2018 Massachusetts elections explained

Election Name:2018 Massachusetts general election
Type:parliamentary
Country:Massachusetts
Previous Election:2016 Massachusetts general election
Previous Year:2016
Next Election:2020 Massachusetts general election
Next Year:2020
Election Date:November 6, 2018
Seats For Election:Part of the
2018 United States elections

The 2018 Massachusetts general election was held on November 6, 2018, throughout Massachusetts. Primary elections took place on September 4. Early voting took place from October 22 through November 2.[1]

At the federal level, Elizabeth Warren was re-elected to the United States Senate, and all nine seats in the United States House of Representatives were won by Democratic Party candidates.[2]

Incumbents seeking re-election won all major statewide seats: Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of the Commonwealth, Auditor, and Treasurer.[2]

In the Massachusetts General Court (state legislature), Democrats gained one seat in the Senate and two seats in the House.[3]

The number of ballots cast, approximately 2.7 million, was the highest ever in Massachusetts for a midterm election.[4]

Governor and lieutenant governor

See main article: 2018 Massachusetts gubernatorial election. Incumbent Republican governor Charlie Baker ran for re-election to a second term in office.[5]

Primary elections for governor and lieutenant governor were conducted separately on September 4, 2018, with the Democrats nominating former Patrick administration official Jay Gonzalez and former Obama administration advisor Quentin Palfrey. The Republicans re-nominated Governor Charlie Baker and Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito.

Baker and Polito were re-elected in the general election.

Secretary of the Commonwealth

Incumbent Democratic Secretary of the Commonwealth William F. Galvin ran for re-election to a seventh term in office.[6]

The Republican Party nominated Swampscott resident and security expert Anthony Amore.

The Green-Rainbow Party nominated Holyoke resident and community organizer Juan Sanchez.

Democratic primary

In the primary election, Galvin was re-nominated over Boston City Councilor Josh Zakim.

Results

General election

Governing magazine projected the race as "safe Democratic".[7]

Attorney general

Incumbent Democratic attorney general Maura Healey ran for re-election to a second consecutive term.[8] Healey was a speculative candidate for governor but declined to run.

Republican primary

The Republican Party nominated Bourne attorney James McMahon for Attorney General over Hingham attorney Daniel Shores.

Results

General election

Treasurer and Receiver-General

Incumbent Democratic Treasurer and Receiver-General Deb Goldberg ran for re-election to a second term in office.[9]

State Representative and Republican National Committeewoman Keiko Orrall was unopposed for the Republican nomination.

The Green-Rainbow party nominated Northampton resident Jamie Guerin. Guerin previously served as Jill Stein's 2016 Massachusetts campaign co-ordinator.

General election

Auditor

Incumbent Democratic auditor Suzanne M. Bump ran for re-election to a third term in office.[10]

Helen Brady, business manager of the Boston Pops and candidate for state representative in 2016, was unopposed for the Republican nomination.

The Libertarian Party nominated former Congressional candidate Daniel Fishman.

The Green-Rainbow Party nominated activist and educator Edward Stamas.

General election

United States Senate

See main article: 2018 United States Senate election in Massachusetts. thumb

Incumbent Democratic senator Elizabeth Warren ran for re-election to a second term. Her opponents were Republican state representative Geoff Diehl and independent Shiva Ayyadurai.

Warren was re-elected in the general election.

United States House of Representatives

See main article: 2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Massachusetts. All of Massachusetts' nine seats in the United States House of Representatives were up for election in 2018.

All nine seats were won by Democratic Party candidates. Seven seats were won by candidates seeking re-election. The 3rd District seat was won by Lori Trahan, after incumbent Niki Tsongas did not seek re-election. The 7th District seat was won by Ayanna Pressley, who defeated incumbent Mike Capuano in the primary election, and then ran unopposed in the general election.

Massachusetts Senate

Election Name:2018 Massachusetts Senate elections
Country:Massachusetts
Type:legislative
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:2016 Massachusetts Senate elections
Previous Year:2016
Next Election:2022 Massachusetts Senate elections
Next Year:2022
Seats For Election:All 40 seats in the Massachusetts Senate
Majority Seats:21
Election Date:November 6, 2018
Party1:Democratic Party (United States)
Seats Before1:33
Seats1:34
Seat Change1: 1
Party2:Republican Party (United States)
Seats Before2:7
Seats2:6
Seat Change2: 1

All 40 seats in the Massachusetts Senate were up for election in 2018.

In the general election, the Democratic Party captured 33 seats, while the Republican Party captured six seats.[2] The Republicans had previously held seven seats.[3] The seat gained by the Democrats was in the Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex district, where challenger Becca Rausch defeated incumbent Richard J. Ross by a two percent margin.[3]

Massachusetts House of Representatives

All 160 seats in the Massachusetts House of Representatives were up for election in 2018.

In the general election, the Democratic Party captured 127 seats, the Republican Party captured 32 seats, and one seat (2nd Franklin) was won by an independent incumbent.[2] The Republicans had previously held 34 seats; Democrats took seats in the 18th Essex and the 17th Worcester districts.[3]

County

Counties in Massachusetts elected county commissioners, district attorneys, registers of probate, and sheriffs.

Ballot measures

See main article: 2018 Massachusetts ballot measures. There were three statewide ballot questions: Question 1, which would have placed limits on nurse-to-patient ratios, was rejected; Question 2, an initiative to create a panel of citizens to propose amendments to the United States Constitution about campaign finance, was approved; and Question 3, a referendum on a prior law regarding discrimination based on gender identity in public places, was approved, meaning the law will remain in effect.[2]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Early Voting in Massachusetts . sec.state.ma.us . 2018 . November 6, 2018.
  2. News: Massachusetts Election Results . . November 6, 2018 . November 6, 2018.
  3. News: Democrats pick up seats in Massachusetts Legislature . Shira . Schoenberg . MassLive.com . November 7, 2018 . November 8, 2018.
  4. News: The number of ballots cast in the midterm elections set a record in Massachusetts . Christopher . Gavin . . November 9, 2018 . November 9, 2018.
  5. News: Charlie Baker confirms run for 2nd term as Massachusetts governor. The Boston Globe. Salsberg. Bob. November 28, 2017. November 28, 2017.
  6. Web site: Election guide: Secretary of State . bostonglobe.com . The Boston Globe . 29 October 2018.
  7. Web site: Jacobson . Louis . Secretary of State Races Are More Competitive and Important Than Ever . Governing . 22 September 2019 . 4 June 2018.
  8. Web site: Election guide: Attorney General . bostonglobe.com . The Boston Globe . 29 October 2018.
  9. Web site: Election guide: Treasurer . bostonglobe.com . The Boston Globe . 29 October 2018.
  10. Web site: Election guide: Auditor . bostonglobe.com . The Boston Globe . 29 October 2018.