Massachusetts 2008 ballot measures
Encyclopedia
Three citizen-initiated measures will appear on the November 4, 2008 ballot in Massachusetts
.
The Massachusetts Constitution
can be amended through initiative
and state statutes can be proposed through initiative. All three statewide ballot measures that are on the November 2008 ballot by collecting signatures are proposed statutes (not constitutional amendment
s).
In Massachusetts, after the state determines which initiatives have succeeded in collecting enough signatures to be placed on the ballot, official numbers/names are assigned to each of the successful initiatives. Secretary of State William Galvin has discretion over the order of questions on the ballot. His office announced that they had determined the ballot ordering "based on the perceived relative importance of the proposed laws."
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
.
The Massachusetts Constitution
Massachusetts Constitution
The Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is the fundamental governing document of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, one of the 50 individual state governments that make up the United States of America. It was drafted by John Adams, Samuel Adams, and James Bowdoin during the...
can be amended through initiative
Initiative
In political science, an initiative is a means by which a petition signed by a certain minimum number of registered voters can force a public vote...
and state statutes can be proposed through initiative. All three statewide ballot measures that are on the November 2008 ballot by collecting signatures are proposed statutes (not constitutional amendment
Constitutional amendment
A constitutional amendment is a formal change to the text of the written constitution of a nation or state.Most constitutions require that amendments cannot be enacted unless they have passed a special procedure that is more stringent than that required of ordinary legislation...
s).
In Massachusetts, after the state determines which initiatives have succeeded in collecting enough signatures to be placed on the ballot, official numbers/names are assigned to each of the successful initiatives. Secretary of State William Galvin has discretion over the order of questions on the ballot. His office announced that they had determined the ballot ordering "based on the perceived relative importance of the proposed laws."
What will be on the November ballot
| Number | Initiative Title | Subject | Description | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Question 1 | Massachusetts State Income Tax Repeal | Taxes | Would repeal state income tax | Failed |
| Question 2 | Massachusetts Sensible Marijuana Policy | Marijuana policy | Decriminalizes small amounts of marijuana | Passed |
| Question 3 | Massachusetts Greyhound Protection Act Massachusetts Greyhound Protection Act The Greyhound Protection Act is a Massachusetts statute that gradually eliminated commercial dog racing by 2010. It was enacted as Question 3 on the November 4, 2008 ballot in Massachusetts.... |
Animal rights | Aims to prohibit (professional) dog racing | Passed |
External links
Note:: This article was taken from Ballotpedia's article about the Massachusetts 2008 ballot measures- Massachusetts Elections Division
- I&R Institute, Historical Listing of Massachusetts's initiatives
- List of current petitions filed in Massachusetts from the Attorney General's office.
- Income tax repeal gets 1st ballot slot, July 11, 2008
- Galvin makes income tax repeal Question 1 on ballot
- Initiative to repeal state income tax gets first slot on November ballot