Massachusetts Question 3 (Top-Two State Primary Elections) is on the November 3, 2026 ballot. Replace separate party primaries with a single primary open to all candidates, with the top two finishers advancing to November
What a yes or no vote means
Read the certified ballot question
Replace separate party primaries with a single primary open to all candidates, with the top two finishers advancing to November
Verify with the state: official full text and details →.
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About this measure
Massachusetts uses an indirect initiative: petitions for statutes or constitutional amendments need signatures equal to 3 percent of the last gubernatorial vote (74,574 for 2026, with no more than a quarter from one county) and go to the Legislature first. If lawmakers decline an initiative statute, sponsors collect a smaller second round (12,429) to force it onto the ballot; amendment petitions instead need support from a quarter of legislators in two successive joint sessions. Questions pass by simple majority, provided yes votes also equal at least 30 percent of all ballots cast.
Wording above follows the certified ballot language; The Ballot Brief does not take positions on measures.
Other Massachusetts statewide measures in 2026
All Massachusetts 2026 ballot measures · Massachusetts candidates