Massachusetts | Instant InitiativeInitiative Rules & Requirements
Indirect Constitutional Amendment
- Signature Requirement
- 74,574 signatures required (first round).
- Filing Deadline
- December 3, 2025 (Initial); July 1, 2026 (Final round).
- Filing Office
- https://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/eleidx.htm
- Filing Fee
- $0
- Review Process
- AG certification is required before any signatures can be collected.
- Subject Restrictions
- Cannot relate to religion, judges, specific local appropriations, or the Bill of Rights.
- Distribution Rules
- No more than 25% of signatures can come from any one county.
- Circulator Rules
- Must be 18+; no residency requirement.
- Ballot Title Process
- Attorney General certifies the fair and concise summary.
Last verified: 3/29/2026
Indirect Statute Initiative
- Signature Requirement
- 74,574 signatures required (first round); second round required after legislative review.
- Filing Deadline
- December 3, 2025 (Initial); July 1, 2026 (Final round).
Review ProcessAG certification is required before any signatures can be collected. Subject RestrictionsCannot relate to religion, judges, specific local appropriations, or the Bill of Rights. Distribution RulesNo more than 25% of signatures can come from any one county. Circulator RulesMust be 18+; no residency requirement. Ballot Title ProcessAttorney General certifies the fair and concise summary. Notes: Multi-staged process: initial signature drive, legislative review, then second signature drive.
Referendum
- Signature Requirement
- 74,574 signatures required.
- Filing Deadline
- December 3, 2025 (Initial); July 1, 2026 (Final round).
- Filing Office
- https://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/eleidx.htm
- Filing Fee
- $0
- Review Process
- AG certification is required before any signatures can be collected.
- Subject Restrictions
- Cannot relate to religion, judges, specific local appropriations, or the Bill of Rights.
- Distribution Rules
- No more than 25% of signatures can come from any one county.
- Circulator Rules
- Must be 18+; no residency requirement.
- Ballot Title Process
- Attorney General certifies the fair and concise summary.
Last verified: 3/29/2026
