Tomorrow, family values advocates like yourself will have the opportunity to make your voice heard in the Bay State in what will likely be an historic election. While MFI does not endorse candidates, we can help you become educated on the issues that affect the pro-family movement across the Commonwealth.
On November 8, Massachusetts voters will be asked to vote on four ballot questions. Each one of these questions is important, and we want to bring two of them to your attention as they deal with issues MFI has been battling for years.
Vote “NO” on Question 1: Gambling
This law would allow an additional slots parlor in Massachusetts. Here’s what the ballot question committee, No to More Casinos, says about this ballot question:
“This initiative was sponsored by a developer solely for the purpose of allowing him to develop a slots parlor on property he owns in Revere. However, on October 18, 2016, voters in Revere overwhelming rejected this proposal in a non-binding referendum 2-1. Moreover, this slots parlor would oversaturate the marketplace and is counter to the objectives of the Massachusetts Expanded Gaming Act of 2011 which only allowed three destination resort casinos and one slots casino. This is why the Governor, Senate President, Speaker of the House and elected officials throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts oppose this measure. On November 8, Vote No On 1!”
Vote “NO” on Question 4: Recreational Marijuana
MFI has been working with a broad, bipartisan coalition of Massachusetts leaders to stop the legalization of recreational marijuana, and MFI Board Chairman, Rev. Kris Mineau, has partnered with faith leaders across the Commonwealth in signing a public letter in opposition to ballot question 4. The heart of the letter states:
“In the midst of an opioid epidemic, it is beyond reason that the Commonwealth would commercialize the sale of marijuana. It is important for our citizens to know the facts: this legislation was written by and for the billion-dollar marijuana industry. 96% of the money supporting this proposal comes from out of state. If passed, the law would make it significantly difficult for local communities to try to opt out. It would authorize companies from outside of Massachusetts to legally sell marijuana that is 10 to 600 times more potent than that of past decades. We believe this will lead to greater addiction particularly for young people. For the sake of our children and grandchildren, let us not expose them to the unnecessary danger of shops selling packaged edible forms of marijuana including candy.”
Voter Guides for Local Legislative Races
Our friends at Renew Massachusetts Coalition and Catholic Citizenship have put together comprehensive, non-partisan voter guides for the contested state senate and state representative races to help you make an educated vote in the polls on Tuesday:
You can find those voter guides here, and you can find your state senate and state representative district here.
There are many important races for state legislature across the Commonwealth, and we ask that you distribute the appropriate legislative guide in your churches and to your friends. For those of you who are Catholic, Catholic Citizenship’s position papers can be found here.
You can also find voter guides for President and Congress through our friends at Family Research Council here.
