Massachusetts
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2010
Twenty-five ballot measures, including both constitutional amendments and statutory changes were approved to circulate for the 2010 and 2012 ballots. Organizers were required to gather 66,593 signatures by December 2nd 2009, and the proponents who were successful will now have their initiatives sent to the legislature.
For statutory changes, if the legislature does not pass the proposed initiative into law, supporters must gather 11,099 more signatures by May 5th, 2010 to place their measure on the November 2010 ballot. Proposed constitutional amendments must be reviewed by two successive sessions of the legislature, meaning that the earliest that an initiative amendment could go on the ballot is November of 2012. If the amendment receives at least 25% legislative support in both 2010 and 2012, supporters will have the opportunity to gather additional signatures to place the measure on the ballot. None of the constitutional initiatives circulating for 2012 submitted enough signatures to have their amendments considered by the legislature.
Of the twenty-five initiatives approved to circulate, only five have gathered enough signatures to be considered by the Massachusetts state legislature.
An initiative to roll back the state sales tax barely cleared the signature petition threshold. The effort is being run by Carla Howell, a "tea party" leader and director of the Center for Small Government. An investigation by Boston TV channel WCVB-TV revealed that one Howell signature gatherers has a warrant out for his arrest from a 1996 conviction. Another did time for threatening to commit a crime against an assistant district attorney and was convicted of assault and battery on his 14 year old daughter.
The Massachusetts Package Store Association turned in almost double the required amount of signatures for their initiative to reinstate the sales tax exemption on liquor products.
Other initiatives that could potentially qualify for the 2010 ballot would:
- Expand the public charter school system by removing caps on the number total schools permitted and the amount of money the state can spend on them;
- Set emissions standards for technologies to be classified as an “alternative or renewable energy source” – with biomass energy sources like corn ethanol being excluded; and
- Repeal an incentive program encouraging construction of affordable housing.
2008
For more 2008 election information, click here.
For additional information please check with the Massachusetts Secretary of State: http://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/eleidx.htm
