North Station

Question you vote on

Should state primaries put all candidates on one ballot?

  1. Filed

  2. Certified

  3. Before the legislature

  4. On the ballot

    Voters decide it at the next statewide election.

  5. Approved by voters

Massachusetts now holds a separate primary for each party. Voters enrolled in a party take that party’s ballot, and unenrolled voters, who are most of the electorate, pick one party’s ballot at the polls. Starting in 2028 this proposal would replace those with a single primary listing every candidate, and the two with the most votes would advance, even if from the same party. Governor and lieutenant governor would run as a pair.

About Government Operations & Elections

What your vote does

Yes

A yes vote would create one state primary open to all candidates and voters, with the top two finishers advancing to the general election starting in 2028.

No

A no vote would keep separate party primaries, where each voter takes only one party’s ballot.

Compare with the government's own wording

Official title

State Primary Elections

Text as filed

This proposed law would eliminate political party primaries for state elections and instead establish a system where there would be a single, all-party primary in which all candidates, regardless of their party affiliation, would be listed on one ballot, and voters could vote for any candidate on the ballot. The two candidates receiving the most votes in the primary would advance to the general election ballot. This proposed law would require candidates for governor and lieutenant governor to run and be listed jointly on the ballot in the primary. This proposed law would provide political party status to any group whose candidates for any statewide office received at least 3% of the ballots cast in the state primary.

Official sources