massachusetts Constitution, thus granting incarcerated felons the right vote |
| IndICA | No State Constitutional Requirement for Public Funding of Abortions Amendment | Abortion policy | Declare that the constitution does not require the public funding of abortion |
| IndICA | Extend the People's Right to Self-Government Amendment | Constitutional language | Add new language concerning the initiative petition process, a world commonwealth, and a united federation of nations |
| IndICA | Create a Constitutional Right to Recall Government Officers Amendment | Recall process | Create a constitutional right to recall of any state, county, or district elected office |
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.
Historical facts
- See also: List of Massachusetts ballot measures
Massachusetts statewide ballot measures
In Massachusetts, a total of 81 ballot measures appeared on statewide ballots between 1985 and 2024. Voters approved 44 ballot measures, and defeated 37 ballot measures.
| Massachusetts statewide ballot measures, 1985-2024 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total number | Annual average | Annual minimum | Annual maximum | Approved | Defeated | ||
| # | % | # | % | ||||
Ballot initiative certification rates
The following table shows the rate of certification for ballot initiatives in Massachusetts between 2010 and 2024:
See also
- 2028 ballot measures
- List of Massachusetts ballot measures
- Laws governing the initiative process in Massachusetts
- Massachusetts General Court
