State House News Service

New polling suggests statewide support for another minimum wage hike, and as lawmakers weigh a push to raise the wage floor, an advocacy coalition is now pondering a ballot question to "force the issue."

According to the results of a new poll shared first with MASSterList, 59% of Bay State voters said they would support raising the minimum wage in Massachusetts to $20 an hour compared to 33% who are opposed and 7% who are undecided.

The Change Research survey conducted for Northwind Strategies polled 711 likely Massachusetts voters last month, recruiting responses over Facebook and Instagram and through text message appeals.

It revealed a majority of voters are in favor of boosting the minimum wage, which at $15 an hour is already the fourth-highest in the nation.

"I was surprised, to be honest given that we just raised the minimum wage that support was this high on the heels of finishing up the last hike. But it is," longtime Democratic strategist Doug Rubin said.

The poll was the first to put the issue back in front of voters as discussions about a wage hike and the state's high cost of living heat up.

'A way to force the issue'

Bills filed by Winchester state Sen. Jason Lewis (SD 2032) and state Reps. Tram Nguyen of Andover and Daniel Donahue of Worcester (HD 3965) would raise the minimum wage by $1.25 an hour a year until it reaches $20 in 2027. The wage would then be tied to the consumer price index starting in 2028 so it automatically...

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