WEST BOYLSTON, Mass. — When we first spoke to Mary Ellen Macuen about Question 5, which was just four days ahead of the election, saying she was nervous would be an understatement.

"I just didn't know what my consequences would be, being older in this business," she said. "There's not a lot of opportunities left."

Those nerves were put to bed Tuesday night when voters washed the measure down the drain.

"Oh my gosh. A lot of extra pep in my step today," Macuen joked.

Macuen, a bartender at The Manor Draught House in West Boylston, had a smile on her face Wednesday afternoon while serving some of her regulars.

If passed, tipped workers would have seen a gradual wage increase to $15 an hour and mandated tip pooling. Macuen says this would have skyrocketed operational costs, leading more people to stay away from restaurants.

"My goal is to wait and serve my customers," she said. "I make sure that they feel like they're the most important person in this business and that's what I work for. I don't want them to feel as though they're here to compensate a low pay for me. Because that's not how I feel at all."

On the other side of the argument, One Fair Wage Massachusetts, the group who originally spearheaded the effort, released a statement responding to the voters' decision.

They say in a statement to Spectrum News 1: "Although Massachusetts voters were subjected to a well-funded misinformation campaign, advocates for fair wages believe this cause will ultimately prevail, following in the footsteps of states like Michigan and D.C. that fought similar battles."

They also say this movement is not about one election, but about economic justice for workers across the state.

"We mattered, and that felt great that we did matter and people listened, Macuen said. "And for that, we are so thankful."