2026 Massachusetts ballot measures
Several ballot measures may be on the ballot during the 2026 Massachusetts elections. 11 measures were certified in January 2026. The Massachusetts legislature had until May 2026 to either implement the proposals, reach a compromise with organizers, or do nothing, allowing organizers to gather more signatures to officially place the measures on the ballot. The state legislature did not choose to take action on any of the measures, allowing organizers to move forward with signature gathering. 25 further measures were not certified. Legislative leaders have raised concerns about the number of ballot measures, which they claim are often crafted by special interest groups.[1]
Topics of certified questions include a limit on lot size requirements to allow for single-family homes to be built on more plots of land, implementation of same-day voter registration, a proposal to repeal Massachusetts's law allowing for recreational marijuana use, a proposal to implement nonpartisan primaries, a proposal to place gubernatorial and legislative records under the state's public records law, creation of a new land conservation fund to be funded by sales tax revenue, a new limit to how much the state can collect in tax revenue, a reduction in state income tax from 5% to 4%, a proposal to re-implement rent control, and a proposal to allow Committee for Public Counsel Services (a board which oversees the state's public defender system) employees to form a union. A measure on legislative stipend reform to reduce extra pay received by lawmakers was initially certified, but an advisory opinion by the Supreme Judicial Court led to the measure being struck from the ballot. One veto referendum, a proposal to repeal new gun control laws passed in 2024, will be on the ballot in 2026.
Electoral system
[edit ]In Massachusetts, a constitutional amendment or proposed law can be placed on the ballot by popular petition. If a petition collects 74,574 signatures, it will be considered by the General Court. If the General Court does not pass the proposal, the petitioners can have their proposal placed on the ballot at the next general election if they collect 12,429 more signatures.[2] In addition, a law passed by the General Court can be put to a veto referendum, in which the law must be passed by popular vote.[3]
The first round of signatures needed to be submitted by December 3, 2025. The legislature had until May 5, 2026 to decide whether to implement the proposals.[4] Organizers have until June 17 to gather the second round of signatures to place the measures on the ballot.[5]
Measures potentially on the ballot
[edit ]The final list and ordering is not yet finalized. Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth William F. Galvin decides the final ordering of questions on the ballot.[6]
| No. | Official title | Full text | Websites | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TBD | Referendum on an Existing Law on an Act Modernizing Firearm Laws[a] | Text | On the ballot | ||
| TBD | Initiative Petition for a Law to Allow Single-Family Homes on Small Lots in Areas with Adequate Infrastructure | Text | Website | Certified | |
| TBD | Initiative Petition for a Law Relative to Election Day Registration | Text | Certified | ||
| TBD | Initiative Petition for a Law Relative to Regulating Marijuana | Text | Website | Certified | |
| TBD | Initiative Petition for a Law to Implement All-Party State Primaries | Text | Website | Certified | |
| TBD | Initiative Petition for a Law to Improve Access to Public Records | Text | Certified | ||
| TBD | Initiative Petition for a Law to Protect Water & Nature | Text | Website | Certified | |
| TBD | Initiative Petition for a Law Relative to Limiting State Tax Collection Growth and Returning Surpluses to Taxpayers | Text | Certified | ||
| TBD | Initiative Petition for a Law Relative to Reducing the State Personal Income Tax Rate from 5% to 4% | Text | Website | Certified | |
| TBD | An Initiative Petition to Protect Tenants by Limiting Rent Increases | Text | Website Website |
Certified | |
| TBD | Initiative Petition for a Law Relative to Labor Relations Policies for Committee for Public Counsel Services Employees | Text | Certified | ||
| Cit.[7] [8] [9] | |||||
Veto referendum on firearm laws
[edit ]On July 25, 2024, governor Maura Healey signed into law a bill cracking down on homemade firearms. The new law expanded on existing red flag laws in the state. The bill banned anyone besides law enforcement officials from carrying guns inside a school, government building, or polling site and created new restrictions on gun modifications while also adding new requirements for people applying for gun licenses, including a new standardized test. The legal definition of assault weapons was expanded to include more types of weapons.[10]
Gun rights activists quickly organized against the new law, believing it to erode the constitutional right to bear arms.[11] They gathered over 90,000 signatures to place the law on the 2026 ballot as a veto referendum, in which the law must be passed by popular vote before it can come into effect. They gathered the required number of signatures by October 2024.[12]
Unlike other types of measures, veto referendums can be placed on the ballot immediately after the first round of signature gathering is completed and do not have to wait for the state legislature to decide whether or not to implement the law. As such, the gun law veto referendum will be on the ballot.[4]
Limit on lot size requirements
[edit ]A ballot proposal to prohibit any law or zoning ordinance from requiring minimum lot sizes higher than 5,000 square feet may be on the ballot. The proposal, called "Legalize Starter Homes" by supporters, would also prohibit local authorities from implementing special permitting requirements to build single-family residences in residential zoning districts. The measure aims to alleviate the high cost of housing in Massachusetts by allowing for more homes to be built.[13] [14]
It has been compared to the rent control proposal, which may also be on the ballot. Organizers for the rent control measure have criticized the lot size measure and vice versa. While both measures aim to alleviate the state's housing crisis, the lot size measure aims to do so by increasing supply while the rent control measure aims to restrict cost.[15] [16]
Municipal organizations have criticized the measure, which would apply to all municipalities in Massachusetts except Boston, for bypassing local control. Organizers for the measure claim that the measure could cause 2,200 to 5,700 homes to be built each year and that 700,000 new buildable lots would be created.[17]
Same-day voter registration
[edit ]A measure to introduce same-day voter registration may be on the ballot. The measure would scrap the existing registration deadline which requires voters in Massachusetts to register at least 10 days before election day.[18] One of the main proponents of the measure is longtime Massachusetts secretary of the commonwealth William F. Galvin. Galvin is the elected official in charge of administering elections in the state. Galvin decided to gather signatures to place the measure directly on the ballot after the legislature refused to take up the issue over multiple legislative sessions.[19]
Some local election officials have expressed worry about the extra work which may be required on election days. However, Galvin contends that same-day voter registration will actually reduce the burden on local officials by removing the need for unregistered voters to cast provisional ballots, which require officials to verify the eligibility of said voters after they have cast their ballots.[18] [19]
Marijuana restrictions
[edit ]A measure to re-criminalize recreational marijuana may be on the ballot. The measure would repeal a measure passed by voters in 2016 which legalized and regulated recreational marijuana. The measure is backed by the anti-legalization group Smart Approaches to Marijuana. Adults over 21 years old would still be allowed to possess up to one ounce of marijuana, but the legal dispensaries which have opened since legalization would be shut down.[14]
Advocates for the measure claim that legalization has harmed public health and safety. Opponents of the measure contend that the measure would hurt the economy and eliminate jobs by dismantling the new industry. Opponents have initiated legal action against organizers. A complaint was filed accusing organizers of misleading voters during the signature gathering phase, although the complaint was dismissed. A separate lawsuit brought before the Supreme Judicial Court claims that the measure illegally mixes unrelated subjects by also including a requirement that young adults attend a drug awareness program if they are caught with marijuana.[14]
Nonpartisan primaries
[edit ]A measure to introduce nonpartisan blanket primaries may be on the ballot. The measure would implement a system similar to the one used in California and some other states, where all candidates participate on the same primary ballot, regardless of party, with the top two candidates advancing to the general election.[20] Primary elections in Massachusetts are often uncontested, with proponents of the measure claiming that it could lead to more competition and higher turnout for primaries.[20]
The proposal has been met with opposition from both Democrats and Republicans. The Democratic State Committee voted to formally oppose the measure, and two Democratic activists initiated a lawsuit attempting to stop the measure from appearing on the ballot.[20] [21] On the other hand, some Republicans worry that the system may lead to general elections in which one Democrat faces off against another Democrat, with no Republican making it to the general election.[20] While the party itself opposes the proposal, some prominent individual Democrats have expressed support for it, including state auditor Diana DiZoglio, former governor Deval Patrick, and former state treasurer Steve Grossman.[21] [5] The campaign for the measure is led by Danielle Allen, a Democratic candidate for governor in 2022.[5]
Expanding public records laws
[edit ]A measure to place legislative and gubernatorial records in the state's public records law may be on the ballot. Massachusetts is the only state in which gubernatorial, legislative, and judicial records are not publicly accessible. The measure would contain some exceptions for sensitive information. Multiple attempts to pass similar laws through the legislature were met with failure in the past, leading organizers to go through the ballot initiative process instead.[22] The proposal has received extensive support from Diana DiZoglio, a Democrat and the state auditor, who has donated 150,000ドル to the ballot measure campaign from her own campaign funds. The measure comes two years after the passage of 2024 Massachusetts Question 1, another measure pushed by DiZoglio which gave her the ability to audit the state legislature. Since the passage of the 2024 measure, DiZoglio has been engaged in a protracted conflict with the legislature, which has resisted her calls for an audit, citing concerns about constitutional separation of powers.[23]
The Massachusetts Senate challenged the proposed measure, along with another proposal regarding legislative stipend reform, at the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. In April 2026, the court declined to make a ruling on the public records proposal, preferring to wait to see whether the new law is passed by voters.[24]
Land conservation fund
[edit ]A measure to establish a fund to purchase land for conservation, water quality improvement, and recreation using state sales tax revenue from sporting goods may be on the ballot. The measure is supported by a coalition of nonprofit organizations and private companies which previously tried unsuccessfully to lobby the state legislature to pass a similar piece of legislation.[25] In 2021, Massachusetts ranked last in the nation in funding per capita for state parks.[25]
While no group arose to oppose the measure, state lawmakers still chose not to pass the measure, clearing the way for organizers to gather more signatures to place it on the ballot.[14] Lawmakers could choose not to fund the new land conservation fund even if the measure passes.[25]
Tax revenue limits
[edit ]A measure to introduce new limits on how much tax revenue the state can collect while increasing tax rebates may be on the ballot.[26] The measure would change the existing calculation which sets a limit to the amount of revenue the state can collect in a year to cut taxes. It would also include the new revenue gathered from a 2022 ballot measure which introduced a new tax on income over 1,000,000ドル in the calculation. The measure is backed by a coalition of business and trade groups.[27]
The measure is opposed by labor unions and legislative leaders, who claim the measure (along with the other measure which would reduce the state income tax) would lead to deep cuts to social services and state spending. Supporters of the measure maintain that tax cuts would spur growth.[27]
Reduction in state income tax
[edit ]A measure to reduce the state income tax from the current 5% to 4% may be on the ballot. The ballot initiative would gradually decrease Massachusetts's state tax rates for personal taxable income, which includes salaries, wages, interest and dividends. In the 2027 financial year, the tax rate would be 4.67%, down from 5%, followed by 4.33% in 2028. From the following year, taxable income would be taxed at a rate of 4.00%.[28]
Labor unions have sued to attempt to keep the measure off the ballot, asserting that the ballot summary drafted by attorney general Andrea Campbell was unconstitutional. Opponents of the measure, including many state lawmakers, have claimed that deep cuts to services would be required if the measure were to be passed. Proponents contend that it would help address the state's affordability crisis.[28] In June, the state legislature moved to halt proposed tax reforms which would benefit businesses.[29] This was done to reduce the impact of the ballot measure on the state budget, should the measure pass.[29] The move would reduce the benefits businesses would gain from the tax cut.[29]
Rent control
[edit ]| Date | Number of rent-controlled units | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| February 1980 | 8,000 buildings had rent-controlled units | [30] |
| January 1981 | 45,000 units | [31] |
| December 1981 | 35,000-40,000 units | [32] |
Rent Control Board
[edit ]Petitions for an increase in rent to the Boston Rent Control Board took, on average, three months.[33] In one case, the Board considered a loss of 8,500ドル to be "a fair net profit" for the property owner.[33]
In the early 1980s, a new law was passed allowing tenants who lived in non-rent controlled apartments to file a grieavance if their housing provider increased the rent.[34] The Board did not have the authority to madnate prior approval for increases for non-controleld units, but could require landlords to give their tenants a rent reduction.[34]
Across-the-board rent increases
[edit ]In February 1980, Boston landlords asked the Rent Control Board for an increase in rents.[35] The last time a rent increase had been approved was in February 1977.[35]
One property owner testified that in that time his heating oil costs had gone up 207%, utilities were up 28%, insurance was up 105%, and sewer charges increased 286%.[35] The Board denied the request, but did allow landlords to seek rent increases to account for increased heating fuel costs for the first time.[30] The increase would only apply to 1980's costs, not to any future increases in the cost of heating oil or gas.[30] Tenants also would have the opportunity to challenge the increase.[30]
Jerome Lyle Rappaport, the president of the Rental Housing Association of the Greater Boston Real Estate Board, said the procedure to seek such an increase was so cumbersome that many property owners would be discouraged from doing so.[30] Tenant advocates said they were disappointed with the ruling and questioned "the policy of always passing on cost increases to the consumer."[30]
Tenant groups opposed across-the-board rent increases, saying that not every landlord needed or deserved an increase.[31] Tenant groups proposed that property owners who wanted to raise the rent should go before the Rent Control Board individually to request an increase.[31]
"I am horrified at the idea that landlords can raise rents without having to justify those rent increases," a tenant organizer said in 1981 after the first across-the-board increase was approved since 1977.[31] The two hikes, in 1977 and 1981, were the only across-the-board hikes granted since rent control was instituted in 1973.[32] The board rejected an across-the-board increase in 1983.[36]
Condo conversions
[edit ]In 1980, the Rent Control Board adopted a new reguation requiring property owners to file copies of eviction notices with the board.[37] The courts struck it down in June 1982.[37]
Residents of a Commonwealth Avenue apartment building opposed a rental increase in 1981 when the owner converted the apartments to condominiums.[38] In the previous eight years, one tenant saw her rent increase by a total of 26ドル to 276ドル.[38] The owner, Gaetano Morella, paid more in taxes than he collected in rent.[38] The tenants accused him of trying to raise the rents so they would be forced out, allowing him to sell empty units.[38]
A ballot proposal to re-institute rent control is scheduled to appear on the 2026 Massachusetts ballot.[b] If adopted, it would become the strictest rent control law in the country.[41] [40] [42] Unlike the previous version of rent control, in which individual cities and towns could choose whether or not they wanted to have rent control, this measure would cap rent increases at the rate of inflation, or 5% a year, whichever is lower, across the entire Commonwealth.[41] [40] [43]
On June 3, rent control advocates claimed they had reached a compromise with opponents to drop the ballot measure push and implement a less strict version through the state legislature.[16] The proposed compromise had some similarities to Boston mayor Michelle Wu's previous rent control proposal.[44] The compromise would have allowed individual municipalities to opt in to rent control, rather than enforcing it statewide, as the ballot measure would.[4] While some groups which had opposed the measure agreed to the compromise, Housing for Massachusetts, the committee formed to oppose the ballot measure, denied that any deal had been reached.[16] [4]
Market reactions
[edit ]After the ballot question was certified, Governor Maura Healey announced that funding had been pulled for multiple housing projects representing thousands of new units, with funding flowing instead to projects in other states without rent control.[43] In March 2026, National Real Estate Advisors, who had previously invested billions of dollars in Massachusetts over the prior 20 years, announced that they would stop investing in Massachusetts because of the prospect of rent control returning.[45] The proposed ballot measure would exempt new construction for 10 years; developers of multifamily housing base their projects on timelines of between 20 and 40 years.[46]
Other developers have announced they will stop building in Massachusetts if the measure were to pass.[47] Banks also reported a "sharp drop" in the number of loans to build multifamily housing because of concerns about the ballot measure.[48] Developers are telling the banks that "[w]e don’t have to invest in Massachusetts. We can invest in Connecticut or New York."[48]
According to Cabot, Cabot & Forbes, "the prospect of rent control has effectively suspended investor appetite for new investments in Massachusetts."[49] The company's CEO, Jay Doherty, said that investors, which include such as pension funds, endowments, and bundles of private investors, "will not even look at [a CC&F] project" because the returns would be too low with rent control.[49] "Rent control is just another piece of iron rebar on the camel’s back," according to Doherty.[49]
Economic projections
[edit ]A report from the Greater Boston Real Estate Board and the Center for State Policy Analysis at Tufts University found that adoption of the law would trigger a "fiscal tsunami" by wiping out 300ドル billion from home and property values.[50] This, in turn, would cause a "cascade of effects" by reducing how much municipalities were able to take in property taxes, leading to cuts to services in urban areas and rural areas alike.[50] Because the value of apartments would decrease, and because landlords would have less money to invest in them, buildings would begin to deteriorate.[46] This would reduce the value of the homes around it, and decrease the tax base as a result.[46]
According to Worcester mayor Joseph Petty, removing this much of the tax base would be "catastrophic to local municipal budgets."[42] The mayor predicts that Worcester would lose 18.53% of the city’s property value by 2036 if the measure passes.[42] This would require the residential tax rate to increase by 22.74%.[42]
"Rent control would devalue properties with crushing effects on our budgets that support teachers and education, police, fire, and public safety, and infrastructure maintenance and improvement in our cities and towns," according to Methuen Mayor D.J. Beauregard.[47]
A study by the Fiscal Alliance Foundation found that homeowners would see a 6% increase in the tax rate as more value was placed on owner-occupied properties and values fell on rental units.[51] In Boston, tax rates on the average home would rise by 1,117,ドル in Lowell by 570,ドル and in Amherst by 889ドル.[51] Paul Craney, the executive director of the Fiscal Alliance Foundation, calls the proposal "a tax increase on homeowners."
Wealthy renters would benefit more from rent control than poorer renters would in pure dollar amount terms because the base rent is already higher.[46] The economic benefit of rent control would flow from landlords to those who are already renting apartments, and not to those most in need.[46]
Public opinion
[edit ]A poll conducted by Suffolk University in November 2025 found 62.6% of all respondents supported capping rent increases, with 30.6% opposed.[52] A poll in February 2026 found 56% in favor.[50]
Positions in favor
[edit ]Boston mayor Michelle Wu considers the measure imperfect, but plans to vote for it, citing the need to make housing more affordable.[53] [47] Other officials in Cambridge and Somerville have also voiced support for the initiative.[47] The Homes for All coalition was formed to support the measure.[49]
Positions opposed
[edit ]Governor Maura Healey opposes the ballot measure, saying that if "you look at the studies, you effectively halt production" with rent control.[54] Other supporters of rent control oppose this measure, saying that "as proposed, this ballot question is a terrible idea."[55]
A group of 12 mayors, including those from some of the Commonwealth's densest cities and those with the highest population of renters, oppose the measure citing its likely effect of slowing down housing production, the negative impacts it will have on municipal budgets, and how it would ultimately hurt, not help, the effort to bring down housing prices.[47] The cons, they say, outweigh the pros, making it counterproductive.[47] Worcester mayor Joseph Petty opposes the measure, saying it "will have disastrous consequences."[42]
The non-partisan, business-backed Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation declared that passage would result in "worsening the housing shortage in Massachusetts and degrading the existing housing stock. Rent control should not be adopted because it will exacerbate housing shortages, drive up housing costs, and increase property taxes for homeowners."[56]
In February 2026, a campaign opposing the ballot measure, Housing for Massachusetts, was launched.[57]
Unions for public defenders
[edit ]A measure to allow employees of the Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS), the government organization which employs the state's public defenders, may be on the ballot. The push comes in the aftermath of a strike by bar advocates, who are outside lawyers hired by the state as independent contractors to augment the public defenders which are direct employees of the CPCS. Bar advocates are paid much less than comparable attorneys in neighboring states. The strike led to many defendants being released since there were no lawyers to provide counsel. The proposal, which is backed by existing labor unions, would allow CPCS employees to form a union through the same mechanisms that other state employees can.[58]
Legislative stipend reform (not on ballot)
[edit ]An initiative to reform how legislative stipends are given out was certified to be on the ballot in January 2026. However, it was blocked from proceeding to the ballot in May. In Massachusetts, the base pay for all members of the state legislature earn a base pay of around 82,000ドル. However, legislative leaders, such as committee chairs, vice chairs, and leaders of both houses earn significantly more thanks to legislative stipends paid to lawmakers to compensate them for their additional responsibilities. The proposed ballot measure seeks to reduce this excess pay, with organizers claiming that the current system allows leadership to reward loyalty by paying their appointed committee chairs significantly more than regular legislators.[22]
The Massachusetts Senate challenged the proposed measure, along with another measure concerning an expansion to the state's public records law, at the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. In April 2026, after the measure had already been certified as constitutional by the attorney general, the court issued an advisory opinion which found that the proposal was unconstitutional. Initiative petitions in Massachusetts can only concern either laws or constitutional amendments, and the court found that the stipend proposal concerned the internal rules of the legislature. The opinion did not immediately strike it from the ballot; it was essentially a recommendation that the attorney general should not allow the measure to move forward.[24] In May, the attorney general's office sent a letter to the secretary of state which declared that the measure could not legally be placed on the ballot. The secretary of state's office informed petition organizers that they would no longer be able to collect signatures. Organizers vowed to place a similar measure on the ballot in 2028.[59]
Notes
[edit ]- ^ This measure is a veto referendum on a law already passed by the legislature. A "yes" vote means the law will be kept in place and a "no" vote means the law will be repealed.
- ^ In September 2025, Attorney General Andrea Campbell verified a ballot petition to implement rent control across the state, allowing supporters to collect nearly 75,000 signatures to put the measure on the ballot.[39] In November 2025, supporters claimed they collected enough signatures to move it forward in the process.[40]
References
[edit ]- ^ Dumcius, Gintautas (November 25, 2025). "2026 ballot campaigns, both their volume and scope, a top concern for Beacon Hill leaders". MASSterList. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
- ^ "The initiative petition process". Mass.gov. Archived from the original on September 16, 2025. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
- ^ "MASSACHUSETTS". State Democracy Research Initiative. November 2, 2023. Archived from the original on September 9, 2025. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
- ^ a b c d Evans, Justin (January 10, 2026). "Direct Democracy in the Commonwealth: The 2026 Massachusetts Ballot Gauntlet". South Shore News. Retrieved April 25, 2026.
- ^ a b c Van Buskirk, Chris (May 11, 2026). "A ballot question to eliminate party primaries in Massachusetts is dividing state Democrats" . The Boston Globe . Retrieved May 11, 2026.
- ^ Cristantiello, Ross (July 29, 2024). "Order for statewide ballot questions finalized". Boston.com . Retrieved April 25, 2026.
- ^ "Massachusetts 2026 ballot measures". Ballotpedia . Retrieved April 28, 2026.
- ^ "Massachusetts Statewide Ballot Measures: 1919-Present". Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth . Archived from the original on August 12, 2025. Retrieved October 5, 2025.
- ^ "Ballot Initiatives Submitted for the 2026 Biennial Statewide Election (proposed laws) and 2028 Biennial Statewide Election (proposed constitutional amendments)". Government of Massachusetts . Retrieved April 28, 2026.
- ^ Leblanc, Steve (July 25, 2024). "Massachusetts governor signs bill cracking down on hard-to-trace 'ghost guns'". Associated Press . Retrieved April 30, 2026.
- ^ Thube, Aditi (April 3, 2025). "A flash point over gun control: Can Massachusetts' strict firearms law survive the 2026 ballot?". Daily Hampshire Gazette . Retrieved April 30, 2026.
- ^ Leblanc, Steve (October 8, 2024). "Gun activists say they are aiming to put Massachusetts gun law repeal on 2026 ballot". Associated Press . Retrieved April 30, 2026.
- ^ "Massachusetts Limit on Required Lot Size for Single-Family Homes Initiative (2026)". Ballotpedia . Retrieved March 1, 2026.
- ^ a b c d Smith, Jennifer (May 7, 2026). "Mass. voters might face 11 ballot questions this fall. Here's where each measure stands". CommonWealth Beacon . Retrieved May 7, 2026.
- ^ Smith, Jennifer (March 20, 2026). "Dueling housing ballot measures collide with frustrated lawmakers". CommonWealth Beacon . Retrieved April 1, 2026.
- ^ a b c Cristantiello, Ross (January 13, 2026). "From rent control to recreational pot, these 11 questions could be coming to Mass. ballots this fall". Boston.com . Retrieved April 23, 2026.
- ^ Kuznitz, Alison (March 17, 2026). "Municipal trade group opposes starter home proposal" . The Boston Globe . State House News Service . Retrieved April 1, 2026.
- ^ a b Ray, Olivia (March 31, 2026). "Advocates push for same-day voter registration in Massachusetts". WWLP . Retrieved May 4, 2026.
- ^ a b Jonas, Michael (August 13, 2025). "Galvin pursuing ballot question on same-day voter registration". CommonWealth Beacon . Retrieved May 4, 2026.
- ^ a b c d Lisinski, Chris (March 8, 2026). "Two veteran Democrats sue to block all-party primary ballot question". CommonWealth Beacon . Retrieved May 4, 2026.
- ^ a b Miller, Yawu (April 29, 2026). "Democratic State Committee opposes open state primaries". Dorchester Reporter . Retrieved May 4, 2026.
- ^ a b Oss, Isabelle (November 9, 2025). "State activists take transparency fight to the ballot box". The New Bedford Light. Retrieved May 7, 2026.
- ^ Lisinski, Chris (November 13, 2025). "DiZoglio's effort to audit the Legislature remains stalled. So she wants voters to change the law, again". CommonWealth Beacon . Retrieved May 18, 2026.
- ^ a b Zokovitch, Grace (April 27, 2026). "SJC weighs in on legislative stipends, access to legislature's public records ballot questions". Boston Herald . Retrieved May 7, 2026.
- ^ a b c Petersen, Jane (April 3, 2026). "Massachusetts ranks low in spending for land conservation. This ballot initiative is trying to change that". CommonWealth Beacon . Retrieved May 18, 2026.
- ^ Miller, Yawu (October 17, 2025). "Two '26 ballot questions could upend state revenue plans". Dorchester Reporter . Retrieved May 18, 2026.
- ^ a b "Massachusetts Change State Tax Revenue Limit Initiative (2026)". Ballotpedia . Retrieved May 18, 2026.
- ^ a b Buskirk, Chris Van (January 30, 2026). "Massachusetts union members sue to block proposed income tax ballot question". WBUR. Retrieved March 13, 2026.
- ^ a b c Gross, Samantha (June 2, 2026). "Democrats send a message: Ballot question to cut income tax would slash state budget" . The Boston Globe . Retrieved June 3, 2026.
- ^ a b c d e f Cite error: The named reference
cowenwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference
hikeswas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
sideswas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
workwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
goskindwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference
taylorwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
quillwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
hubwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference
hankwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Stout, Matt (September 3, 2025). "In 'record-breaking' year, Mass. attorney general approves 44 ballot proposals, including one restoring rent control". The Boston Globe. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
- ^ a b c Brinker, Andrew (November 18, 2025). "Rent control backers say they're on track to go before voters next year". The Boston Globe. Retrieved November 18, 2025.
- ^ a b Brinker, Andrew (August 6, 2025). "Fight to restore rent control in Mass. could soon land at the ballot box". The Boston Globe. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e Petty, Joseph M. (May 17, 2026). "Rent control not the fix for housing crisis". Worcester Telegram. Retrieved May 17, 2026.
- ^ a b DeCosta-Klipa, Nik (March 12, 2026). "Gov. Healey says proposed rent control ballot question is already having an effect on Massachusetts". WBUR . Retrieved March 14, 2026.
- ^ Dumcius, Gintautas (June 3, 2026). "Who's a real Republican? PAC paints Shortsleeve as 'one of them'". MASSterList. Retrieved June 3, 2026.
- ^ Leung, Shirley (March 2, 2026). "He's invested billions in Boston. Now one big real estate investor is hitting the brakes. Here's why". The Boston Globe. Retrieved March 2, 2026.
- ^ a b c d e Karafiol, Jonah; Miron, Jeffrey (May 29, 2026). "Rent control would hurt the people it intends to help". The Boston Globe. Retrieved May 29, 2026.
- ^ a b c d e f Brinker, Andrew (April 15, 2026). "Rent control is on track to reach the November ballot. A dozen Mass. mayors say it would worsen the housing crisis". The Boston Globe. Retrieved April 21, 2026.
- ^ a b Woolf, Max (May 15, 2026). "Small businesses are footing the bill".
- ^ a b c d Vennochi, Joan (May 6, 2026). "Can Massachusetts build more housing under rent control?". The Boston Globe. Retrieved May 24, 2026.
- ^ a b c Lisinski, Chris (March 11, 2026). "Rent control opponents warn of 300ドル billion impact to local budgets". Commonwealth Beacon. Retrieved March 14, 2026.
- ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
dunnwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Nyugen, Andrew (November 25, 2025). "Explore the full results of the Suffolk University/Boston Globe poll of Mass. residents" . Retrieved December 25, 2025.
- ^ Griswold, Niki (February 10, 2026). "'Something's got to give': Boston's Mayor Michelle Wu says she supports rent control ballot measure". The Boston Globe. Retrieved April 21, 2026.
- ^ Stout, Matt (December 23, 2025). "Rent control would 'effectively halt' housing production in Massachusetts, Healey says". The Boston Globe. Retrieved December 23, 2025.
- ^ Fayyad, Abdallah (April 10, 2026). "I support rent control. But the proposed ballot question in Massachusetts is a mistake". The Boston Globe. Retrieved April 10, 2026.
- ^ "MTF Position on Ballot Questions in 2026" (PDF). Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation. May 4, 2026. Retrieved May 5, 2026.
- ^ "Massachusetts Rent Control Initiative (2026)". Ballotpedia . Retrieved April 11, 2026.
- ^ Warren, Trajan (March 16, 2026). "Public defenders bring fight for unionization to Beacon Hill". WGBH-TV . Retrieved May 7, 2026.
- ^ Drysdale, Sam. "In reversal, Mass. AG blocks legislative stipend ballot question from moving forward". WBUR-FM . State House News Service . Retrieved May 7, 2026.