1918 Massachusetts Question 1

Referendum creating initiative and referendum process 170,646 162,103 November 5, 1918 Massachusetts Shall the Article of Amendment relative to the establishment of the popular initiative and referendum and the legislative initiative of specific amendments of the Constitution, submitted by the Constitutional Convention, be approved and ratified? 300px County results 300px Municipality results Yes #47729E 70–80% #7D9CBB 60–70% #B6C8D9 50–60% No #32320C 90–100% #5D5D2D 80–90% #8B8B54 70–80% #BCBC83 60–70% #DEDEBD 50–60% Tie #EBEEED1918 Massachusetts Question 1 was a proposed amendment to the Constitution of Massachusetts to establish an initiative and referendum process in the state. Referred to the ballot by a constitutional convention, the measure was narrowly agreed to by voters. 51.28% cast a vote in favor, though only 2 of the state's 14 counties had a majority in support. Background Before being proposed in Massachusetts, 21 U.S. states had already adopted the initiative and referendum process. At the time, out of the most recent eight gubernatorial elections in the Commonwealth, five of those who were elected governor advocated in their campaign for the process. All gubernatorial candidates in the 1914 election, including both those who won and lost, were supporters. And, three out of the last five speakers of Massachusetts House of Representatives backed the issue.https://www.newspapers.com/image/71792855/ History of the Initiative and Referendum November 4, 1918 February 1, 2026 Boston Post Garland Francis P. At the constitutional convention, the amendment passed "by a decisive non-partisan vote," which occurred "after one of the longest debates in American political history". However, before advocates sought to have a constitutional convention, they attempted to receive the necessary two-thirds majority vote in two successive legislative sessionshttps://ballotpedia.org/Massachusetts_Constitution Massachusetts Constitution February 2, 2026 Ballotpedia needed for an amendment to pass out of the state House. But, over the course of twelve votes, the amendment only received the necessary two-thirds vote one time, in 1903. DateYeasNays+Vote in the Massachusetts HouseMarch 14, 19016974May 1, 190211164May 5, 190315522April 7, 1904107102April 12, 19058978March 18, 190888114March 29, 19109178April 21, 1910112102June 27, 191112575April 1, 191213273May 12, 191314273191414185 Contents On the ballot, voters were asked:https://ballotpedia.org/Massachusetts_Question_1,_Initiative_and_Referendum_Process_Amendment_(1918) Massachusetts Question 1, Initiative and Referendum Process Amendment (1918) February 2, 2026 BallotpediaShall the Article of Amendment relative to the establishment of the popular initiative and referendum and the legislative initiative of specific amendments of the Constitution, submitted by the Constitutional Convention, be approved and ratified? Results By county The following table details the results by county:https://archive.org/details/numberofassessed1918mass/page/382/mode/1up Vote on Article of Amendment relative to the Initiative and Referendum, submitted by the Constitutional Convention. 1918 February 1, 2026 Internet Archive CountyYesNo#%#%Barnstable82227.962,11872.04Berkshire4,35038.197,03961.81Bristol12,06147.0013,60353.00Dukes11933.0624166.94Essex22,24249.2322,93450.77Franklin1,41830.973,16169.03Hampden9,87244.3912,36655.61Hampshire2,09933.154,23266.85Middlesex36,14249.4037,02550.60Nantucket6425.2019074.80Norfolk10,24446.4211,82553.58Plymouth8,19853.427,14846.58Suffolk44,28570.0718,91429.93Worcester18,72846.7821,30653.22State total170,646Two individuals voted absentee, making the total number of yes votes go from 170,644 to 170,646.51.28162,103One individual voted absentee, making the total number of no votes go from 162,102 to 162,103.48.72 By municipality The following collapsed tables detail the results by municipality, such as town or city: MunicipalityYesNo#%#%+Barnstable CountyBarnstable22233.7943566.21Bourne8429.0720570.93Brewster3041.104358.90Chatham3820.1115179.89Dennis3522.8811877.12Eastham1428.003672.00Falmouth10327.8426772.16Harwich4223.4613776.54Mashpee416.672083.33Orleans4429.1410770.86Provincetown5921.8521178.15Sandwich8243.8510556.15Truro1223.084076.92Wellfleet2323.007777.00Yarmouth3015.3116684.69Total82227.962,11872.04 MunicipalityYesNo#%#%+Berkshire CountyAdams68854.7856845.22Alford310.712589.29Becket3742.055157.95Cheshire6038.469661.54Clarksburg3333.336666.67Dalton18137.9529662.05Egremont34.486495.52Florida420.001680.00Great Barrington20535.2237764.78Hancock47.275192.73Hinsdale3835.856864.15Lanesborough3437.365762.64Lee9221.8532978.15Lenox10332.2921667.71Monterey25.263694.74Mount Washington323.081076.92New Ashford00.0011100.00New Marlborough2748.212951.79North Adams85739.931,28960.07Otis37.503792.50Peru633.331266.67Pittsfield1,71840.582,51659.42Richmond1016.135283.87Sandisfield1033.332066.67Savoy1435.902564.10Sheffield3119.3812980.63Stockbridge7335.1013564.90Tyringham411.763088.24Washington417.391982.61West Stockbridge3032.976167.03Williamstown7118.6830981.32Windsor24.883995.12Total4,35038.197,03961.81 MunicipalityYesNo#%#%+Bristol CountyAcushnet3732.467767.54Attleboro1,07361.9565938.05Berkley3035.715464.29Dartmouth6728.0317271.97Dighton5429.8312770.17Easton25247.1928252.81Fairhaven13625.7639274.24Fall River4,30149.874,32450.13Freetown107.8711792.13Mansfield28651.6226848.38New Bedford3,40246.143,97153.86North Attleborough60557.8944042.11Norton8341.5011758.50Raynham2821.2110478.79Rehoboth3330.007770.00Seekonk6343.158356.85Somerset8428.0021672.00Swansea3117.2214982.78Taunton1,44044.871,76955.13Westport4618.3320581.67Total12,06147.0013,60353.00 MunicipalityYesNo#%#%+Dukes CountyChilmark625.001875.00Edgartown2018.029181.98Gay Head457.14342.86Gosnold211.111688.89Oak Bluffs3543.214656.79Tisbury4658.233341.77West Tisbury615.003485.00Total11933.0624166.94 MunicipalityYesNo#%#%+Essex CountyAmesbury41040.6759859.33Andover43544.9453355.06Beverly1,23848.801,29951.20Boxford2021.747278.26Danvers45937.9375162.07Essex7940.1011859.90Georgetown8434.1516265.85Gloucester1,01649.931,01950.07Groveland16059.2611040.74Hamilton6438.7910161.21Haverhill2,05247.812,24052.19Ipswich12025.7534674.25Lawrence4,16160.272,74339.73Lynn5,30856.234,13143.77Lynnfield7441.5710458.43Manchester10530.3524169.65Marblehead42942.7757457.23Merrimac9235.8016564.20Methuen74852.7966947.21Middleton4831.1710668.83Nahant10345.7812254.22Newbury4621.5016878.50Newburyport70142.3895357.62North Andover36246.0042554.00Peabody88851.1884748.82Rockport17743.7022856.30Rowley4829.8111370.19Salem1,82643.962,32856.04Salisbury6131.6113268.39Saugus47947.3353352.67Swampscott33133.8164866.19Topsfield3020.5511679.45Wenham3924.8411875.16West Newbury4928.8212171.18Total22,24249.2322,93450.77 MunicipalityYesNo#%#%+Franklin CountyAshfield1415.567684.44Bernardston44.448695.56Buckland3218.8213881.18Charlemont55.568594.44Colrain149.2113890.79Conway1716.198883.81Deerfield4221.2115678.79Erving3133.706166.30Gill1316.056883.95Greenfield56341.7378658.27Hawley26.672893.33Heath36.674293.33Leverett815.094584.91Leyden00.0036100.00Monroe00.0013100.00Montague32350.7131449.29New Salem3566.041833.96Northfield2918.3512981.65Orange20330.7145869.29Rowe615.383384.62Shelburne2714.4416085.56Shutesbury316.671583.33Sunderland1717.178282.83Warwick1023.813276.19Wendell1041.671458.33Whately710.456089.55Total1,41830.973,16169.03 MunicipalityYesNo#%#%+Hampden CountyAgawam9528.7923571.21Blandford1122.003978.00Brimfield3035.715464.29Chester3843.684956.32Chicopee93244.591,15855.41East Longmeadow5836.0210363.98Granville913.245986.76Hampden1835.293364.71Holland29.521990.48Holyoke2,68555.902,11844.10Longmeadow6323.5120576.49Ludlow13444.5216755.48Monson14535.3726564.63Montgomery15.261894.74Palmer32642.7843657.22Russell2828.577071.43Southwick2319.839380.17Springfield4,19842.665,64257.34Tolland323.081076.92Wales819.513380.49West Springfield46647.0252552.98Westfield57437.9693862.04Wilbraham2520.499779.51Total9,87244.3912,36655.61 MunicipalityYesNo#%#%+Hampshire CountyAmherst19228.4048471.60Belchertown4124.1212975.88Chesterfield1215.586584.42Cummington79.466790.54Easthampton21226.5358773.47Enfield1111.468588.54Goshen39.382990.63Granby1725.764974.24Greenwich611.324788.68Hadley2815.6415184.36Hatfield2217.6010382.40Huntington6140.678959.33Middlefield27.692492.31Northampton75236.491,30963.51Pelham1726.984673.02Plainfield49.523890.48Prescott412.502887.50South Hadley20942.8327957.17Southampton1923.466276.54Ware38855.8330744.17Westhampton717.073482.93Williamsburg7831.9716668.03Worthington711.485488.52Total2,09933.154,23266.85 CountyYesNo#%#%+Middlesex CountyActon6523.4721276.53Arlington97145.061,18454.94Ashby3437.785662.22Ashland11545.4513854.55Ayer17355.8113744.19Bedford6036.3610563.64Belmont46343.2760756.73Billerica18952.9416847.06Boxborough512.823487.18Burlington1618.607081.40Cambridge4,79557.433,55442.57Carlisle1936.543363.46Chelmsford21842.8329157.17Concord26445.6031554.40Dracut12233.8923866.11Dunstable36.674293.33Everett1,97157.681,44642.32Framingham89849.4591850.55Groton9332.1819667.82Holliston15844.7619555.24Hopkinton18052.1716547.83Hudson39251.6536748.35Lexington22230.7949969.21Lincoln3826.5710573.43Littleton3926.5310873.47Lowell4,56252.144,18747.86Malden2,79661.531,74838.47Marlborough1,12761.2871238.72Maynard31654.8626045.14Medford1,99050.611,94249.39Melrose1,07146.651,22553.35Natick77153.5466946.46Newton1,88136.743,23963.26North Reading3627.279672.73Pepperell8929.6721170.33Reading32834.7861565.22Sherborn4630.4610569.54Shirley5738.269261.74Somerville4,20351.523,95548.48Stoneham46551.6143648.39Stow2526.047173.96Sudbury5238.818261.19Tewksbury5729.8413470.16Townsend5527.6414472.36Tyngsborough2323.477576.53Wakefield66945.0881554.92Waltham1,31243.951,67356.05Watertown95549.6197050.39Wayland14349.6514550.35Westford7328.7418171.26Weston5722.7119477.29Wilmington6525.7918774.21Winchester44433.7987066.21Woburn97654.6880945.32Total36,14249.4037,02550.60 MunicipalityYesNo#%#%+Nantucket CountyNantucket6425.2019074.80Total6425.2019074.80 MunicipalityYesNo#%#%+Norfolk CountyAvon17065.648934.36Bellingham8061.545038.46Braintree46945.1057154.90Brookline1,28533.462,55566.54Canton26042.9034657.10Cohasset11633.7222866.28Dedham67453.2459246.76Dover2222.687577.32Foxborough15134.4028865.60Franklin26044.6032355.40Holbrook20156.7815343.22Medfield5826.3616273.64Medway11537.7019062.30Millis10050.0010050.00Milton44436.3077963.70Needham32139.2949660.71Norfolk5239.697960.31Norwood60153.6651946.34Plainville7138.8011261.20Quincy2,31257.841,68542.16Randolph33862.8320037.17Sharon17049.5617350.44Stoughton46657.0435142.96Walpole26450.9725449.03Wellesley21130.4048369.60Westwood6941.079958.93Weymouth89054.2075245.80Wrentham7437.9512162.05Total10,24446.4211,82553.58 MunicipalityYesNo#%#%+Plymouth CountyAbington36053.8930846.11Bridgewater25045.0530554.95Brockton4,03161.472,52738.53Carver2543.103356.90Duxbury7038.0411461.96East Bridgewater19250.5318849.47Halifax1330.233069.77Hanover10446.2212153.78Hanson7343.989356.02Hingham27941.8938758.11Hull7338.6211661.38Kingston7038.6711161.33Lakeville3640.455359.55Marion1414.898085.11Marshfield2512.3217887.68Mattapoisett2521.749078.26Middleborough36544.4645655.54Norwell5845.317054.69Pembroke4444.445555.56Plymouth48346.7655053.24Plympton1322.814477.19Rochester1518.756581.25Rockland54359.7436640.26Scituate9935.6117964.39Wareham19456.2315143.77West Bridgewater14649.6614850.34Whitman59864.4433035.56Total8,19853.427,14846.58 MunicipalityYesNo#%#%+Suffolk CountyBoston40,63371.4216,25728.58Chelsea1,52257.371,13142.63Revere1,54270.5764329.43Winthrop58839.9788360.03Total44,28570.0718,91429.93 MunicipalityYesNo#%#%+Worcester CountyAshburnham5325.2415774.76Athol37640.3455659.66Auburn14338.9622461.04Barre9939.7615060.24Berlin2621.679478.33Blackstone22068.3210231.68Bolton2322.128177.88Boylston2527.176772.83Brookfield6730.8815069.12Charlton4628.2211771.78Clinton79657.8158142.19Dana1319.125580.88Douglas5334.879965.13Dudley11345.3813654.62Fitchburg1,82251.341,72748.66Gardner77455.6861644.32Grafton17536.5330463.47Hardwick7335.4413364.56Harvard2115.0011985.00Holden6222.3821577.62Hopedale13239.4020360.60Hubbardston3126.058873.95Lancaster5529.1013470.90Leicester17844.5022255.50Leominster81146.5393253.47Lunenburg3825.0011475.00Mendon4036.706963.30Milford87968.7340031.27Millbury16839.6225660.38Millville17577.785022.22New Braintree510.004590.00North Brookfield11449.3511750.65Northborough7028.4617671.54Northbridge31840.7246359.28Oakham1527.783972.22Oxford11634.6321965.37Paxton1023.263376.74Petersham2021.747278.26Phillipston819.513380.49Princeton78.547591.46Royalston1519.236380.77Rutland4131.309068.70Shrewsbury7327.4419372.56Southborough10042.9213357.08Southbridge49847.0356152.97Spencer21130.8947269.11Sterling4625.4113574.59Sturbridge3118.5613681.44Sutton4627.7112072.29Templeton8927.8123172.19Upton6831.0515168.95Uxbridge20644.2126055.79Warren14946.1317453.87Webster63863.4836736.52West Boylston3023.819676.19West Brookfield4028.5710071.43Westborough30155.8423844.16Westminster4130.609369.40Winchendon21538.4634461.54Worcester7,72049.347,92650.66Total18,72846.7821,30653.22 Effect Among other things, the amendment added the following text to the Constitution of Massachusetts:https://malegislature.gov/Laws/Constitution Massachusetts Constitution February 1, 2026 General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusettshttps://www.sec.state.ma.us/divisions/elections/research-and-statistics/balmresults_open.htm Massachusetts Statewide Ballot Measures: 1919-Present February 1, 2026 Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Legislative power shall continue to be vested in the general court; but the people reserve to themselves the popular initiative, which is the power of a specified number of voters to submit constitutional amendments and laws to the people for approval or rejection; and the popular referendum, which is the power of a specified number of voters to submit laws, enacted by the general court, to the people for their ratification or rejection. Excerpt of Article 48 Constitution of Massachusetts References Notes Category:1918 in Massachusetts Category:1918 Massachusetts elections Category:Referendums in the United States Category:Initiatives in the United States Category:Ballot measures in the United States Category:Massachusetts ballot measures