What to know about this election’s Mass ballot questions

By Jordan Pagkalinawan

Aside from casting their votes for president and local state officials, Massachusetts residents will decide five ballot questions on several topics. Here’s what to know about each of them.

Question 1: Empowering auditor to look at state legislature
The first question on the ballot concerns the Office of the State Auditor, Diana DiZoglio, and whether or not she has the power to audit the state legislature. Current laws allow DIZoglio to examine “all departments, offices, commissions, institutions and activities of the commonwealth.” Approval of question 1 would add the state legislature to the list, subjecting legislative practices such as employee training rules, cybersecurity practices and purchasing policies to audits.

Question 2: Removing MCAS graduation requirement
Question #2 concerns the state’s high school sophomores and the current requirement that they take the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System to graduate. If approved, students would no longer need to take the MCAS or other statewide standardized tests to graduate, though it would still be required during the school year. Additionally, any student who was denied their diploma because of a failed MCAS score would be able to request it.

Question 3: Allowing rideshare drivers to unionize
The third question voters must decide on concerns rideshare workers’ ability to unionize and collectively bargain with companies such as Uber or Lyft. Similar to other Massachusetts jobs, rideshare drivers are not qualified to form unions under the National Labor Relations Act. However, if the measure passes, drivers would have to collect at least 25% of signatures from active drivers or those who have exceeded the median number of rides in the last six months. If successful, the state would oversee negotiations and approve recommendations on wages, benefits, and working conditions. Question 3 would also establish a hearing process through the Massachusetts Employment Relations Board for claims of unfair labor practices against rideshare companies.

Question 4: Legalizing psychedelics for mental health treatment
Question 4 asks voters to legalize and regulate certain psychedelics to treat certain mental health disorders for adults 21 years or older. The regulation is limited, but it would allow adults to grow, possess and use some natural psychedelics “under certain circumstances,” according to Boston.com. According to the Attorney General, if approved, adults could purchase five psychedelic substances—psilocybin, psilocyn, dimethyltryptamine, mescaline, and ibogaine—at approved locations to be used under the supervision of licensed facilitators. The proposal would also create a five-member Natural Psychedelic Substances Commission that administers laws around use and distribution.

Question 5: Eliminating tipped minimum wage
The fifth and final question for Massachusetts voters this November is whether to eliminate the tipped minimum wage ($6.75, plus tips) for servers and bartenders, in favor of a minimum wage of $15 an hour. The proposal was brought forth by the national labor organization One Fair Wage and earned more than 80,000 signatures through the two rounds. If approved, the hourly wage would increase in stages on New Year’s Day, though employees would receive the $15 minimum by New Year’s Day 2029.