Early voting continues this week at town hall in advance of the November 3 election. Voters will face nine questions on the ballot, a higher number of questions than in recent memory. This information is from the Secretary of State’s office and explains what votes in favor and against each question would do, and provides a summary of the question (provided by the Attorney General) and positions of proponents and opponents. If no organized group staked out a position, the Secretary of State’s office created the statement. This is the same information that was sent to registered voters by mail and is available online at www.sec.state.ma.us/divisions/elections/elections-and-voting.htm.

Question 1: Expanding the Public Records Law

This proposed law would make most records held by the Legislature and the Office of the Governor public records under the Massachusetts Public Records Law. This proposed law would exempt documents related to the development of public policy and communications between legislators and their constituents, if those communications are reasonably related to a constituent’s request for assistance in obtaining government-provided benefits or services or interacting with a government agency.

A yes vote would make most records held by the Legislature and the Office of the Governor public records under the Massachusetts Public Records Law.

A no vote would make no change.

In Favor:

Massachusetts deserves open government. Good government groups rank our state the least transparent in the nation. We’re one of only two states where both the governor’s office and the Legislature claim a blanket exemption from the Public Records Law. Every city, town, and state agency must follow that law, but the politicians on Beacon Hill exempted themselves.

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