Massachusetts Statewide Ballot Measures: 1919-Present

Election Date: November 4, 1919
Total Votes Cast: 529,314

Question 1: Rearrangement of Constitution Commonwealth

Question 2: Interest and dividends on savings deposits in banks

Election Date: November 2, 1920
Total Votes Cast: 1,029,138

Question 1: Definition of cider, beer, et al, as non-intoxicating liquors

Election Date: November 7, 1922
Total Votes Cast: 910,891

Question 1: Roll calls in General Court on adoption of preambles of emergency laws

Question 2: Tort liability of certain voluntary associations

Question 3: State censorship of motion pictures

Question 4: "Baby Volstead” Act (Prohibition)

Question 5: Lawyers only to be District Attorneys

Election Date: November 4, 1924
Total Votes Cast: 1,213,377

Question 1: Qualification of voters for certain state offices

Question 2: Enabling women to hold any state, county or municipal office

Question 3: Prohibition to manufacture or transport liquor or certain non-intoxicating beverages (“Baby Volstead Act”)

Question 4: Excise tax on gasoline and other fuel

Question 5: Regulation of foreign banking

Question 6: Daylight savings

Question 7: “Congress shall have the power to limit, regulate and prohibit labor of persons under 18.”

Election Date: November 4, 1919
Total Votes Cast: 529,314

Question 1: Rearrangement of Constitution Commonwealth

Question 2: Interest and dividends on savings deposits in banks

Election Date: November 6, 1928
Total Votes Cast: 1,610,014

Question 1: Authorizing certain Sunday sporting events

Election Date: November 4, 1930
Total Votes Cast: 1,250,114

Question 1: Apportionment of senatorial, representative and councillor districts

Question 2: Repeal of “Baby Volstead” Act

Question 3: Regulation of trapping

Election Date: November 8, 1932
Total Votes Cast: 1,609,548

Question 1: Legalizing practice of chiropractics

Question 2: Regulating nomination procedures

Question 3: Fixing the commencement of terms of president and vice president

Election Date: November 6, 1934
Total Votes Cast: 1,507,674

Question 1: Regulation of trapping

Election Date: November 3, 1936
There were no statewide ballot measures in 1936

Election Date: November 8, 1938
Total Votes Cast: 1,795,552

Question 1: Providing biennial sessions of the General Court and a biennial budget

Question 2: Free public taxicab stands in cities and towns

Election Date: November 5, 1940
There were no statewide ballot measures in 1940

Election Date: November 3, 1942
Total Votes Cast: 1,426,720

Question 1: Revision of birth control law

Election Date: November 7, 1944
Total Votes Cast: 2,008,969

Question 1: Fair, concise summary of each ballot question sent to voters instead of description of each question “Information for Voters”

Question 2: Pardoning of felonious offenses

Question 3: Restoring annual sessions of General Court and annual budget

Question 4: Absentee voting because of physical disability

Question 5: Authorizing certain games of chance to be conducted by certain nonprofit organizations

Election Date: November 5, 1946
Total Votes Cast: 1,714,994

Question 1:Pensions paid by Commonwealth to citizens 65 years of age or over in need of relief or support

Question 2:Labor unions must file with commissioner of labor and industries

Election Date: November 2, 1948
Total Votes Cast: 2,155,347

Question 1: “The right of free speech shall not be abridged.”

Question 2:Use of certain revenues for highway purposes only

Question 3: Election of certain constitutional offices in case of failures to elect them or death prior to assuming office

Question 4: Birth control advertising

Question 5: Membership or nonmembership in labor organization as it relates to retaining or obtaining employment

Question 6:Elections of officers of labor organizations must be held annually

Question 7: Calling of strike by labor organization dependent on majority vote of members

Question 8: No person shall be elected president more than twice

Election Date: November 7, 1950
Total Votes Cast: 1,947,071

Question 1: Gubernatorial succession prior to inauguration

Question 3: Payments to blind persons who are 63 years of age and older

Question 4: Creation of Massachusetts commission to conduct monthly lottery

Election Date: November 4, 1952
There were no statewide ballot measures in 1952

Election Date: November 2, 1954
There were no statewide ballot measures in 1954

Election Date: November 6, 1956
There were no statewide ballot measures in 1956

Election Date: November 4, 1958
Total Votes Cast: 1,952,855

Question 1: Former public employees refunding portions of pensions depending upon yearly earnings

Election Date: November 8, 1960
There were no statewide ballot measures in 1960

Election Date: November 6, 1962
Total Votes Cast: 2,144,051

Question 1: Graduated income tax

Question 2: Increasing compensation and allowances of state legislators

Election Date: November 3, 1964
Total Votes Cast: 2,388,430

Question 1: Four year terms for constitutional officers

Question 2: Filling of vacant offices in event of enemy attack

Question 3: Credit of Commonwealth given, loaned or pledged by 2/3 vote of each branch of legislature

Question 4: Governor & Executive Council require opinions of justices of Supreme Judicial Court on questions of law

Question 5: Eliminating statutory authority of the Governor's Council

Question 6: Increasing the compensation and allowances of state legislators

Election Date: November 8, 1966
Total Votes Cast: 2,076,826

Question 1: Governor and lieutenant governor run as a team

Question 2: Reorganization of executive department

Question 3: Providing for municipal industrial development

Question 4:Home rule for cities and towns

Question 5: Sales tax referendum

Question 6: Temporary tax and establishing the local aid fund

Election Date: November 5, 1968
Total Votes Cast: 2,348,005

Question 1: Extends to 10 days time in which governor may act upon legislation

Question 2: Graduated income tax

Question 3: Determining gubernatorial disability

Question 4:Calling of a constitutional convention

Question 5: Alcoholic beverage questions

Question 6: Shall Massachusetts retain capital punishment?

Election Date: November 3, 1970
Total Votes Cast: 2,043,287

Question 1: Classification of real property according to its use

Question 2: Reducing residency requirement for voting to 6 months

Question 3: Reducing the voting age to 19

Question 4: Redivision of representative and senatorial districts

Question 5: United States action in Vietnam

Election Date: November 7, 1972
Total Votes Cast: 2,503,494

Question 1: Taxation of agricultural and horticultural land

Question 2: Reducing the voting age to 18

Question 3: Removing the prohibition against paupers voting

Question 4: Student loans from the Commonwealth

Question 5:Establishing the right of the people to a clean environment

Question 6: Graduated income tax based on federal income tax

Question 7: Retirement of judges at age 70

Question 8: Lower drinking age

Question 9: Prayer in schools

Election Date: November 5, 1974
Total Votes Cast: 1,896,421

Question 1: Recess by General Court

Question 2: House membership cut from 240 to 160

Question 3: Grants in aid to higher education

Question 4:Highway tax use for mass transit

Question 5: Establishing an independent Corrupt Practices Commission

Question 6: Health plan

Election Date: November 2, 1976
Total Votes Cast: 2,594,262

Question 1: Equal rights

Question 2: Graduated income tax rates

Question 3: Absentee voting for religious reasons

Question 4: Massachusetts Power Authority

Question 5: Ban on handguns

Question 6: Control bottles and cans

Question 7: Uniform electric rates

Question 8: Construction of an oil refinery and deep water port

Question 9: Sunday closing laws

Election Date: November 7, 1978
Total Votes Cast: 2,044,076

Question 1: Classification amendment

Question 2: State budget deadline

Question 3: "Information for Voters” to each residence

Question 4:Residence standards for state census

Question 5: Charter commission deadline

Question 6: Student assignments to public schools

Question 7: Taxation of land used for recreation or left in a natural state

Election Date: November 4, 1980
Total Votes Cast: 2,566,667

Question 1: Prohibit discrimination against handicapped persons

Question 2:Limiting local taxes (Proposition 2 1/2)

Question 3: Limiting state and local taxes; increase state share of education costs

Question 4: Would increase salaries of certain state officials

Question 5:Would restrict state authority to place certain costs on cities and towns

Question 6: Would change legislative voting procedure for emergency laws

Election Date: November 2, 1982
Total Votes Cast: 2,103,780

Question 1: State aid to non-public school students and certain institutions

Question 2: Death penalty

Question 3: Restricting low level radioactive waste disposal and nuclear power plant construction

Question 4:Regulating bottles and cans

Election Date: November 6, 1984
There were no statewide ballot measures in 1984

Election Date: November 4, 1986
Total Votes Cast: 1,777,276

Question 1: Allow legislature to prohibit or regulate abortions

Question 2: Allow public funds for private schools and students

Question 3: Repeal surtax

Question 4: Would require DEQE to identify hazardous waste sites

Question 5: Existing law which required use of seat belts

Question 6: Mail-in voter registration

Question 7: Urges Congress to enact national health care program

Question 8: Urges president and Congress to adopt a national acid rain program

Election Date: November 8, 1988
Total Votes Cast: 2,689,629

Question 1: Would repeal law that authorized pay raise for legislators and constitutional officers

Question 2: Repeal the prevailing wage

Question 3: Regulate treatment of farm animals

Question 4: Stop electric power plants that produce nuclear waste

Election Date: November 6, 1990
Total Votes Cast: 2,424,579

Question 1: Repeal state census

Question 2: Limit state use of consultants

Question 3: Changes income tax law; Regulates state agencies' fees

Question 4: Changes laws governing establishment of political parties and nomination of candidates

Question 5: Regulates local aid fund

Question 6: Free and equal radio and television time for candidates

Election Date: November 3, 1992
Total Votes Cast: 2,822,659

Question 1: Create health protection fund for education regarding the use of tobacco

Question 2: Make certain corporate tax information available to the public

Question 3: All packaging to be recycled or recyclable

Question 4: Tax on hazardous materials

Election Date: November 8, 1994
Total Votes Cast: 2,232,206

Question 1: Regulating spending on ballot question campaigns

Question 2: Seat belt law

Question 3: Changing the law regarding student fees

Question 4: Term limits

Question 5: Opening of retail stores on Sunday morning and certain holidays

Question 6: Graduated income tax

Question 7: Personal income tax changes

Question 8: State highway fund changes

Question 9: Prohibiting rent control

Election Date: November 5, 1996
Total Votes Cast: 2,600,142

Question 1: Changing the trapping and hunting laws

Election Date: November 3, 1998
Total Votes Cast: 1,935,277

Question 1: Setting compensation of state legislators

Question 2: Public campaign financing

Question 3: Tax rate on interest and dividend income

Question 4: Electric utility industry restructuring

Election Date: November 7, 2000
Total Votes Cast: 2,733,831

Question 1: Earlier Redistricting for State Legislators and Governor’s Councillors

Question 2: Voting By Incarcerated Felons

Question 3: Dog Racing

Question 4: Income Tax Rate Reduction

Question 5: Health Insurance and Health Care

Question 6: Tax Credit for Tolls and Motor Vehicle Excise Taxes

Question 7: Tax Deduction for Charitable Contributions

Question 8: Drug-Dependency Treatment and Drug-Crime Fines and Forfeitures

Election Date: November 5, 2002
Total Votes Cast: 2,220,301

Question 1: Eliminating State Personal Income Tax

Question 2: English Language Education in Public Schools

Question 3: Taxpayer Funding for Political Campaigns

Election Date: November 2, 2004
There were no statewide ballot measures in 2004.

Election Date: November 7, 2006
Total Votes Cast: 2,243,835

Question 1: Sale of Wine by Food Stores

Question 2: Nomination of Candidates for Public Office

Question 3: Family Child Care Providers

Election Date: November 4, 2008
Total Votes Cast: 3,102,995

Question 1: State Personal Income Tax

Question 2: Possession of Marijuana

Question 3: Dog Racing

Election Date: November 2, 2010
Total Votes Cast: 2,319,963

Question 1: Sales Tax on Alcoholic Beverages

Question 2: Comprehensive Permits for Low-or-Moderate-Income Housing

Question 3: Sales and Use Tax Rates

Election Date: November 6, 2012
Total Votes Cast: 3,184,196

Question 1: Availability of Motor Vehicle Repair Information

Question 2: Prescribing Medication to End Life

Question 3: Medical Use of Marijuana

Election Date: November 4, 2014
Total Votes Cast: 2,186,789

Question 1: Eliminating Gas Tax Indexing

Question 2: Expanding the Beverage Container Deposit Law

Question 3: Expanding Prohibitions on Gaming

Question 4: Earned Sick Time for Employees

Election Date: November 8, 2016
Total Votes Cast: 3,378,801

Question 1: Expanding Slot-Machine Gaming

Question 2: Charter School Expansion

Question 3: Conditions for Farm Animals

Question 4: Legalization, Regulation, and Taxation of Marijuana

Election Date: November 6, 2018
Total Votes Cast: 2,752,665

Question 1: Patient-to-Nurse Limits

Question 2: Commission on Limiting Election Spending and Corporate Rights

Question 3: Transgender Anti-Discrimination

Election Date: November 3, 2020
Total Votes Cast: 3,658,005

Question 1: Motor Vehicle Mechanical Data

Question 2: Ranked-Choice Voting

Election Date: November 8, 2022
Total Votes Cast: 2,511,461

Question 1: Additional Tax on Income Over One Million

Question 2: Regulation of Dental Insurance

Question 3: Expanded Availability of Licenses for the Sale of Alcoholic Beverages

Question 4: Eligibility for Driver’s Licenses