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CR8-93

MASSACHUSETTS

A. What May Be Initiated? Both constitutional amendments and

statutes may be initiated, but only indirectly through the legislature.

B. Petition Requirements.

C.

1.

Constitutional Amendments.

The signatures of qualified

voters equaling not less than 3 percent of the total votes
cast in the last gubernatorial election, except that not
more than 1/4 of the signatures may come from any one county.
2. Statutes.

a. Original petition. Same as petition for constitutional

amendment.

b. Supplemental petition. If initiated statute has not been passed by the legislature by the first Wednesday in May, the petitioners may file a supplementary petition composed of signatures of qualified voters equaling 1/2 of 1 percent of the total vote cast in the last gubernatorial election.

Votes to Pass.

1. Constitutional Amendments.

a. In the Legislature. An initiated constitutional
amendment must first receive the affirmative votes of
at least 1/4 of the members of a joint session in 2
successive sessions of the legislature. The proposed

D.

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not amend a proposed initiated statute.

b. At the Polls. An initiated statute needs to
receive a favorable majority of the votes cast on it
in order to pass, but the total number of votes cast on

an initiated statute must equal 30 percent of all the

votes cast in the State election held on that same day.

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2. Statutes. Twenty-six (26) appeared on the ballot;

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Massachusetts. Legislative research council. Revising statewide initiative and referendum provisions of the Massachusetts constitution. House - No. 5435, February 4, 1975, 180 p.

Massachusetts.

Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth. Returns of votes. A biennial report, various years.

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