Massachusetts

In Massachusetts, the cities and towns are responsible for administration of all federal, state, and local elections. Massachusetts counties do not perform any election administration. Massachusetts has 351 Cities and Towns (50 Cities and 301 Towns).

Election Law

• Method for Choosing Presidential Electors: Statewide Popular Vote, Winner-Take-All
• Fusion Legal: No
• More Election Law information available via the link below.

Ballot Access

President - General Election

Candidates for President and Vice President may obtain a ballot line as an unenrolled candidate (i.e. not running as as a nominee of a qualified party candidate) with a submission of at least 10,000 certified signatures on nomination papers. Each of the nomination papers must include the names of the twelve electors pledged to support the candidates for President and Vice President. Unenrolled candidates may include a political designation of up to three words on the ballot.

Candidates for President and Vice President may run as a write-in via submission of the names of the candidates and names of the pledged slate of Presidential Electors to the Secretary of the Commonwealth at least 60 days before the date of the election (September 5, 2008 for the 2008 General Election).

Electoral College in Massachusetts

Selection of Electors in Massachusetts

Massachusetts elector candidates must be registered voters of the Commonwealth. They pledge to vote for their party's nominees or for those candidates on whose nomination papers their names were listed as elector candidates. Their names must be filed according to the following guidelines:

• For elector candidates pledged to the party's presidential and vice-presidential candidates nominated at the party's national convention: The state committees of the respective political parties select their presidential electors. These names, with written acceptances and their pledges to vote for the candidate named in the filing, must be filed with the Secretary of the Commonwealth by the second Tuesday of September. M. G. L. c. 53, § 8 (1998 ed.). In the year 2004, this deadline is 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 14, 2004.

• For elector candidates pledged to non-party candidates: The nomination papers for unenrolled candidates for president have spaces for the names and addresses of the candidates for president, vice-president and their twelve elector candidates, and such names are filed as part of the nomination papers. Elector candidates pledged to unenrolled party candidates for president must not be enrolled in any recognized political party in Massachusetts for the 90 day period preceding the filing deadline for nomination papers with the Secretary of the Commonwealth. M. G. L. c. 53, §§ 6, 9 (1998 ed.). The filing deadline with the Secretary of the Commonwealth for nomination papers for elector candidates pledged to non-party candidates is no later than 5:00 p.m. on August 31, 2004.

• For elector candidates pledged to write-in or sticker candidates: Write-in or sticker candidates for president and vice-president select their own elector candidates. These twelve names, with the written acceptance of the elector candidates, are filed with the Secretary of the Commonwealth at least 60 days before the date of the election. M. G. L. c. 54, § 78A (1998 ed.). Therefore, the final filing deadline with the Secretary of the Commonwealth is no later than 5:00 p.m. on September 3, 2004.

Electoral College Proceedings

The electors whose presidential and vice-presidential candidates received the plurality of the votes in Massachusetts meet at the State House on the first Monday after the second Wednesday in December, which is December 13, 2004. After they are sworn in by the Governor and choose a presiding officer and secretary, each elector casts a separate ballot for president and vice-president. These votes, cast on the same day in each of the states, are transmitted to the houses of Congress between January 3rd and January 20th. The candidates receiving an absolute majority (270) of the electoral votes are declared President and Vice-President of the United States.

Presidential Election Results

• Massachusetts Election Results 2004 Summary Page
• Massachusetts Election Results 2000 Summary Page
• Massachusetts Election Results 1996 Summary Page
• Massachusetts Election Results 1992 Summary Page
• Massachusetts Election Results 1988 Summary Page
• Massachusetts Election Results 1984 Summary Page
• Massachusetts Election Results 1980 Summary Page
• Massachusetts Election Results 1976 Summary Page
• Massachusetts Election Results 1972 Summary Page
• Massachusetts Election Results 1968 Summary Page
• Massachusetts Election Results 1964 Summary Page
• Massachusetts Election Results 1960 Summary Page

• Massachusetts Election Results Comparison Table 1960 - 2004

Senatorial Election Results

• Massachusetts Senatorial Election Results 2006 Summary Page
• Massachusetts Senatorial Election Results 2002 Summary Page
• Massachusetts Senatorial Election Results 2000 Summary Page
• Massachusetts Senatorial Election Results 1996 Summary Page
• Massachusetts Senatorial Election Results 1994 Summary Page
• Massachusetts Senatorial Election Results 1990 Summary Page

Gubernatorial Election Results

• Massachusetts Gubernatorial Election Results 2006 Summary Page
• Massachusetts Gubernatorial Election Results 2002 Summary Page
• Massachusetts Gubernatorial Election Results 1998 Summary Page
• Massachusetts Gubernatorial Election Results 1994 Summary Page
• Massachusetts Gubernatorial Election Results 1990 Summary Page

Demographics

Massachusetts Demographic Maps

Links

• Massachusetts Elections Division
• Massachusetts General Law (see Title VIII Elections)