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The election is just 15 days away. And in addition to the races at the top of the ticket, there are several ballot questions for Massachusetts voters to mull over. That includes Question 5 on the tipped minimum wage.

Right now, the general minimum wage is $15 an hour. But tipped workers can be paid less than half of that — $6.75 — as long as their tips bring them to at least $15 an hour. Otherwise, employers have to make up the difference.

Question 5 proposes a law that would gradually increase that $6.75 to $15.

One Fair Wage, the group behind the ballot measure, says this would give workers a livable wage with tips on top. The Massachusetts Restaurant Association, which opposes the ballot measure, says increased labor costs could result in higher prices, additional service charges or worker layoffs.

However, there's also another aspect of this ballot question that has the two groups battling for public favor: Tip pooling. That's when all tips are combined and then divided after a shift.

Currently, state law only allows wait staff, service bartenders and other service employees to take part in tip pooling. And the money must be distributed in proportion to the service they provide customers. Managers cannot take part in a tip pool.

"We're having a hard time rectifying if the servers aren't making enough money — and that's the reason for this ballot question — then how does taking tips from them and sharing them with the back of the house solve that problem?" Massachusetts Restaurant Association president and CEO Stephen Clark told me.

Clark said it "absolutely is not fair" to have a flat wage for employees that perform different duties, but One Fair Wage says Question 5 would "create more equity" between front-of-house and back-of-house staff.

"They already share tips with bussers, bar backs, bartenders, expeditors — they're already sharing it with dining room staff," One Fair Wage cofounder and president Saru Jayaraman told me. "Workers now would have the option to also share with kitchen staff."

Jayaraman said tips wouldn't have to be shared evenly and could be distributed in varying proportions. Tip pools would also remain an option — not a requirement — for employers.

The disagreement is part of the larger debate over the question's potential impact on the food and hospitality industries — and their workers.

Clark pointed to a survey by the Washington, D.C. area's restaurant association that found there are fewer jobs since tipped wage increases started being implemented in the district last year. Meanwhile, Jayaraman highlights research that found increasing the tipped minimum wage led to higher earnings and did not have a large negative effect on employment levels or the number of restaurants.

You can read more about Question 5 here and watch a debate between both sides here .