Magic mushrooms will be on the ballot in Massachusetts

Four ballot questions have been certified to go before voters, all of which could substantially alter Bay State laws and one of which could substantially alter some Bay State adults’ perceptions of reality.

Secretary of Commonwealth Bill Galvin announced Wednesday he’s certified the following questions to appear on the November ballot after receiving the required number of voter signatures for the second round of submissions:

The State Auditor’s authority to audit the State Legislature
Whether or not to eliminate the MCAS standardized test as a high school graduation requirement
If App-based drivers can should be allowed to join and form labor unions
Whether the state should allow limited medicinal legalization of “certain natural psychedelic substances” like the psilocybin found in “magic mushrooms”

According to Galvin’s office, petitioners seeking to add a fifth question — on whether tipped employees should be paid the state minimum wage of $15 per hour — submitted 12,565 signatures.

While that meets the law’s requirement to submit at least 12,429 certified signatures, a spokesperson for the secretary indicated that “an objection has been filed with the State Ballot Law Commission to several of the signatures and petition sheets that were submitted the Commission will hold a hearing to consider the objection on or after July 17.”

The groups behind the ballot questions each submitted more than 74,574 certified signatures last year during the initial filing phase.

After that the Legislature was given the opportunity to write laws to the effect sought by signatories, but declined, triggering the need for additional signatures and the potential for voters to force their hands.

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