Ballot Initiative Event: A Dialogue About Proposition 9
An SBS Democracy Project Event
Content
Proposition 9 on the Ballot initiative will enshrine and strengthen existing gun control laws in MA. We will be hosting representatives from the Civil Rights Coalition and the Massachusetts Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence in a conversation moderated by Jamie Rowen. The event is part of the Commonwealth Ballot Forum, a coalition of MA public universities hosting events on state ballot initiatives.
From Ballotopedia:
The Civil Rights Coalition is leading the campaign behind a 'no' vote on Question 9. In Massachusetts, sponsors of a veto referendum advocate for a 'no' vote on the ballot question, as a 'no' vote repeals the targeted legislation. Toby Leary, chairman of The Civil Rights Coalition, said, "Gun rights are civil rights and it’s our belief that, just like other civil rights that have been hard fought in our country’s history, this is one worth fighting for. If you allow the right to keep and bear arms to be eroded, then every other civil right enumerated in our Bill of Rights could just as easily be taken away."
The Massachusetts Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence supports a 'yes' vote on Question 9. The Massachusetts Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence said, "Every resident of Massachusetts has the right to live free from the threat and trauma of gun violence. As this weekend’s tragic fatal shootings in Fitchburg and Springfield demonstrate, we are in the midst of a public health crisis and we need every tool at our disposal to solve it. This comprehensive gun violence prevention law gives us more of these tools, and the Coalition is committed to protecting this lifesaving piece of legislation from repeal."
About Toby Leary
Toby Leary is the president and co-founder of Cape Gun Works in Hyannis, Massachusetts and the founder of The Civil Rights Coalition, which is challenging the state's latest package of gun control laws through a voter referendum that will be on the ballot this November 3, 2026 , Vote NO ON Ballot Question #9 to Repeal Chapter 135 Firearm Laws of 2024. In 2024, through a grassroots statewide effort, 100,000 signatures were gathered in 30 days to put this referendum on the 2026 ballot.
He also is frequently on the air with his RapidFire podcast discussing civil liberties, government overreach, ineffective firearm laws to curb criminal activities, SCOTUS 2A lawsuits, and the plight of law-abiding firearm owners - punished by the MA legal process to prove oneself innocent of felony charges.
About Megan DesAutels
Megan DesAutels is the Campaign Coordinator for Vote Yes on 9 for a Safe Massachusetts. A community organizer and youth worker, she brings a decade of experience in advocacy and State House work to the campaign. She holds a BA in Economics and a BA in Women and Gender Studies from Merrimack College.