Page 6 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, November 6, 2026 CANNABIS | FROM PAGE 1 at the polls by a massive, 3-to-1 margin. Massachusetts voters, by a 75%-24% count, made it quite clear: They want their legal weed. Statewide, some 22.7% of Massachusetts voters went to the polls — a big subpar considering contested Governor’s and U.S. Senator races — but with the results still unofficial, but counted, Wednesday morning, over 2 million voters made it a landslide to keep legal recreational marijuana/cannabis product sales in place. In a rare turn, turnout in local communities, such as The Advocate readerships cities of Everett, Malden and Revere and the town of Saugus, was consistently higher than the state percentage, either hovering at the 30% turnover mark or higher. As in most of the unofficial ballot question voting totals, Advocate readership communities voted close to the statewide totals on all Sales of recreational marijuana/ cannabis products will continue — after the rejection by Mass. voters of a proposal to repeal the 10-year-old state law. (Courtesy Photo) of the nine ballot questions. In Malden, for example, the highest voter turnout for a state and federal — non-presidential — election in over a decade was recorded: 30% (11,766). Malden voters said “No” to repealing legal recreational marijuana/cannabis product sales by an overwhelming 70%-28% margin. The same message was delivered by similar voting percentages in Everett, Revere and Saugus on the “No” on Question 8/marijuana sales repeal question. Over $5 million was spent Established 1978 Mid-grade Regular 3.77 4.50 5.87 $4.67 Full Service ULS $5.249 Order online at angelosoil.com Kerosene Now Available! lobbying on either side of Question 8, where a “Yes” vote would have repealed the law which went into effect — via successful ballot questions — for first medical, then recreational marijuana/cannabis product sales in 2016. The “Vote Yes” to repeal the Mass. law was backed by a Virginia-based lobbying ground, which pumped more than $3 million into the repeal drive. A Massachusetts-based group spent some $2.3 million working against the proposed measure. Supporters of the cannabis industry argued that a repeal would erase an industry that employs tens of thousands of people in the state and has generated about $10 billion in sales and, importantly, $2 billion in tax revenue since legalization. They also argued that the ballot question would have eliminated a regulated industry that tests the safety of cannabis products, and replaced it with an illegal and more dangerous underground market. The “Vote No” on Question 8 argued vehemently against claims by the repeal backers that legal recreational marijuana sales had made the product more available and enticing to underage users. The “Vote No” backers introduced documented studies showing that adolescent/teen use of marijuana/ cannabis products, including vapes, had declined in MassaHome of the Week Welcome Home to 14 Arrowhead Drive! Offered at $1,499,900.00 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Commonwealth Real Estate Formerly Carpenito Real Estate SAUGUS - WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR - INDIAN ROCK FARMS AT ITS BEST! 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One ballot question where Malden, Everett and Revere voters bucked the statewide voting trend was on Question 7, which would give the state the power to realign the minimum acreage necessary to lower it to 5,000 square feet. At present, Malden zoning is a minimum of 7,500 square feet. The Advocate’s three cities strongly supported the measure, with Malden overwhelmingly so at 61%-39%. In the eight other ballot questions, The Advocate readership communities voted along the same lines as statewide voters. *** QUESTION 1 — to expand Massachusetts’ public records law to include the Legislature and governor’s office — passed by a massive margin, 86%-14%. Apparently, some state lawmakers are working on a bill that would bypass the implementation of the law, but State Auditor Diana DiZoglio, who led the Question 1 campaign, has indicated a lawsuit would follow if such additional legislation goes forward. *** QUESTION 2 — to allow employees of the state’s public defender agency to unionize, passed by a 64%-36% margin. Next comes formation of said union, then bargaining for a contract and potentially requesting funding for a new contract. *** QUESTION 3 — which called for all-party primaries, met the same fate as the 2020 ranked choice voting ballot question, with voters opting to keep the current election system. Question 3 would have ended party-based primaries in Massachusetts, putting all candidates into one large, so-called “jungle primary” and sending the top two vote getters to face off in the general election, regardless of party. The proposal fell by a large margin: 61%-39%. *** QUESTION 4 — will allow Massachusetts voters to register to vote and then immediately cast a vote at the polls on Election Day in both state and municipal elections. The law takes effect on Jan. 1, 2028, meaning the state’s presidential primary that March would be the first election when it could be implemented. This was one of the closer votes, passing 56%-44%. *** QUESTION 5 — to modify the state’s revenue cap, failed with a “No” vote, by a close vote, 52.1%-47.9%. Opponents of Question 5 said a “Yes” vote would reduce the state’s “Rainy Day” fund, forcing massive budget cuts to schools, healthcare, affordable housing and public safety during recessions, when spending to create jobs and support residents is needed most, according to reports. *** QUESTION 6 — voters strongly backed a measure to create a nature conservation fund using sales tax revenue specifically from sporting goods, recreational vehicles and spending at golf courses. Experts estimate the fund could be around $65 million a year. The vote was 61%-39%, a “YES”. *** QUESTION 7 — a proposal to override local zoning rules to make it easier to build single-family homes on smaller lots is locked in a tight race. It would reduce the minimum size limit to 5,000 square feet. The size varies in The Advocate readership area and is determined by cities and towns. In Malden, the minimum is 7,500 square feet. The measure was “too close to call” at Advocate press time: equally divided at 50% of votes for “YES” and 50% for “NO”. *** Of note, IF PASSED, the law would take effect 30 days after the election is certified, which would likely happen on the first Wednesday in December. *** QUESTION 9 — the effort to repeal the state’s 2024 gun law failed by a similarly wide margin. More than two-thirds of voters (61%-39%) voted “YES” to uphold the law. The state law includes a range of regulations, including penalties related to “ghost guns” that are 3-D printed or built from kits, making them difficult to trace because of a lack of serial numbers. The law also banned modifications that turn semiautomatic weapons into automatic ones, and strengthened licensing laws. FLEET CARD Check Out Our LOW PRICES!
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