On November 4th, Massachusetts residents in ten legislative districts will vote on the following ballot question:

Shall the representative from this district be instructed (1) to support legislation that would establish health care as a human right regardless of age, state of health or employment status, by creating a single payer health insurance system that is comprehensive, cost effective, and publicly provided to all residents of Massachusetts, and (2) to oppose any laws penalizing the uninsured for failing to obtain health insurance?

VOTING YES Would Mean:

• Controlling the costs of health care without reducing quality of care.
• Guaranteeing access to comprehensive care for every resident of Massachusetts.
• Allowing all residents free choice of doctors and hospitals, with no limited “networks.”
• Saving businesses, municipalities, and the state hundreds of millions in spending on health care in the coming years.
• Allowing doctors, nurses, and other care providers to provide needed care to their patients regardless of their income or insurance status.
• Opposing attempts to shift the health care crisis onto the shoulders of individual households through “individual mandates.”

THE BALLOT QUESTION WILL APPEAR in the following districts and cities/towns:

• First Hampshire District: consisting of Hatfield, Montgomery, Northampton, Southampton, and Westhampton.
• Third Hampshire District: consisting of Amherst and Granby.
• Second Franklin District: consisting of Athol, Erving, Gill, Greenfield, Orange, and Warwick.
• Fifth Middlesex District: consisting of Millis (precincts 2 and 3), Natick (precincts 1 through 9), and Sherborn.
• Twelfth Middlesex District: consisting of Newton (ward 5 precincts 1 through 3; ward 6; ward 7 precincts 1, 3, and 4; and ward 8).
• First Barnstable: consisting of Brewster, Dennis, and Yarmouth (precincts 1, 2, 4, and 7).
• Fourth Barnstable: consisting of Chatham, Eastham, Harwich, Orleans, Provincetown, Truro, and Wellfleet.
• Barnstable, Dukes & Nantucket: consisting of Aquinnah, Chilmark, Edgartown, Falmouth (precincts 1, 2, 5, and 6), Gosnold, Nantucket, Oak Bluffs, Tisbury, and West Tisbury.
• Tenth Suffolk: consisting of Boston (ward 20 precincts 3, 5 through 7, and 10 through 20).
• Fourth Plymouth: consisting of Marshfield and Scituate (precincts 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6).

BALLOT QUESTION NUMBERS:

The health care as a human right ballot question will appear as Ballot Question #4 in all cities and towns, except for Amherst, Orelans, Aquinnah, Chilmark, Edgartown, Gosnold, Oak Bluffs, and West Tisbury where it will appear as Ballot Question #5, and in Tisbury where it will appear as Ballot Question #6.

RESOURCES IN SUPPORT OF HEALTH CARE AS A HUMAN RIGHT:

• Vote Yes Flyer 2008 fact sheet supporting single payer health care.
• Political Cartoon Flyer supporting health care ballot question (if the ballot is not Question #4 in your city or town, make sure to change the ballot number on this flyer!).
• Lawn Sign supporting health care as a human right (designed by Cape Care).
• Sample Op-Ed to send to your local papers.
• Sample Letter to the Editor to send to your local papers (written by Cape Care).
• Sample Postcards to Residents (written by Cape Care).