2024 Question 1
Question 1 was an initiative petition on the ballot in the 2024 state election on November 5, 2024. It specified that the State Auditor had the authority to audit the Legislature. The measure passed with 71.6 percent of the vote.[1]
Ballet Wording
From the Commonwealth of Massachusetts website,
"State Auditor’s Authority to Audit the Legislature
Be it enacted by the People, and by their authority:
A LAW EXPRESSLY AUTHORIZING THE AUDITOR TO AUDIT THE LEGISLATURE" [2]
Background
During State Auditor Diana DiZoglio's successful 2022 election campaign, she promised to start conducting audits of the Legislature. Until her election, the Auditor's office had not audited legislative finances since 1922.[3]
On March 7, 2023, DiZoglio's office began an audit of the Legislature, citing that "Massachusetts ranks as one of the least transparent and least accessible state governments in the nation."[4]
On March 24, House Speaker Ron Mariano announced in a letter to DiZoglio that he would refuse to meet with her or otherwise cooperate with the audit. In the letter, Mariano claimed that the audit was unconstitutional and that all relevant financial records were already published online.[5]
DiZoglio then requested Attorney General Andrea Campbell to uphold her authority to audit the Legislature. However, Campbell instead decided that under current law, the Auditor could not force a legislative audit. She did not comment on whether a legislative audit would also violate the Massachusetts Constitution.[6]
Campaign
In August 2024, it was reported that legislative leaders would not attempt to defeat Question 1 on the ballot, instead planning to fight it in the courts.[7]
Results
The question passed overwhelmingly, receiving 71.6% of the statewide vote and at least 68.1% of the vote in every county.[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Secretary of the Commonwealth. "2024 - Statewide - Question 1".
- ↑ "Commonwealth of Massachusetts".
- ↑ Matt Stout. "'Wholly unnecessary': Mass. House speaker says he will not comply with state auditor's legislative probe".
- ↑ Office of the State Auditor. "Statement from State Auditor DiZoglio Regarding an Audit of the Massachusetts State Legislature".
- ↑ Ronald J. Mariano, Speaker of the House. "OSA Letter AGO re Legislative Audit.pdf".
- ↑ Andrea Joy Campbell. "From the Office of the Attorney General".
- ↑ Bruce Mohl. "Political Notebook: Lawmakers won't campaign against audit ballot question".