Cannabis repeal ballot measure can move forward, as panel dismisses challenge
January 22, 2026
A ballot measure seeking to repeal recreational marijuana sales in Massachusetts will proceed to the House of Representatives for consideration, after a challenge to the petition was struck down by The State Ballot Law Commission Thursday.
In its ruling, the Commission, which serves under Secretary of State William Galvin, wrote that the objection, which was supported by a pro-cannabis committee, made “unsupported allegations,” and offered “no admissible evidence,” in support of its case.
That objection, filed by attorney Thomas Kiley earlier this month, had alleged that the ballot petition had misled signatories and “obtained signatures fraudulently.” It followed months of allegations online and in news articles that the anti-pot sales campaign had used misleading tactics when signature gathering.
Legal counsel representing the organizers of the anti-legalization initiative had filed a motion to dismiss the challenge last week, prompting a ruling from the Commission.
According to the Commission, objectors would have had to provide testimony from 3,727 signatories as to what misrepresentations were made to them in order to prevail in the case. Last week, the pro-cannabis group responded to the dismissal motion with survey data they commissioned that they said showed over 1,100 signatories of the ballot petition were not aware and did not support what they had signed.
“With this decision, the certification of this round of petitions has now formally ended, and all eleven initiatives are now before the Legislature,” Galvin wrote in a press release. “If the Legislature chooses not to pass any of the initiatives, the petitioners will have the opportunity to begin the final round of signature gathering in May.”
Bryan Hecht can be reached at bryan.hecht@globe.com. Follow him on Instagram @bhechtjournalism.
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