Undocumented immigrants will be able to acquire drivers licenses following the passage of Ballot Question 4 in Tuesdays election.
The ballot question, which determined whether the Work and Family Mobility Act would be kept in place in Massachusetts, remained close through election night, but was poised to pass with 90% of the vote tallied by 11:30 Wednesday morning. As of that time, more than 150,000 votes separated yes from no out of about 2.1 million cast. The Associated Press called the race at 11:58 a.m.
The law was originally passed earlier this year but vetoed by Gov. Charlie Baker over concerns that it would allow non-citizens to vote. After the state legislature overrode Bakers veto, opponents of the law circulated petitions to repeal it, eventually gaining enough support to place it on Tuesdays ballot.
Under the law, immigrants living in Massachusetts will be eligible to apply for a drivers license as long as they can provide a foreign passport or consular identification document, as well as a marriage certification or divorce decree, among other paperwork. The law is set to go into effect in July 2023.
Supporters of the law say allowing immigrants to drive legally gives them more independence and the ability to get to and from work, school, medical appointments and more without the fear of interactions with law enforcement.
Opponents of the law, like Baker, have expressed concerns that it will allow non-naturalized immigrants to vote illegally, as well as encourage more undocumented people to come to Massachusetts.
What were seeing throughout the country, in the states that have approved that, increases in fatalities, said Rep. Jim Lyons, chair of the state Republican Party, on Tuesday night. The rule of law matters. You know, I remember when I was a young man and got my drivers license, it was a privilege. So why are we rewarding people for bad behavior? Theyre in the country illegally. They shouldnt get that license.
Secretary of State William Galvin has called claims that the law will lead to illegal voting baseless.
Sen. Brendan Crighton, one of the original sponsors of the law, also acknowledged opponents concerns.
Theres a lot of misinformation, but the facts are on our side, he said at an election night party held at the Colonnade Hotel in Boston.
Addressing supporters later in the night, Crighton said the legislation would give all residents the ability to get where they need to go.
Driving to the grocery store, driving to your hospital appointment, to school, to work. All the things we take for granted, he said. There will be access to all for Massachusetts drivers.
Crightons co-sponsor, Sen. Adam Gomez, stressed how important that access to transportation was to the most vulnerable residents.
This legislation is going to save lives, he said.
Sen. Lydia Edwards, a strong supporter of the legislation, said she doesnt want the referendum to repeal the law to set a precedent in the future for progressive legislation to be removed.
Were going to overcome this attempt to take away peoples access to drivers licenses, she said. We support all people in the state and we dont care where youre from. … I dont want people to think they can do this just because you dont like where someone is from.