October 28, 2026

By Chris Lisinski

There has been no shortage of debate and commentary about the record-tying nine ballot questions voters will decide next week.

As campaigns emerged and unfolded in recent months, senior reporter Chris Lisinski has been focused on the bigger themes this cycle has thrust into the spotlight: Why do we have so many ballot measures after all? Has something fundamental in our state political system changed? Are voters empowered by so many choices, or are they overburdened?

Some of those questions have more straightforward answers. The amount of money involved has absolutely changed, with spending on ballot initiatives over the past decade up more than fourfold over the prior two decades, even after adjusting for inflation. Some, like whether the surge in direct democracy is the system working as intended or a sign of disrepair, are thornier.

Today, we’re excited to publish the results of that inquiry. This feature story is based on more than 15 on-the-record interviews, stretching from campaign leaders to academics to current lawmakers to former legislators like Stan Rosenberg who were there in 1994, the last time Massachusetts had nine questions on the ballot. It also involved an analysis of 34 years of state campaign finance records, and a comparison of signature-gathering requirements to place a question on the ballot in roughly two dozen states.

We hope this longread will serve as a strong complement to our season-long project making the Massachusetts ballot easier to understand.

READ HERE

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