Overview
- The Supreme Judicial Court, which ruled Monday, affirmed Attorney General Andrea J. Campbell’s certification and found the petition does not significantly interfere with voting or candidacy rights.
- Justices remanded the case to a county court to enter a formal judgment under Article 48, a largely procedural step that clears the path for the question to appear on the Nov. 3 ballot if signature and administrative requirements remain met.
- Under the proposed change, all candidates for a state office would appear on a single primary ballot and the two vote-getters would advance to the general election while others could still run only as write-ins.
- Supporters organized as the Coalition for Healthy Democracy say they submitted more than enough signatures and are preparing a statewide campaign, while the Democratic State Committee, parts of its progressive wing, and the state GOP are mounting an opposition effort that warns the plan could limit voter choice and shut out minority parties.
- The proposal echoes systems used in California, Washington and Alaska and city preliminaries in Boston, and its approval could alter who voters see on fall ballots and how candidates campaign in a state that currently has many low‑competition races.