Press Release: 2/14/2025
Statewide ballot question committees report spending $25.2 million in 2024 cycle
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Jason Tait
Feb. 13, 2025 Director of Communications
617-979-8300 / jason.tait@mass.gov
Nine ballot question committees spent $25.2 million on five propositions in 2024, and
received an additional $19.2 million in in-kind contributions, according to an OCPF review of
ballot question fundraising and spending.
OCPF’s review of ballot question activity covered fundraising and spending in 2023-24
for five questions that appeared on the 2024 statewide ballot:
Question 1: State Auditor’s Authority to Audit the Legislature (Passed)
Question 2: Elimination of MCAS as High School Graduation Requirement (Passed)
Question 3: Unionization for Transportation Network Drivers (Passed)
Question 4: Limited Legalization and Regulation of Certain Natural Psychedelic
Substances (Failed)
Question 5: Minimum Wage for Tipped Workers (Failed)
The committees organized for Question 1, about auditing the legislature, reported a total
of $414,808 in expenditures, all by the “support” group, Committee for Transparent Democracy.
The committee opposed to the question reported no activity.
Of the 458 monetary and in-kind contributions to Transparent Democracy, 10 were for
$10,000 or more, accounting for $240,330. An in-kind contribution is something of value that’s
not money.
The question passed, 2,326,911 to 924,289. The average spent per vote in support was 18
cents.
Question 2 concerning the MCAS exam had the highest amount of overall spending,
including in-kind contributions, of any other question.
The two committees organized to support and oppose the question reported $21,962,382
in activity, including $15.7 million spent on in-kind contributions, and $6.3 million in committee
expenses.
The Massachusetts Teachers Association was the largest contributor to the Committee for
High Standards Not High Stakes, paying for goods and services such as advertising, mailings,
consulting, and staff time to support the question.
The committee opposed to the question, Protect Our Kids’ Future, received 15
contributions of $100,000 or more).
The question passed 2,004,196 to 1,388,553. The winning side spent $8.25 per vote, with
monetary and in-kind contributions combined.
Question 3 concerned unionization for transportation network drivers, which had one
committee in support and no committees opposed.
The committee supporting the question, United for Justice, spent $7.3 million. Nearly all
funds were contributed by the Service Employees International Union and its affiliated accounts.
The question passed, 1,771,750 to 1,504,674. The committee in support spent, on
average, $4.10 cents per vote.
Question 4, concerning legalization of natural psychedelic substances, was one of the
two questions to fail, 1,444,797 to 1,902,513.
In support of the question, the Massachusetts for Mental Health Options ballot question
committee spent the most money: $7,723,405, and reported 32 contributions of $100,000 or
more. The successful committee in opposition, Coalition for Safe Communities, spent $128,803.
The unsuccessful ballot question committee spent $5.35 per vote, to 7 cents for the
winning side.
An organization called One Fair Wage was the primary donor supporting Question 5,
asking voters for a minimum wage for tipped workers. The question failed.
The committee opposing the question, Committee to Protect Tips, spent $2.5 million.
Restaurant industry organizations and businesses largely funded the effort.
The question failed 1,200,966 to 2,147,233. The winning side spent $1.17 per vote.
The figures in this study are based on reports filed by committees covering activity
through Dec. 31, 2024, and are subject to change due to any subsequent corrections, deletions or
additions made as a result of any review conducted by OCPF or amendments filed by
committees.
The overall spending record of $65.8 million was set in 2022 when four questions
appeared on the ballot for taxes on income over $1 million, dental insurance regulations,
expanded licenses for alcoholic beverages and drivers licenses for undocumented immigrants.
In addition to the fundraising and spending reported by ballot question committees in
2024, businesses and other entities reported a total of $36,127 in spending that was independent
of any ballot question committee. Independent spending in 2022 reached nearly $2.8 million.
Reports filed by each of the committees may be found on OCPF’s website at
www.ocpf.us.
A breakdown of activity for each question follows.
Campaign Finance Activity for the 2024
Statewide Ballot Questions
Totals include receipts, in-kind contributions and expenditures by each ballot question committee
organized with OCPF for 2023 and 2024.
Question 1: State Auditor’s Authority to Audit the Legislature –
Passed
Committee (OCPF ID) Receipts Expenditures In-Kind
Contributions
Support
Committee for Transparent Democracy
(95510) $418,714 $414,808 $22,248
Transparency Now (95524) $0 $0 $0
Totals in favor $418,714 $414,808 $22,248
Oppose
No committees opposed
Totals in opposition $0 $0 $0
Question 1 Totals $418,714 $414,808 $22,248
Vote Count
Yes: 2,326,911 (spent per vote: 18 cents)
No: 924,289 (spent per vote: 0)
Question 2: Elimination of MCAS as High School Graduation
Requirement - Passed
Committee (OCPF ID) Receipts Expenditures In-Kind
Contributions
Support
Committee for High Standards Not
High Stakes (95507) $950,000 $950,000 $15,600,360
Totals in favor $950,000 $950,000 $15,600,360
Oppose
Protect Our Kids’ Future: Vote No
(95518) $5,318,258 $5,318,258 $93,764
Totals in opposition $5,318,258 $5,318,258 $93,764
Question 2 Totals $6,268,258 $6,268,258 $15,694,124
Vote Count
Yes: 2,004,196 (spent per vote: 47 cents, and $8.25 when in-kind contributions are included)
No: 1,388,553 (spent per vote: $3.83)
Question 3: Unionization for Transportation Network Drivers -
Passed
Committee (OCPF ID) Receipts Expenditures In-Kind
Contributions
Support
United for Justice (95509) $7,276,313 $7,259,067 $583,831
Totals in favor $7,276,313 $7,259,067 $583,831
Oppose
No committee opposed
Totals in opposition $0 $0 $0
Question 3 Totals $7,276,313 $7,259,067 $583,831
Vote Count
Yes: 1,771,750 (spent per vote: $4.10)
No: 1,504,674 (spent per vote: 0)
Question 4: Limited Legalization and Regulation of Certain Natural
Psychedelic Substances - Failed
Committee (OCPF ID) Receipts Expenditures In-Kind
Contributions
Support
Massachusetts for Mental Health Options
(95505) $7,750,634 $7,723,405 $1,245,249
Totals in favor $7,750,634 $7,723,405 $1,245,249
Oppose
Coalition for Safe Communities (95522) $136,775 $128,803 $0
Totals in opposition $136,775 $128,803 $0
Question 4 Totals $7,887,409 $7,852,208 $1,245,249
Vote Count
Yes: 1,444,797 (spent per vote: $5.35)
No: 1,902,513 (spent per vote: 7 cents)
Question 5: Minimum Wage for Tipped Workers - Failed
Committee (OCPF ID) Receipts Expenditures In-Kind
Contributions
Support
One Fair Wage Plus Tips MA (95513) $889,526 $889,526 $1,036,954
Totals in favor $889,526 $889,526 $1,036,954
Oppose
Committee to Protect Tips (95521) $2,515,568 $2,515,568 $658,123
Totals in opposition $2,515,568 $2,515,568 $658,123
Question 5 Totals $3,405,095 $3,405,094 $1,695,077
Vote Count
Yes: 1,200,966 (spent per vote: 74 cents)
No: 2,147,233 (spent per vote: $1.17)
Statewide Ballot Question Expenditures: 1988 – 2024
Note: There were no questions on the statewide ballot in 2004.
Year Number of
Questions
Number of
Committees
Total spent
1988 4 18 $13,317,952
1990 6 20 $5,661,062
1992 4 8 $16,139,661
1994 9 23 $11,155,835
1996 1 3 $1,210,777
1998 3 9 $9,999,283
2000 8 16 $15,340,199
2002 3 6 $2,332,880
2006 3 6 $15,320,327
2008 3 7 $11,516,215
2010 3 9 $9,098,307
2012 3 13 $9,554,909
2014 4 13 $30,193,266
2016 4 15 $57,477,775
2018 3 7 $42,640,899
2020 2 4 $60,336,052
2022 4 14 $65,810,494
2024 5 9 $25,199,