State Ballot Law Commission Issues Ruling on Ballot Question Challenge

The State Ballot Law Commission has issued a decision overruling the objection filed against an initiative petition relative to regulating marijuana, according to Secretary of the Commonwealth William F. Galvin, who serves as clerk to the Commission.

In its Statement of Reasons, the State Ballot Law Commission, an independent five-member body appointed by the Governor, noted the lack of admissible evidence presented by the objector.

“The Objector’s call that the unsupported allegations contained in the Objection ‘raise serious questions about the Petition’s integrity that warrant further scrutiny from the Commission itself’ rings hollow given that absolutely no admissible evidence has been presented or offered supporting the allegations made,” the Commission wrote.

As a result of the ruling, the signed initiative petitions will now be transported to the House of Representatives, where state lawmakers will consider the proposal, along with ten others that were transmitted earlier this month.

“With this decision, the certification of this round of petitions has now formally ended, and all eleven initiatives are now before the Legislature,” Galvin said today. “If the Legislature chooses not to pass any of the initiatives, the petitioners will have the opportunity to begin the final round of signature gathering in May.”