Massachusetts voters vote for open records in state government

Massachusetts voters approved a major expansion of the state's public records law on Tuesday.

Unofficial results from Wednesday showed nearly 86 percent of voters backed Question 1.

The measure requires the governor's office and the state Legislature to release records under the same rules that currently apply to other state agencies.

This vote marks the second time in two election cycles that Massachusetts voters have demanded more visibility into government operations.

In 2024, more than 72 percent of voters approved a measure granting state Auditor Diana DiZoglio the authority to audit the Legislature.

At the time, lawmakers argued that the auditor's push violated the separation of powers, a stance DiZoglio challenged in court.

The new law takes effect in January.

It includes specific exemptions for communications between constituents and their elected officials, as well as records detailing the development of public policy.

Scotia Hille, executive director of Act on Mass, described the margin as a stunning outcome.

She said the result confirms that voters are tired of back-room dealing and want basic accountability from the State House.

State lawmakers are currently negotiating a pair of bills that would subject the governor's office to existing records laws and create a specific list of legislative records available to the public.

These legislative proposals offer a narrower scope than the law voters approved on Tuesday evening, a distinction critics like DiZoglio have called an attempt to block the election results. Representative Aaron Michlewitz, the House budget chief, said he personally supported Question 1 along with many colleagues. However, he noted that lawmakers are still working through closed-door talks to find a balance between the voter mandate and constitutional principles. The two proposals passed by the House and Senate would allow public access only to documents explicitly named in the legislation, such as legislator salaries and ethics disclosures. Michlewitz did not commit to passing a compromise before the two-year session ends in early January. He said lawmakers would see what the final results are before sending them to the administration. House Speaker Ron Mariano praised the reelection of Democratic incumbents and the retention of a 2024 gun law in a Wednesday statement. He did not mention the other ballot questions, and his spokesperson declined to comment on Question 1. A spokesperson for Senate President Karen Spilka did not return a request for comment. State Senator Cynthia Stone Creem, the chamber's majority leader, defended the Legislature's recent internal rule changes as steps to expand transparency. She acknowledged that voters want greater access to records of both the governor's office and the Legislature. Creem said she looks forward to working with colleagues to build on that progress while respecting the bounds of the Constitution. Advocates for increased records access have long complained about long wait times and stonewalled requests. John Griffin, executive director of Partners in Democracy MA Action, said their primary interest is ensuring the voice of the people is honored and the law is implemented. Mary Connaughton, director of government transparency at the Pioneer Institute, said the vote sends a message that government must be accountable to the people it serves. She added that the vote must be followed by meaningful action and that government must honor the will of the people without hesitation. Voters also approved measures allowing state public defenders to unionize and permitting residents to register to vote on Election Day. They rejected measures to change the state revenue cap calculation and repeal marijuana legalization laws. They also declined to replace party primaries with a system listing all candidates on the same ballot. Danielle Allen, who headed the campaign behind the rejected primary measure, called the result a disappointment. Nevertheless, she celebrated the passage of Question 1, saying the people of Massachusetts have communicated clearly that the era of transparency and responsiveness is here.