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Voting in the United States: Ballot Questions: Massachusetts

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2020 Massachusetts Ballot Questions

This page will acquaint you with the ballot questions for Massachusetts in 2020. 

This page contains:

  • The Ballot Question (text as you will see it on the ballot)
  • What a Yes Vote and a No Vote means for that question
  • An overview of the question
  • Link to the full text of the measure, the summary, opposition to the measure and more at BallotPedia.ORG.
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Question #1

Right to Repair

Question #2

Ranked Choice Voting

 

 

 

Question #1

How would Question 1 (2020) change the existing "right to repair law"?

Question 1 (2020) would require manufacturers that sell motor vehicles equipped with telematics systems to install a standardized open data platform beginning with model year 2022. The initiative defines telematics systems as a system in a motor vehicle that collects information generated by the operation of the vehicle that is then transmitted through wireless communications to a remote receiving point where it is stored.

Yes & No Votes

YES A "yes" vote supports requiring manufacturers that sell vehicles with telematics systems in Massachusetts to equip them with a standardized open data platform beginning with model year 2022 that vehicle owners and independent repair facilities may access to retrieve mechanical data and run diagnostics through a mobile-based application.
No A "no" vote opposes requiring vehicles beginning with model year 2022 to be equipped with a standardized open data platform that vehicle owners and independent repair facilities may access to retrieve mechanical data and run diagnostics through a mobile-based application, thereby maintaining that vehicle owners and independent repair facilities may access mechanical and diagnostic data through a personal computer.

Overview:

Question 1 (2020) would require manufacturers that sell motor vehicles equipped with telematics systems to install a standardized open data platform beginning with model year 2022. The initiative defines telematics systems as "any system in a motor vehicle that collects information generated by the operation of the vehicle and transmits such information, in this chapter referred to as 'telematics system data,' utilizing wireless communications to a remote receiving point where it is stored." Vehicle owners could then access telematics system data through a mobile device application and give consent for independent repair facilities to access that data and send commands to the system for repair, maintenance, and diagnostic testing.

Read More About Question #2 Here.

Question #2

How would Question 2 change the way Massachusetts votes?

Question 2 would enact ranked-choice voting (RCV) for primary and general elections for state executive officials, state legislators, federal congressional representatives, and certain county offices. RCV is a voting method in which voters rank candidates according to their preferences. If a candidate receives greater than 50% of all first-preference votes, the candidate is declared the winner and the tabulation ends.

Yes & No Votes

YES A "yes" vote supports enacting ranked-choice voting (RCV) for primary and general elections for state executive officials, state legislators, federal congressional and senate seats, and certain county offices beginning in 2022.
No A "no" vote opposes changing the existing plurality voting system to ranked-choice voting for primary and general elections for state executive officials, state legislators, federal congressional and senate seats, and county offices.

Overview:

This proposed law would implement a voting system known as “ranked-choice voting,” in which voters rank one or more candidates by order of preference. Ranked-choice voting would be used in primary and general elections for all Massachusetts statewide offices, state legislative offices, federal congressional offices, and certain other offices beginning in 2022. Ranked-choice voting would not be used in elections for president, county commissioner, or regional district school committee member.

Read More About Question #1 Here.