1918 Massachusetts Question 1 was a proposed amendment to the Constitution of Massachusetts to establish an initiative and referendum process in the state. Referred to the ballot by a constitutional convention, the measure was narrowly agreed to by voters. 51.28% cast a vote in favor, though only 2 of the state's 14 counties had a majority in support.
Before being proposed in Massachusetts, 21 U.S. states had already adopted the initiative and referendum process.
At the time, out of the most recent eight , five of those who were elected governor advocated in their campaign for the process. All gubernatorial candidates in the 1914 election, including both those who won and lost, were supporters. And, three out of the last five speakers of Massachusetts House of Representatives backed the issue.
At the constitutional convention, the amendment passed "by a decisive non-partisan vote," which occurred "after one of the longest debates in American political history". However, before advocates sought to have a constitutional convention, they attempted to receive the necessary two-thirds majority vote in two successive legislative sessions needed for an amendment to pass out of the state House. But, over the course of twelve votes, the amendment only received the necessary two-thirds vote one time, in 1903.
On the ballot, voters were asked:<blockquote>Shall the Article of Amendment relative to the establishment of the popular initiative and referendum and the legislative initiative of specific amendments of the Constitution, submitted by the Constitutional Convention, be approved and ratified?</blockquote>
The following table details the results by county:
The following collapsed tables detail the results by municipality, such as town or city:
Among other things, the amendment added the following text to the Constitution of Massachusetts: