Massachusetts Question 3: All-party top-two primaries
Massachusetts · Statutory initiative · Elections · Statewide decision
Explanation reviewed 2026-10-27. AI-written and checked against linked official evidence; not an election-office summary.
AI-written summary
Would put all candidates on one state-primary ballot, open to every voter. Only the two highest vote-getters would advance. Governor and lieutenant governor candidates would run together in the primary; party recognition would use a 3% statewide-primary vote test.
What applies now
Massachusetts uses separate political-party primaries for state elections.
If yes / for
Replace separate party primaries with the all-party, top-two system.
If no / against
Keep existing primary-election rules.
Costs and funding
The official fiscal statement identifies no material effect on state or municipal finances that can be discerned from the proposal.
Timing
Implementation date not independently established in this baseline.
Passage rule
Yes votes must be a majority of votes on the question and equal at least 30% of all ballots cast in the state election.
The latest automated source check failed. This remains the previously reviewed explanation.