Bringing Nature to the Ballot

As part of the Nature for Massachusetts Coalition, we’re advocating for the state to dedicate $100 million annually to conserve land and protect clean water, improve outdoor recreation, and build climate resiliency. We are building a movement across Massachusetts of people who care about supporting nature in their communities.

November 2025 Update

We have achieved the next step to bring the Protect Water and Nature question to voters to approved: collecting signatures from more than 85,000 registered voters by the November 19 deadline. The next step is to deliver those signatures to the Secretary of State’s office in Boston in early December.

What’s next for this campaign? We turn our attention to the state legislature, which can still pass the Nature for All legislation. Let your legislator know how important it is to pass this bill. If they do not pass it by the beginning of May, we will then move on to the second round of signature collection.

About the Nature for All Fund

An Act Providing Nature for All would create a permanent Nature for All Fund for the purposes of acquisition, restoration or improvement of nature to create parks and trails; protect forests, farms, wildlife habitat, and water resources; and advance climate resiliency and environmental justice goals.

By setting aside just a portion of the revenue already generated from the existing sales tax on sporting goods, we would be able to dedicate more than $100 million every year for the Fund without any increase in taxes.

About the Nature for Massachusetts Coalition

Nature for Massachusetts Coalition is a group of over 95 organizations representing environmental advocacy, land conservation, community benefit and environmental justice, water protection, indigenous access, outdoor recreation, and industry.

Mass Audubon has taken a leadership role in the Coalition, participating in the steering committee along with partner organizations and making the legislation a policy priority.

Frequently Asked Questions about Ballot Measures

An initiative ballot measure is change in the law that is proposed by supporters and voted on directly during a statewide election.

Filing and Attorney General Review: First, a petition is submitted with the Attorney General by August 6, 2025. The Attorney General reviews the petition for legal sufficiency. If approved, it's certified and sent to the Secretary of State who then creates a form for signature collection in the first week of September.

Signatures Collection: In early September through mid-November 2025, advocates gather voter signatures on the forms created by the Secretary of State. Approximately 125,000 signatures need to be gathered collectively by all coalition organizations to ensure that enough signatures can be certified by town clerks as registered voters and approved by the Secretary of State.

Signature Certification: By mid-November these signature forms are submitted to town clerks to be certified as registered voters.

Signature Submission: The first Wednesday in December, ~74,574 certified signatures are delivered to the Secretary of State.

Legislative Review: In January 2026, the ballot measure petition gets submitted to the legislature, who has the option to enact it, or propose a legislative substitute. If not enacted by the first Wednesday in May:

More Signatures: If the legislature does not enact the measure, a second round of ~12,429 certified signatures is required by mid-July 2026.

Ballot Placement: Once the second signature threshold is met, the measure qualifies for the next statewide general election ballot. More details at Mass.gov.

The strategic reasons for advocates to propose a ballot measure include the following.

Pursuing all available pathways to success: Legislative advocates sometimes pursue the ballot as a potential alternative to legislation. If a measure is popular with voters, the ballot is an option in the event a legislative campaign falls short.

Public attention: The ballot process starts a public conversation and can help build a movement around the issue, and signal to legislators and other policymakers that there is support for an issue.

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