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Massachusetts voters on Tuesday appeared to reject a ballot measure that would have allowed the personal and clinical use of some natural psychedelic drugs, namely psilocybin, psilocyn, DMT, ibogaine and mescaline.

Question 4 had a two-prong approach to legalizing the substances: It would have authorized a system of psychedelic therapy centers where clients could purchase the drugs, with a 15% state tax, and use them with supervision from someone who had been trained in accordance with state guidelines. It also would have allowed for residents to grow, share and use the plants at home, provided that they did not advertise and sell the drugs.

At about 12:40 a.m. Wednesday, results tabulated by the Associated Press showed 43.2% in support and 56.8%, with 73% of ballots counted.

“We spoke to tens of thousands of Massachusetts voters and heard broad agreement that natural psychedelics should be more accessible to those who cannot find relief through traditional medication and therapy. We understand there were concerns about the home grow provisions, and those concerns likely led to tonight’s result. But we have made hugely important strides on this issue of psychedelic therapy, and we will keep fighting to find new pathways for all those who struggle with their mental health. We look forward to working with legislators in the new session to continue advocating for access, for hope, and for healing,” a spokesperson for the Yes on 4 campaign, which dubbed itself Massachusetts for Mental Health Options, said around 12:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Over the campaign season, supporters pointed to research that shows natural psychedelics can be used to treat some serious mental health conditions, including PTSD, anxiety and depression, as well as for addiction treatment. Opponents warned that the substances could have unintended health risks, especially if being used at home unsupervised, and that the likely high cost of treatment at one of the regulated psychedelic therapy centers would be a serious barrier to entry for some.

As the question did not pass, it cannot be brought back to ballot again until at least 2028. State law does not allow the same question to be on the ballot two election cycles in a row.

A few legislative efforts this session to decriminalize psychedelic plants gained little traction, and would be unlikely to go much further next year given Tuesday’s vote.

Bills from Republican Rep. Nicholas Boldyga (H 3589), which would legalize some psychedelic plants and fungi for people ages 21 and older, and similar bills from Democrats Rep. Lindsay Sabadosa and Sen. Pat Jehlen (H 1754 / S 1009) that would open up use of the so-called plant medicine to individuals ages 18 and older, were all sent to dead-end study orders this session.

Asked about his opinion on Question 4 last month, House Speaker Ron Mariano took no particular position.

“Ah, psychedelics. I outgrew that stuff. Nah, there’s no — I don’t know. I don’t know, I’ll figure it out,” Mariano said.

The speaker’s office later told the News Service he was “joking” when he made the remark.

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As most people went to bed early Wednesday morning, it appeared Massachusetts students will no longer have to pass the MCAS exam to earn a diploma in Massachusetts.

The yes vote on Question 2 was leading by a 59% to 46.4% margin at 1 a.m. with roughly 75% of precincts reporting.

Max Page, president of the Massachusetts Teachers Association, told supporters gathered at the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel at around 11:30 p.m. Tuesday that “we feel like we are on the road to victory.”

“We’re thrilled. It’s late, it’s a late night,” Page said. “And I know some people have to get up early, so we just wanted to say that everyone should give yourselves a round of applause.”

Question 2 repeals the requirement that students pass the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System, which all public school students are required to take in 10th grade, in order to graduate high school. Instead, students will have to complete coursework certified by the student’s school district as meeting state standards in math, science and English, as well as any additional areas determined by the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.

The ballot question was largely supported and financed by the state’s teachers unions, who argued that the MCAS was a “one-size-fits-all exam” that failed to properly measure student achievement, and shouldn’t be used as a barrier to a diploma for the 1 percent of students each year who were unable to pass the test, but otherwise met the requirements to graduate. They also said replacing the MCAS with district-certified measures would allow teachers to stop “teaching to the test.”

Opponents, backed mainly by business groups, said Question 2 would remove the state’s only statewide graduation standard, and lessen the value of a Massachusetts high school degree. They also said the question would increase inequality if some school districts lowered their standards so students could graduate, while other districts kept their graduation requirements high.

The question was unpopular among top Democrats on Beacon Hill, with Gov. Maura Healey, Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, Attorney General Andrea Campbell, House Speaker Ron Mariano and Senate President Karen Spilka all opposed.

When asked last month, both Spilka and Mariano left the door ajar on potential legislative action to respond to Question 2 passing.

“We’ll see. We’ll have some discussions if it passes, and then we’ll follow up. You know, I am not in favor of getting rid of MCAS. I believe that it’s done, some assessment has done, Massachusetts well. So we will, we will discuss,” Spilka said of a possible role for legislators.

Mariano said, “Well, someone has to evaluate what we’re doing in our public school system.”

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As of early Wednesday morning, Uber and Lyft drivers in Massachusetts appeared on track to be able to negotiate their wages, benefits and working conditions, with voters favoring Question 3 by solid margins.

As of 1 a.m. Wednesday with 73% of votes tallied, 54% of voters supported the initiative to allow app-based drivers the right to unionize, and 46% opposed it.

“They thought they were too big for us to stand against them. They thought that will we not have our union. But by every indication, we are …. They should know that they got it wrong,” driver Cletus Awah said at around 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday, before there were official results, at an election night party in downtown Boston hosted by 32BJ SEIU.

Speakers at the party were all optimistic, many saying they were all but certain of victory.

The approach outlined in the ballot question is called sector-based bargaining, and it will allowed drivers across multiple companies to negotiate wages, benefits and work conditions, and also allow multiple transportation companies, like Uber and Lyft, to form their own association to represent them while bargaining with the drivers union.

The state will supervise the labor agreements and the secretary of labor will the responsibility to approve or disapprove the negotiated recommendations.

The question was intended to improve drivers’ welfare, the new law saying: “These persons often suffer poor pay, inadequate health coverage, and irregular or inadequate working hours. It is hereby declared that the best interests of the commonwealth are served by providing transportation network drivers the opportunity… to bargain collectively in order to obtain sustainable wages, benefits, and working conditions.”

There were no official opponents to the law, though some warned that Uber and Lyft prices would likely increase if it passed.

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Massachusetts voters approved a ballot law Tuesday giving the state auditor the explicit authority to audit the Legislature, backing a measure championed by Auditor Diana DiZoglio.

The measure grants the auditor’s office the power to audit the “accounts, programs, activities and functions” of all “departments, offices, commissions, institutions” in the state, including those created by the Legislature and the Legislature itself. It also extends the auditor’s authority over the income tax division of the Department of Revenue.

DiZoglio has said the effort will make Massachusetts state government more transparent.

“I am a believer in the power of government to do amazing things — to make life better for everyone, everywhere,” DiZoglio said in a statement released just before midnight. “I have seen that power first hand, but I’ve also seen the work that remains to build a state government that lives up to its values. Tonight’s victory is an opportunity for all of us to look forward and work to make our legislature better. The people of Massachusetts want the equity, transparency and accountability that a legislative audit would bring, not because of division or partisan lines, but because of our great potential to push forward progress together.”

With more than 69% of the vote in, preliminary results showed 71.5% support for the question, with 28.5% against.

Top Democrats in the House and Senate, including House Speaker Ron Mariano and Senate President Karen Spilka, have resisted efforts by DiZoglio to audit legislative operations and positioned themselves against the question.

Lawmakers say they already undergo audits from an outside firm, and that an investigation from the state auditor’s office would violate the separation of powers clause of the state constitution, as the auditor’s office falls under the executive branch in the state constitution.

“Consistent with how the Legislature has moved forward with every voter-approved ballot question in the past, we will consider next steps regarding how to best respect the Question 1 election results in a manner that aligns with the fundamental principles of the Massachusetts Constitution, including separation of powers,” Mariano and Spilka said in a joint statement at 11:54 p.m.

At the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel, DiZoglio told the News Service any changes to the voter law will be “unacceptable.”

“Legislative leaders have had the opportunity to come to the table to address this matter for the last year and a half and have refused to have discussions with our office,” DiZoglio said. “The voters have spoken, and we certainly hope that they will respect the will of the voters. They are no longer fighting the Office of State Auditor on this, they would be fighting the voters of Massachusetts, who just made their voices heard loud and clear on this issue.”

DiZoglio said she intends to return to the 77-page audit on the Legislature that her office recently released.

“It was missing a lot of information that was refused to us by the Legislature,” DiZoglio said. “The plan is to go back to that audit and go back to legislative leaders for the missing information so that we can complete the audit.”

DiZoglio said she’s already notified Gov. Maura Healey she will be calling for a veto should lawmakers “choose to try to overturn this in an informal session.” DiZoglio said she did not get a commitment from the governor.

“But I am hopeful. I do believe that the governor is interested in supporting the will of the people on this matter,” DiZoglio said.

Mariano previously said DiZoglio’s attempt to audit the body “violates basic separation of powers principles that the Supreme Judicial Court has called ‘fundamental… to our form of government.’”

Due to the question of constitutionality, researchers have suggested that the law may end up facing a court challenge.

More on Question 1

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A Tufts’ Center for State Policy and Analysis report found that some legislative activities are off-limits to executive interference, even with the new law created by the passage of Question 1.

“Even if Question 1 passes, legislators will have a lot of leverage to resist investigations. They might drag their feet, refuse to comply, or use their budgetary power to handcuff or even defund the auditor’s office. If that happens, the fight may shift to the courts, where the outcome is hard to predict,” the report said.

If it doesn’t go to the courts or if court challenges are unsuccessful, lawmakers could try to overturn the law or take other steps to undermine it, but doing so would also appear to run counter to the will of the voters.

Legislators in 2003 repealed a 1998 voter law calling for public funding for candidates who met certain criteria, an episode that the Tufts report called a “precedent for legislative defiance.”

Republican Party Chair Amy Carnevale celebrated the passage of Question 1.

“The MassGOP is pleased that Ballot Question #1 to allow the Auditor to Audit the Legislature appears to have passed by a comfortable margin,” she said in a late-night statement. “The MassGOP joined with Auditor DiZoglio in favor of this common sense measure to provide accountability and greater transparency to taxpayers.”

Police say a male victim has died after being shot Tuesday in Boston’s Dorchester neighborhood.

The shooting happened on Michigan Avenue, according to police. Officers responded just after 8 p.m.

The victim suffered life-threatening i…

Massachusetts voters weighed in on five ballot questions this election, the results of which will shape law in the Commonwealth.

Here’s a look at the results as they come in.

Mass. Ballot Question 1 — auditing the Legislature

Question 1 concerns whether the office of state auditor should have its investigative powers expanded to include oversight of the Legislature. It came from an effort led by current State Auditor Diana DiZoglio, who campaigned on the issue and has continues to push the measure.

If passed, it would make some legislative activities subject to audit – including compliance with employee training rules, cybersecurity norms and purchasing activities. The auditor still would not have the power to examine votes, debates, communications, assignments and policy.

Mass. Ballot Question 2 — MCAS as a graduation requirement

Question 2 concerns eliminating the 10th grade MCAS exam as a graduation requirement for high school students. Currently, public high school students must meet grad requirements and receive a “competency determination” to graduate. The most common way to get this is to pass the 10th grade MCAS exams. 

If passed, students would still need to take 10th grade MCAS but would no longer need to earn a passing score or other state approval. Instead, districts would set their own criteria for graduation, making Massachusetts one of the few states without a common graduation standard.

Mass. Ballot Question 3 — rideshare driver unionization

Question 3 concerns whether rideshare drivers – like those working for Uber or Lyft – should be able to unionize. If passed, it would allow for sector-based bargaining, which means drivers across multiple companies could negotiate together for better pay, expanded benefits and other protections that would apply across the industry.

Mass. Ballot Question 4 — legalizing psychedelic substances

Question 4 concerns the legalization of certain psychedelic substances, which are increasingly being used in clinical research to treat mental health. If passed,  the law could allow a group of naturally occurring psychedelic drugs (psilocybin, psilocyn, mescaline, DMT, and ibogaine) to be grown, shared, used at home, and offered by licensed professionals in a more clinical setting. It would not make psychedelics available for purchase at retail shops. Adults would need to grow their own, find someone willing to share their supply, or use at a licensed psychedelic therapy center.

Mass. Ballot Question 5 — tipped employee minimum wage

Question 5 concerns a change in the way tipped workers are paid. Currently minimum wage laws vary for waitstaff, bartenders, manicurists and other types of tipped workers. Tipped workers are guaranteed the full minimum wage ($15/hr), but employers can pay them as little as $6.75 per hour, provided that tips make up the difference.

If passed, restaurants would be allowed to pool or share tips with cooks, bookkeepers, and others who don’t interact directly with customers. This is not allowed under current rules. Wait staff could still be tipped.

Explore all the top election results around Massachusetts and the country here.

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