BOSTON — A slim majority of Massachusetts voters support proposals to boost the wages of tipped workers, audit the state Legislature, allow ride-hailing drivers to unionize and legalize psychedelic mushrooms, but are more divided over a plan to scrap the MCAS graduation mandate, according to a new poll.
The University of New Hampshire survey, which polled more than 500 voters from Sept. 12-16, found about 51% support Question 1, which asks voters in the Nov. 5 election to approve a performance and financial audit of the Legislature.
Only 10% of those surveyed said they plan to vote no on Question 1, according to the UNH poll, while 39% said they either didn’t know about the proposal or don’t have an opinion.
The measure was proposed by Auditor Diana DiZoglio, a Methuen Democrat and former state lawmaker whose efforts to audit the House and Senate have been blocked by legislative leaders who argue the move is unconstitutional.
Question 3, which would authorize Uber, Lyft and other ride-hailing drivers to unionize and bargain collectively for better wages and benefits, is also backed by a slim majority of voters, with 48% saying they will vote yes and 28% saying they will vote no. At least 24% were unsure, pollsters said.
About 51% said they support Question 4 which would, if approved, decriminalize psilocybin and other psychedelic substances and allow adults 21 and older to use the drugs under supervision at licensed centers. At least 20% of those polled said they will vote no while 28% said they didn’t know about the proposal or didn’t have an opinion.
Meanwhile, a similar percentage of those polled said they support Question 5, which calls for paying tipped workers the state’s minimum wage $15 per hour, with 55% of voters who participated saying they plan to vote yes on the referendum and 33% opposed. About 15% said they didn’t know.
But UNH pollsters found that voters were more divided over Question 2, which calls for scraping the decades-old mandate requiring high school students to pass the MCAS exams to graduate. About 40% of those polled say they plan for vote no while 38% said they plan for vote yes on Question 2. About 22% said they were unsure.
If voters approve Question 2, students would still need to take the 10th-grade MCAS exams but they would no longer need to earn a passing score or other state approval. School districts would instead set their own criteria for graduation based on statewide educational standards, but would not be required to use high-stakes exams.
Backers of the proposal, which include the Massachusetts Teachers Association, argue that the MCAS testing isn’t a complete picture of a student’s abilities and often leaves behind those who do not pass the test.
Critics of Question 2, including the Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education, argue that the exams are necessary to expose inequities among students and school districts, measure trends in student outcomes, and gauge readiness for college and the workplace.
Christian M. Wade covers the Massachusetts Statehouse for North of Boston Media Group’s newspapers and websites. Email him at cwade@cnhinews.com.