The Massachusetts Elections Division announced on Jan. 5 that it had certified signatures for two initiatives, bringing the total number of initiatives certified to go before the state legislature in 2026 to 11. 

On Jan. 7, the secretary of the commonwealth will send the 11 initiatives to the Massachusetts General Court because initiatives are indirect in Massachusetts. While a direct initiative is placed on the ballot once signatures are verified, an indirect initiative is first presented to the legislature for its consideration.

The General Court has until May 6 to pass an initiative into law. If the legislature rejects or does not vote on the initiative, proponents must collect a second round of 12,429 signatures by July 8, 2026. If those signatures are verified, the initiative will appear on the Nov. 3, 2026, ballot.

Entering the 2026 legislative session, few elected officials have announced their positions on the proposed initiatives. However, Gov. Maura Healey (D) has announced that she would vote against the initiative to establish rent control in the state and for the initiative that would apply the state’s public records law to the legislature and the governor’s office. 

One citizen-initiated ballot measure is already certified for the Nov. 2026 ballot in Massachusetts. The measure, a veto referendum, will allow voters to decide whether to retain or repeal House Bill 4885, which made several changes to the state's firearm regulations. Under HB 4885, the state would develop an electronic tracking system for firearms, prohibit assault-style firearms (as defined in law), require safety certificates to obtain firearm parts, mandate serial numbers for firearms, allow school administrators and licensed healthcare providers to request that a court issue an Extreme Risk Protection Order, and permit courts to order firearm surrenders when issuing a Harassment Prevention Order.

If all 11 proposed initiatives are placed on the ballot, 2026 would be the year with the highest number of citizen-initiated ballot measures in Massachusetts history. Currently, the year with the most citizen-initiated ballot measures was 1994, when nine were on the ballot.

Twelve (including the veto referendum) would also be the highest total number of measures of any type on a Massachusetts ballot since 1918, when voters decided on 19 constitutional convention referrals, including one that created the initiative process.

The 11 proposed initiatives are as follows:

1. Rent Control Initiative: The ballot initiative would establish rent control in Massachusetts, limiting annual rent increases for residential units, with exceptions, to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) or 5%, whichever is lower.

1. Limit on Required Lot Size for Single-Family Homes Initiative: The ballot initiative would require cities and towns to allow single-family homes on residentially zoned lots that meet minimum standards of at least 5,000 square feet in area, at least 50 feet of frontage on a street or public way, and access to public sewer and water services. According to Massachusetts' Comprehensive Housing Plan for 2025-2029, "Much of Massachusetts is covered by zoning districts that are quite simple: single family homes with a minimum lot area of one-half to two acres." In effect, the initiative would preempt local zoning rules that require lots for single-family homes to be larger than 5,000 square feet, which is about 0.12 acres, as long as the other conditions are met.

1. Top-Two Primary Elections Initiative: The ballot initiative would adopt top-two primaries for state offices and require gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial candidates to run as a joint ticket in primaries.

1. Permit Same-Day Voter Registration Initiative: The ballot initiative would provide for same-day voter registration.

1. Public Records Requirements for Legislature and Governor’s Office Initiative: The ballot initiative would require records that the state legislature and the governor’s office hold to be public records.

1. Legislative Stipend Calculation and Payment Rules Initiative: The ballot initiative would change how state legislators' stipends are calculated. Legislators would receive stipends, subject to appropriation, based on their leadership positions and committee assignments, with maximum amounts ranging from 20% to 75% of their base salaries.

1. Decrease State Income Tax Rate to 4% Initiative: The ballot initiative would decrease the state's personal income tax from 5% to 4%.

1. Change State Tax Revenue Limit Initiative: The ballot initiative would change how the state calculates the limit on annual state tax revenue growth and how revenue subject to that limit is defined.

1. Establish the Nature for All Fund Initiative: The ballot initiative would create a new state fund, the Nature for All Fund, which would receive revenue from the sales tax on sporting goods, recreational vehicles, and golf courses. The fund would be used for natural resource conservation.

1. Eliminate Recreational Marijuana Sales and Allow Limited Possession Initiative: The ballot initiative would repeal the state's laws that legalized, regulated, and taxed retail sales of recreational marijuana. The ballot initiative would also prohibit the possession of more than one ounce of marijuana. Possession of one ounce or less would remain legal, while possession of more than one ounce and up to two ounces would be subject to civil penalties.

1. Permit Collective Bargaining for Committee for Public Counsel Services Employees Initiative: The ballot initiative would permit employees of the Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS) to engage in collective bargaining with their employer. The CPCS workforce includes public defenders, social workers, investigators, and administrative staff.

Additional reading:

• Massachusetts 2026 ballot initiatives