In a significant step towards shaping the future of Massachusetts, multiple groups have successfully cleared the signature requirement for their proposed ballot questions set to appear on the statewide ballot in 2024. As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, six different campaigns are celebrating their achievements in gathering the necessary support from voters.

Campaigns seeking to put questions on the ballot next fall in Massachusetts are required to submit a minimum of 74,574 signatures to local election officials. Reaching this threshold is often considered the biggest challenge in the process, although there are still further steps to follow, including another round of signature-gathering next spring.

One notable campaign is spearheaded by Massachusetts Auditor Diana DiZoglio, who has been pushing for an audit of the Legislature. Despite facing opposition from the House, Senate, and attorney general, DiZoglio's team announced that they have collected over 100,000 signatures in support of their proposed 2024 ballot question. It seeks to change state law, making it mandatory to conduct audits of the Legislature.

The campaign advocating for the legalization of psychedelics for therapy faced a minor setback last week in securing the required signatures, but Massachusetts for Mental Health Options maintains that they have now achieved the threshold. The group will be delivering over 100,000 signatures this week, in addition to those already submitted.

Another campaign making progress is the one behind the proposed ballot question to gradually increase the tipped minimum wage in the state. With approximately 108,000 signatures collected so far, this initiative aims to align the tipped minimum wage with the regular minimum wage.

The Massachusetts Teachers Association has also made significant strides in their campaign to eliminate the MCAS exam as a high school graduation requirement. As reported by The Boston Globe last week, the association has gathered more than 130,000 signatures for their proposed ballot question.

In a show of determination, the union-backed effort to allow Uber and Lyft drivers to unionize delivered their collected signatures to Secretary of State Bill Galvin's office. A group of about a dozen rideshare drivers personally handed over the papers. The campaign seeks to secure a place on the 2024 ballot and provide rideshare drivers with the opportunity to unionize and negotiate better working conditions.

On the other hand, the industry-backed campaign advocating for the reclassification of gig workers as independent contractors, while also guaranteeing certain benefits, has also claimed to have gathered enough signatures. However, they have not disclosed the exact number collected at this time.

As citizens continue to rally behind these initiatives, Massachusetts stands on the brink of potential significant changes. The successful collection of signatures by these campaigns signifies an active engagement of voters in shaping the future of the state.

In other news, as travelers hit the roads for the Thanksgiving holiday, they are advised to exercise caution due to steady rain, which is expected to continue through midday, leading to reduced visibility and puddles. Additionally, some parts of Massachusetts experienced a surprising amount of snow last night. Motorists are urged to allocate extra time for their trips and maintain a safe distance from other vehicles on the road.

Note: There will be no newsletter published on Thanksgiving Day. Regular newsletters will resume on Friday with a special-edition Black Friday newsletter. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!