MA Election: Right To Repair Wins Big, Ranked-Choice Flounders

MASSACHUSETTS — Voters in Massachusetts handily passed an update to the state's Right to Repair law Tuesday, while an effort to institute ranked-choice voting fell short. The Associated Press called the race for Question 1, which expands access to vehicle data to car owners and independent repair shops, with 56 percent of districts reporting, but it was decided long before that.

The Massachusetts Right to Repair Coalition declared a "resounding victory" after taking a commanding lead with just 13 percent of votes counted. With more than 80 percent of districts reporting, 75.1 percent were for the measure versus 24.9 percent against, which was the split for most of the night.

"By voting yes on 1, Massachusetts has now updated Right to Repair for the modern age of connected cars," Coalition Director Tommy Hickey said.

Supporters of ranked-choice voting, however, didn't fare as well. Cara Brown, campaign manager of the Ranked Choice Voting 2020 Committee, said the group "came up short" in this election, MassLive reported.

"We are obviously deeply disappointed," Brown continued. "But that’s certainly no reflection of the hard work of the thousands of dedicated volunteers, staff and surrogates of this campaign. Even amidst a global pandemic, we were able to mobilize a movement to strengthen our democracy in a time when it’s needed most."

Despite a relatively close vote early Wednesday – 54.5 percent against to 45.5 percent for as of 1:20 a.m. – opponents declared a "cautiously optimistic" victory.

"The voters have spoken clearly on Ranked Choice Voting, and while there can be some very limited benefits to the voting system, ultimately a majority of voters voted against it because its costs far outweigh its very limited benefits," Paul Diego Craney, spokesperson for the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance, said in a statement.

The ramifications of Question 1 will likely be felt beyond Massachusetts, as Right to Repair Director Tommy Hickey predicts other states will file similar legislation. One potential omen: the ballot question was the priciest in state history, indicating a fierce battle over who has access to vehicle data, with deep pockets on both sides.

In a statement Tuesday night, the No on One campaign said, "The right to repair and the ability of local repair shops to access vehicle repair information are already enshrined in Massachusetts law. Today's vote will do nothing to enhance that right."

The update to the Right to Repair law expands access to vehicle data. Currently, auto manufacturers must give independent repair shops access to the same diagnostic and repair information that dealers have, but that does not include telematics, defined as "systems that collect and wirelessly transmit mechanical data to a remote server."

The measure increases accessibility to telematics via a mobile app, allowing vehicle owners and independent repair shops to read more vehicle information and run diagnostics. Supporters of the question pitted the issue as a battle of David versus Goliath against the auto giants, despite raising $24.4 million to opponents' $26.5 million.

The lion's share of the Right to Repair Coalition's funding came from companies like Advance Auto Parts and AutoZone, as the organization took less than $5,000 from inside Massachusetts, The Boston Globe reported.

The Coalition for Safe and Secure Data, which opposed the question, was backed by dealerships and manufacturers who feared business could take a hit if the measure passed. The group leaned heavily on the idea that additional telematics access would make available information about the vehicle and driver –including real-time location and driving history – open to hacking.

The second ballot question considered instituting ranked-choice voting across all state and federal elections, save for the presidential election. This would give voters the opportunity to rank candidates according to their preferences. If a candidate gets more than 50 percent of the first-choice votes, they win — but if no candidate gets more than 50 percent of the first-choice votes, then the person receiving the fewest first-place votes is eliminated.

The second-place votes on those ballots for other candidates are counted as first-place votes. The process continues until someone has greater than 50 percent of the first-place votes. The system would not apply to races where more than one candidate is to be elected.

A recent crowded Democratic primary for a U.S. House seat in Massachusetts's 4th Congressional District saw Jake Auchincloss win less than a quarter of the total vote, topping the runner-up by just over 2,000 votes. While it's unknown whether the result would have been different with ranked-choice voting, it's believed several candidates with progressive backings split the vote, boosting the more moderate Auchincloss to a narrow win.

More 2020 Election Coverage: Election Results: Polls Close In Massachusetts