The Globe has received many letters regarding the three state ballot questions that will be presented to voters on Nov. 6. Here is a small sampling.Question 1 won’t solve anything

Neither a yes nor a no vote on Question 1 will properly address the problem behind the issue of nurse staffing ratios. The real problem is the bureaucratic burden on nurses’ time. Regulations require nurses to fill out an enormous volume of paperwork, leaving less time for patient care. Poor implementation of electronic medical records did not create this problem, but certainly has made it worse. For years, nurses’ associations have tried to rectify this issue through discussions, negotiations, and legislation. Now it has arrived at the worst possible place to decide it: the ballot box. What we really need is to reduce the morass of bureaucratic obstacles to patient care. Then nurses will have enough time to care for patients and will not need to bicker over staffing ratios.

Richard M. Bargar, MD

Andover

Looking for clarity

Just when I thought the world was coming completely unwound, I read your comprehensive reporting on the issues behind Question 1 and couldn’t help but feel grounded again! (“Too risky, and with too many unintended consequences: Vote no on Question 1,’’ Editorial, Oct. 23). I’m a firm believer that by trying to understand both sides of the issues in any topic of debate, no matter how complex, we can bring this country back together again, and your positioning statement was a great example.

Paul Errico

Andover

Voters can send a message with Question 2

Is it possible to change the system from outside the system? That is the challenge facing supporters of Question 2 on the November ballot in Massachusetts, which aims to rein in the influence of big money in politics.

When politicians are in office largely due to donations from giant corporations and wealthy individuals, it is worth questioning whether they have any incentive to change. But before you roll your eyes and say “good luck with that,’’ consider that the most important incentive a politician can get is a resounding message from the electorate. Voters need to make a strong showing to send the message that the status quo is dysfunctional, and that a politician’s job is on the line if he or she does not support reform.

Some politicians might even be relieved about no longer needing to spend a large portion of their term responding to lobbyists and fund-raising for reelection. They would actually have time to act in the best interest of a majority of citizens, instead of bending to the will of big players like the oil and gas industry, the pharmaceutical industry, Wall Street, and a select few billionaires.

Massachusetts has the opportunity to become a leader in the growing national movement for a 28th amendment to declare that corporations are not people and money is not speech. When Election Day arrives, please don’t sit this one out. The road to reform is neither short nor easy. Vote yes on 2 to take the first step.

Ellen Vliet Cohen

Arlington

Acknowledging gender identity can save lives

Approximately 2 percent of babies cannot be accurately assigned a gender at birth. Some are genetically neither male or female. Some have genitals that are in between the two. Many have genitals of one gender but the brain structures of the other. Modern imaging has allowed us to see that being trans is not a “delusion,’’ but accurate reporting of what brain scans can confirm: a person with a mind that doesn’t match their outward appearance.

There are approximately 1.5 million children in Massachusetts who are 18 and under, and about 30,000 trans kids. Of children who are not allowed to transition, 57 percent will attempt suicide. Many will succeed.

Every place in a child’s life where they are validated in their gender, chosen name, and pronouns decreases that risk. Seventeen thousand trans kids in Massachusetts could attempt suicide, but we can help prevent that. Affirming their right to use the bathroom that matches their identity is not just common decency; it will literally save lives.

For those interested in more information, Fenway Health, in cooperation with Harvard Medical School, offers courses and information for health care providers and for the community.

Hope Erica Ring, MD

Charlton

Question 3 provides needed transgender protections

In November, Massachusetts voters will take the first statewide vote on transgender rights in American history. When my parents, friends, professors, neighbors, and colleagues head to the polls, I know they are voting yes on Question 3 because they care about the rights of people like me. My three years as a student at Simmons College concluded this May, and I benefited from the current laws that protected me. I felt safer as a student in Massachusetts knowing I had strong support from my community and that I wouldn’t have to worry about being unfairly discriminated against in public spaces. Since Massachusetts historically stands as a leader in creating opportunity in higher education, I trust its voters will preserve common-sense antidiscrimination policies that provide all its students with the foundational support they need to safely and equitably pursue their future and achieve success.

Bryn McCarthy

Newburyport