Massachusetts voters have approved Question 9, keeping the state’s 2024 gun law on the books, according to Associated Press projections reported by the Boston Globe and WCVB early Wednesday, November 4, 2026. A yes vote kept the law; a no vote would have repealed it.
“Because Question 9 is projected to pass, the law would remain in effect with no changes,” WCVB reported.
Why a yes vote changes nothing
Question 9 was a referendum on an existing law, Chapter 135 of the Acts of 2024, not a new proposal. The law has been in effect while the vote was pending. Under Article 48 of the Amendments to the Massachusetts Constitution, which we read at malegislature.gov, a law put to a referendum is repealed only if it is “not approved by a majority of the qualified voters voting thereon,” and then “at the expiration of thirty days after such election.” Because a majority approved it, there is no repeal.
What stays in place
According to WCVB and the Globe, the law, signed by Gov. Maura Healey in 2024:
- sets penalties for so-called ghost guns;
- lets school administrators and health care providers ask a court to remove someone’s firearms under the red flag law;
- expands the definition of a machine gun;
- adds training and licensing requirements; and
- requires a public dashboard of state firearm data.
The new crimes the law created for licensed gun owners.
What the vote does not decide
Second Amendment activists pushed the referendum, arguing the law is government overreach that burdens law-abiding gun owners, the Globe reported. The vote does not decide whether any part of the law is constitutional. That question is for the courts.
Frequently asked questions
Did Question 9 pass in Massachusetts?
Yes. The AP projected a majority yes vote, the Boston Globe and WCVB reported early November 4, 2026.
What does a yes vote on Question 9 mean?
The 2024 gun law, Chapter 135 of the Acts of 2024, stays in effect with no changes.
Is the result official?
Not yet. Certification runs through December 2, WCVB reported.
Sources: Boston Globe live election coverage and WCVB, November 4, 2026 (AP projection, what the law does, opponents’ arguments). Article 48 of the Amendments to the Massachusetts Constitution, read at malegislature.gov. General information, not legal advice.