Given the chaotic and unorthodox nature of the 2016 presidential election, it can be easy for voters to lose sight of other important issues on the ballot. Finding oneself in a sea of “yes on” and “no on” at this point in the election cycle can contribute to uncertainty and doubt at the polls. However, votes based on informed opinions are a crucial aspect of a democracy and much of the UMass Lowell community has not put the questions on the back burner.

Question one, expanded slot-machine gaming, would permit the state Gaming Commission to li- cense one additional category two, or slot-machine gaming establishment, license which would authorize the opening of a slot parlor with no table games and up to 1,250 slot machines on a property that meets certain qualifications.

Political science professor, Morgan Marietta, cautions of the “ramifications of gambling on a society” claiming that “it does a lot of social damage” and “prays on the lower class.”

Senior history and economics major Gerrit Boldt says that “a yes on question one is a yes for jobs”. He predicts that an additional category two license “will increase competition in the market for state gaming” and provide Revere residents with an “opportunity for new jobs”.

Question two, charter school expansion, would allow for the state Board of Elementary and Sec- ondary Education to annually approve either up to 12 new charter schools or expanded enrollments in existing charter schools, but to not exceed 1 percent of the state’s public school enrollment.

Under this law, new and expanded charter schools would be exempt from existing limits on the number of charter schools, the number of students enrolled in them and the amount of local school districts’ funding for them. If the board were to receive more than 12 applications in a year, the law requires it to prioritize districts where student performance on statewide assessments is in the bottom 25 percent of all districts in the last two years, and where parents have demonstrated demand for charter schools the most.

Freshman and political science major Tom Baranowski said he does not support question two because he suspects that “it would take money away from the already underfunded public school systems.” Baranowski volunteers for state senator Barbara L’italien’s reelection campaign in his free time, a proponent of the No on Question 2 campaign.

Conversely, sophomore and political science major Yoni Tsiukin supports the expansion. He appreciates the ability for students to “choose to go to a better school” based on his personal experiences growing up in Boston. He said it has very “racially segregated public schools.” He recollects his high school years, “I went to Newton South High but most people didn’t have the opportunity to go to a private school,”he says.

Question three, conditions for farm animals, would prohibit any confinement of breeding pigs, veal calves and egg-laying hens that prevents them from lying down, standing up, fully extending their limbs or freely turning around. It would also prohibit any business from selling whole eggs or any uncooked cut of veal or pork if the business owner knows or should know that the animal that produced it was confined in a way that is prohibited by the law.

Political science professor John Cluverius said he is skeptical of the economic repercussions of this proposal.“Massachusetts is a small state located closely to other states that don’t have these regulations.” He said, “What we see is that people are willing to travel great distances to save money on regulated products.”

Sophomore and political science major David Todisco said he feels that what question three is asking for is “incredibly minimal” and sees it as “basic animal rights” to say that “these animals deserve the right to stretch out and have just enough room to turn around in their cages.”

Question four, legalization, regulation, and taxation of marijuana, would allow citizens 21 and older to possess, use and transfer marijuana and products containing marijuana, to cultivate marijuana and would provide for the regulation and taxation of commercial sales of marijuana and marijuana products. Specifically, the law would allow individuals to possess up to one ounce of marijuana inside their residences, grow up to six marijuana plants in their residences, give up to one ounce of marijuana for free to a person at least 21 years old, or make or transfer items related to marijuana use, storage, cultivation or processing. Retail sales of Marijuana would subject to the state retail tax and an additional excise tax of 3.75 percent.

Sophomore and political science major Yutha Basuseto says she believes that question four will help make Massachusetts safer because it will allow “law enforcement focus on real, dangerous criminals” and give citizens the option to use marijuana “from the comfort and safety of their own home” instead of having to secretly do it in unsafe areas.

Sophomore Andrew M., however, feels as though question four challenges “the solidarity between the state and federal governments” and that “in order to retain a Republican government, the laws mustn’t deviate drastically from state to state.”

Elections will take place on November 8th. Poll- ing locations can be verified at www.mass.gov and will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. statewide. Per Massachusetts law, if a voter is already in line while the polls close, he/she must be allowed to vote.