Deadline looms for proposed Mass. ballot questions

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

 

BOSTON — Activists hoping to put ballot questions before Massachusetts voters are facing a deadline to submit their proposals to Attorney General Martha Coakley's office.

Wednesday is the deadline to deliver the questions to Coakley to see if they pass constitutional muster.

It's the first step on long road to the 2014 ballot.

If Coakley signs off on a question, activists have to collect the signatures of nearly 69,000 certified voters, although they typically have to collect significantly more.

That gets the question before lawmakers. If they fail to act, another 11,500 certified signatures are needed to get on the ballot.

Activists are already pushing three ballot questions.

One would set a higher minimum wage while a second targets a new law linking automatic increases in the gas tax to inflation. A third would create nurse-patient ratios.


http://bostonherald.com/news_opinion/local_politics/2013/08/deadline_looms_for_proposed_mass_ballot_questions