Initiative petitions must be filed in print. We recommend also sending them electronically for ease of distribution and publication.
Filing initiative petitions in print
You must file original printed and signed petitions with the Attorney General’s Office. Given the current remote working conditions, a representative of the Attorney General's Office will be available to accept walk-in in-person filings on the first Wednesday of August only. Filings are accepted at One Ashburton Place, 20th Floor, Boston, MA 02108. You can file by mail, but late petitions cannot be accepted, even if they were delayed in the mail, so filing in person is strongly suggested. The Attorney General’s Office closes at 5:00 PM.
Please note: Security procedures at One Ashburton Place have changed. Read about the new security procedures before you arrive to file your petition. You now need a photo ID to access the building. Please make sure to have one with you and arrive with extra time to go through security so that you can get your petition filed on time. We cannot accept petitions past 5:00 p.m.
For each petition you file, you will be asked to complete an Initiative Petition Information Sheet. To expedite the process of filing your petition, you can fill out the form in advance and bring it with you to the office.
When you file your petition, you will receive a receipt. Hold onto this receipt because you will be asked to present it in September when you return to pick up your petition if it is certified. You can then file your certified petition with the Secretary of State’s Office.
Submitting initiative petitions electronically
In addition to filing petitions in print, we ask that you submit an electronic version of your petition.
Electronic versions should:
- Be exact copies of the text of your petition and should also list, at the end, the names and addresses of at least 10 of the original signers;
- Be submitted as a Microsoft Word file if possible;
- Be filed, preferably by email to ballotquestions@state.ma.us or on a USB flash drive when submitting your printed petition.