Location(s)

Massachusetts election polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
on election day.

Election turnout is expected to be extremely high, with
an increased volume of traffic. Drivers should expect delays en route, particularly during the early morning and evening voting hours.

Residents are encouraged to vote during the midday
hours, when voter turnout is projected to be lighter. Voters still
standing in line at 8 p.m., when the polls are due to close, will be
allowed to vote.

Voters should bring some form of identification.

The summaries below were written by the state Elections Division and will appear on the ballot:

QUESTION 1: LAW PROPOSED BY INITIATIVE PETITION

Do you approve of a law summarized below, on which no vote was taken
by the Senate or the House of Representatives before May 6, 2008?

SUMMARY

This proposed law would reduce the state personal income tax rate to
2.65% for all categories of taxable income for the tax year beginning
on or after January 1, 2009, and would eliminate the tax for all tax
years beginning on or after January 1, 2010.

The personal income tax applies to income received or gain realized
by individuals and married couples, by estates of deceased persons, by
certain trustees and other fiduciaries, by persons who are partners in
and receive income from partnerships, by corporate trusts, and by
persons who receive income as shareholders of “S corporations” as
defined under federal tax law. The proposed law would not affect the
tax due on income or gain realized in a tax year beginning before
January 1, 2009.

The proposed law states that if any of its parts were declared invalid, the other parts would stay in effect.

A YES VOTE would reduce the state personal income tax rate to 2.65%
for the tax year beginning on January 1, 2009, and would eliminate the
tax for all tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2010.

A NO VOTE would make no change in state income tax laws.

 * * *

QUESTION 2: LAW PROPOSED BY INITIATIVE PETITION

Do you approve of a law summarized below, on which no vote was taken
by the Senate or the House of Representatives before May 6, 2008?

SUMMARY

This proposed law would replace the criminal penalties for
possession of one ounce or less of marijuana with a new system of civil
penalties, to be enforced by issuing citations, and would exclude
information regarding this civil offense from the state's criminal
record information system. Offenders age 18 or older would be subject
to forfeiture of the marijuana plus a civil penalty of $100. Offenders
under the age of 18 would be subject to the same forfeiture and, if
they complete a drug awareness program within one year of the offense,
the same $100 penalty.

Offenders under 18 and their parents or legal guardian would be
notified of the offense and the option for the offender to complete a
drug awareness program developed by the state Department of Youth
Services. Such programs would include ten hours of community service
and at least four hours of instruction or group discussion concerning
the use and abuse of marijuana and other drugs and emphasizing early
detection and prevention of substance abuse.

The penalty for offenders under 18 who fail to complete such a
program within one year could be increased to as much as $1,000, unless
the offender showed an inability to pay, an inability to participate in
such a program, or the unavailability of such a program. Such an
offender's parents could also be held liable for the increased penalty.
Failure by an offender under 17 to complete such a program could also
be a basis for a delinquency proceeding.

The proposed law would define possession of one ounce or less of
marijuana as including possession of one ounce or less of
tetrahydrocannibinol ("THC"), or having metabolized products of
marijuana or THC in one's body.

Under the proposed law, possessing an ounce or less of marijuana
could not be grounds for state or local government entities imposing
any other penalty, sanction, or disqualification, such as denying
student financial aid, public housing, public financial assistance
including unemployment benefits, the right to operate a motor vehicle,
or the opportunity to serve as a foster or adoptive parent. The
proposed law would allow local ordinances or bylaws that prohibit the
public use of marijuana, and would not affect existing laws, practices,
or policies concerning operating a motor vehicle or taking other
actions while under the influence of marijuana, unlawful possession of
prescription forms of marijuana, or selling, manufacturing, or
trafficking in marijuana.

The money received from the new civil penalties would go to the city or town where the offense occurred.

A YES VOTE would replace the criminal penalties for possession of
one ounce or less of marijuana with a new system of civil penalties.

A NO VOTE would make no change in state criminal laws concerning possession of marijuana.

 * * *

QUESTION 3: LAW PROPOSED BY INITIATIVE PETITION

Do you approve of a law summarized below, on which no vote was taken
by the Senate or the House of Representatives before May 6, 2008?

SUMMARY

This proposed law would prohibit any dog racing or racing meeting in
Massachusetts where any form of betting or wagering on the speed or
ability of dogs occurs.

The State Racing Commission would be prohibited from accepting or
approving any application or request for racing dates for dog racing.

Any person violating the proposed law could be required to pay a
civil penalty of not less than $20,000 to the Commission. The penalty
would be used for the Commission’s administrative purposes, subject to
appropriation by the state Legislature. All existing parts of the
chapter of the state’s General Laws concerning dog and horse racing
meetings would be interpreted as if they did not refer to dogs.

These changes would take effect January 1, 2010. The proposed law
states that if any of its parts were declared invalid, the other parts
would stay in effect.

A YES VOTE would prohibit dog races on which betting or wagering occurs, effective January 1, 2010.