Boston 2024 says it wants to collect signatures to put a referendum on the ballot, asking Massachusetts residents if they want to host the Olympics.

But Secretary of State Bill Galvin’s office is raising a red flag. A spokesperson for Galvin says the state Constitution allows outside groups or individuals to only sponsor ballot questions that enact or repeal laws. So, a referendum that simply gauges public support for the Olympics wouldn’t appear to meet that standard.

Galvin’s office says the legislature can initiate a ballot question like that, which might actually be good news for Boston 2024. It would spare Olympic boosters the time-consuming — and often expensive — process of collecting the tens of thousands of signatures necessary to get a referendum on the ballot.

The devil’s in the wording

Meanwhile, a group of Olympic opponents fear the language of the Boston 2024 ballot question could be too broad.

Chris Dempsey of No Boston Olympics said the challenge going forward is the phrasing of the ballot question, which he said could be a complex one to craft.

“We like to say this,” Dempsey said Tuesday. “It’s one question to say, ‘Do you want some cotton candy?’ And a very different question to say, ‘Do you want to buy some cotton candy?’ And even different to say, ‘Do you want to buy some cotton candy, and by the way, dentists say you’re not supposed to eat cotton candy.’”

Both Dempsey and Boston 2024 said they will sit down and try to come up with language that works for both sides.

Competing referendums

There could be at least two different referendums about the Boston Olympic bid on the 2016 Massachusetts ballot.

Former gubernatorial candidate Evan Falchuk said Boston 2024’s effort won’t stop him from pushing ahead with his own ballot question.

“We think it’s important that there’s a question that protects taxpayers and says no taxpayer money can be used and that there be no guarantees from taxpayers for the Olympics,” Falchuk said.

Falchuk said the move by Olympic boosters looks like an effort to stave off what he’s doing.

Boston 2024 leader Rich Davey denied that and suggested it’s Falchuk who has an ulterior motive.

“Obviously he was a statewide candidate for office a few years ago,” Davey said in an interview Tuesday. “Are we on the record?”