Voters in Massachusetts face wide range of Ballot Questions on Election Day, November 5

New poll: Voters still up in the air on most of the questions, but support auditing the Mass. Legislature; ending MCAS testing for HS grad support building

By Steve Freker

Massachusetts voters this fall are facing the most Ballot Questions to ponder – five in all – since a state record eight questions appeared on the 2000 state ballot. The five this year represents the second-most.
With five binding statewide ballot questions officially certified to appear on the November 5, 2024, State Election ballot, Secretary of the Commonwealth William F. Galvin has assigned question numbers to each initiative. The questions on the November ballot will appear as follows:
Question 1: State Auditor’s Authority to Audit the Legislature.
Question 2: Elimination of MCAS as High School Graduation Requirement.
Question 3: Unionization for Transportation Network Drivers.
Question 4: Limited Legalization and Regulation of Certain Natural Psychedelic Substances.
Question 5: Minimum Wage for Tipped Workers.
According to a new WBUR poll, things are still very much up in the air in voters’ minds as the General Election nears. According to the WBUR poll, most respondents said they want the state’s auditor to have authority to investigate the Legislature, and a slim majority want to end the MCAS standardized test as a high school graduation requirement. But voters are still mulling if tipped workers should receive the general minimum wage and if therapeutic psychedelics should be legal.
The WBUR/CommonWealth Beacon poll of 800 likely voters was conducted from Sept. 12 to 18 and has a margin of error of 4.1%. It was conducted by MassINC Polling Group and supported with funding from Knight Election Hub. The poll did not ask about an initiative that will be labeled Question 3 on the ballot: to grant network transportation workers like Uber and Lyft drivers the right to join a union.

Here are some WBUR poll results on the ballot questions:
Question 1: State Auditor’s Authority to Audit the Legislature
Some 70% of respondents said they supported Question 1, which would allow Massachusetts Auditor Diana DiZoglio to audit some functions and processes of the Legislature. Just 8% of those polled opposed the measure, with 22% saying they didn’t know how they would vote, or did not answer
Question 2: Elimination of MCAS as High School Graduation Requirement
Question 2 would end the use of the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) as a requisite for a high school diploma. About 51% said they would vote to end the requirement, while 34% said they would vote to keep things as they are.
The MCAS dates back to the Education Reform Bill of 1993 and was conceived as a way to measure school performance in educating students. Using the test to gauge students’ readiness for graduation came 10 years later, in 2003.
If the question passes and the graduation requirement is scrapped, kids would still have to pass necessary coursework in English, math and science – the subjects covered in the MCAS exams.
Question 4: Limited Legalization and Regulation of Certain Natural Psychedelic Substances
Voters seem split on Question 4, which asks whether the state should legalize some therapeutic uses of psychedelics and decriminalize possession and the growing of small amounts for home use; 42% said yes, while 44% said no, putting the question well within the poll’s margin of error.
If passed, Question 4 would allow the supervised cultivation and use of plant-based psychedelics (mushrooms and mescaline) by people 21 or older. It also establishes a commission to determine who gets to supervise these uses.
Massachusetts has been a leader in researching medical uses of psychedelics to treat depression and addiction. But opponents worry about the potential for a black market to form, especially since federal law still bans psychedelics.
Question 5: Minimum Wage for Tipped Workers
Some 43% of poll respondents said they’d vote yes on Question 5, which would raise the tipped workers minimum wage from $6.75 to match the general minimum wage of $15. About 40% of respondents said they’d vote no, and another 16% said they weren’t sure. If passed, Question 5 would increase the tipped minimum wage in stages through 2029.

Important dates for November 5 Presidential Election
October 26 is deadline to register to vote in November 5 Election

The marquee race for this year’s final election – set for Tuesday, November 5 – is the Presidential Election between Republican former President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Vice President Kamala Harris. Federal elected seats for the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives as well as State Elections will also be held.
October 26, 10 days before the Final Election, is the deadline to register to vote in the election.

Here are some important dates to remember:
October 11: Local Early Voting Schedules Available
No later than October 11, early voting schedules and locations for each city and town will be posted at www.VoteInMA.com. Check your community’s information to find out where and when you can vote early.
October 19 – November 1: Early Voting Period
Early voting for the November 5, 2024, State Election begins on October 19 and ends on November 1. The early voting period includes two weekends, and each community will offer some weekend voting hours. Schedules for early voting vary by city and town. Be sure to check your community’s schedule when making your plan to vote.
October 26: Voter Registration Deadline
The last day to register to vote, update your address, change your name or change your party for the November 5, 2024, election is 10 days before Election Day. In-person voter registration sessions will be held in every city and town until 5 p.m. on October 26. Online voter registration will be open until 11:59 p.m. on October 26. Mail-in voter registration forms must be postmarked by October 26.
October 29: Vote by Mail Application Deadline
Your Vote by Mail application must reach your local election office by 5 p.m. on October 29 in order for a ballot to be mailed to you. A postmark is not sufficient to meet the deadline. If you’re mailing your application, be sure to submit it at least a week before the deadline. It is recommended that you apply for your ballot earlier than the October 29 deadline if your ballot is being mailed out of town or if you plan to return your ballot by mail.
November 5: Election Day
Election Day is November 5. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. around Massachusetts. If you’re voting by mail, your ballot must be postmarked by November 5 in order to be counted. Since ballots can take up to seven days to be delivered by the U.S. Postal Service, it is recommended you mail your ballot at least one week before Election Day. Ballots delivered by hand to a local election office or drop box must be delivered by close of polls at 8 p.m. on Election Day.
November 8: Last Day for Domestic Ballots to Arrive
If you mail your ballot from inside the United States, it must arrive at your local election office by 5 p.m. on November 8 in order to be counted.