Ballot funding disclosures subject to change

As many as 12 questions could make it onto your November 2026 ballot, a concerningly high number according to lawmakers. 22 News Statehouse reporter Olivia Ray explains lawmakers concerns and what they're doing about it. Massachusetts lawmakers are looking to tighten laws surrounding disclosure of funding for ballot questions as a plethora of questions are still in the running Electoral officials are still parsing through almost 150 boxes of voter signatures submitted last month in support of 12 ballot questions, ranging from rent control to rescinding recreational marijuana legalization to tax policy. Across the last 50 years, the average number of questions on the Bay State ballot is between two and four, with three to six times as many questions still on the table for 2026. Lawmakers are raising concerns about whether these questions represent the will of voters or just the will of well-funded interest groups. The Joint Committee on Election Laws favorably recommended two bills that would require more funding disclosure. One bill, dubbed the Ballot Transparency Act, expands on how and when ballot campaigns must file reports with the Office of Campaign and Political Finance and clearly defines non-cash political support, which previously went under the radar. These policies earned the support of election rights organization Common Cause Massachusetts in an October hearing, who said questions can be used by powerful special interests to buy their preferred public policies, and they often become colossal spending operations. Right now, our reporting requirements for ballot question committees are far too lax. As of now, ballot question reform policies are in front of the with just about seven months left in the legislative session to act. Working for you from the Statehouse in Boston, I'm Olivia Rae, 22 News.