Five statewide questions approach deadline to appear on November ballot

BOSTON (WWLP) – Wednesday is the deadline to file the over 1,200 required signatures needed to get a ballot question on the November ballot and five potential questions are still in the running.

One question involves the MCAS standardized testing as a graduation requirement. Advocates say about 700 Massachusetts high schoolers fail to graduate solely because of MCAS scores.

“And our members decided we should bring it to the people because we believe that parents and community members will trust educators and want to replace this graduation requirement with something better,” said Max Page, Massachusetts Teachers Union President.

On Tuesday, Uber and Lyft drivers gathered for a press conference to commemorate turning in the final signatures for their ballot question which would allow them to form or join a union.

“Today, the 2,000 signatures that we will give to the Secretary of State are like the signatures on the drivers’ declaration of independence,” remarked Roxana Rivera, Executive Vice President of the 32BJ Service Employees International Union. “They’re a call for the right to unionize.”

State Auditor Diana DiZoglio also celebrated turning in final signatures on social media platform X for a question that would allow her to audit the state legislature.

The final two ballot initiatives are to decriminalize psychedelics in Massachusetts and increase what business must pay their tipped workers.

Secretary of the Commonwealth Bill Galvin’s office told 22News that it will take at least a week to ensure that all paperwork for ballot questions was filed properly before the final questions are announced.

Local News

Star Spangled Springfield lights up Hampden County

3rd annual Fredrick Douglass Reading event held at Springfield City Hall

Monson holds annual 4th of July Summerfest

11 charged, multiple vehicles towed at Colrain river on Fourth of July

WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP.