Examining the 2016 Massachusetts Charter School Expansion Referendum

In 2016, the statewide ballot in Massachusetts included a referendum proposing to eliminate the state’s current “cap” on the number of charter schools permitted. Ten months before the election, the pro-expansion side boasted many advantages, including $18 million, endorsements from the governor and the two largest newspapers in the state, and a 25-point lead in the polls. Yet, despite getting outspent by nearly $11 million in what became the most expensive ballot referendum in Massachusetts history to date, the opposition secured a decisive victory (68% to 32%). This study asks what explains this unexpected outcome.