The Green Papers: Massachusetts 2008 General Election
This page is for offices up for election in 2008. Find 2009 elections here.
 
Flag images courtesy of The World Flag Database. Copyright http://www.flags.net/ Massachusetts
Elections for Statewide offices and Congress
Primary: Tuesday 16 September 2008
General Election: Tuesday 4 November 2008
Electoral Votes:12(2.23% of 538)
Governor:1 
Senators:2(Electoral Classes 1 and 2)
2002-2010 Representatives:10(2.30% of 435)
2000 Census:6,355,568 (2.25% of 281,998,273)
Estimated Voting age population (November 2000):4,749,000
Registered Voters (November 2000):4,008,796
Capital:Boston
Tuesday 16 September 2008 polling hours 7:00a EDT (1100 UTC) to 8:00p EDT (0000 UTC). By local option, municipalities may open their polls as early as 5:45 a.m.
Tuesday 4 November 2008 polling hours 7:00a EST (1200 UTC) to 8:00p EST (0100 UTC). By local option, municipalities may open their polls as early as 5:45 a.m.
 

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Massachusetts State and Local Government

Massachusetts 2008 Presidential Primaries, Caucuses, and Conventions:
Democrats, Republicans, Third Parties


22 December 2008: Return of Votes - For Massachusetts State Election - November 4, 2008


3 October 2008: Synchronized with the Secretary of the Commonwealth - Elections Division - 2008 State Election Candidates.


Tuesday 16 September 2008 primary
MASSACHUSETTS PRIMARY results from a media source


The state legislators who will meet over the two years from 2009 through 2010 will make up the 186th GENERAL COURT OF MASSACHUSETTS.

 
           

President  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2008, 2012. Term Limit: No more than 2 4-year terms in a lifetime. Electors: 12 (Winner-take-all), How Appointed, Meeting Place, Duly Appointed Presidential Electors, List of Presidential Candidates.
Up for election in 2008
  Elected Democratic 1,904,097 61.36% Senator Barack Hussein Obama
(12 Electoral Votes)
Vice President: Senator Joseph Robinette "Joe" Biden, Jr.

FEC P80003338: $778,642,047
  Candidate Republican 1,108,854 35.73% Senator John Sidney McCain, III
Vice President: Governor Sarah H. Palin

FEC P80002801: $399,826,076
  Candidate Independent 28,841 0.93% Ralph Nader
Vice President: Matt Gonzalez

FEC P20000527: $4,520,160
  Candidate Scattering 22,010 0.71% Blanks
  Candidate Scattering 14,483 0.47% All others
  Candidate Libertarian 13,189 0.43% former Congressman Bob Barr
Vice President: Wayne Allyn Root
22 September 2008: Ordered on the ballot by District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton.

FEC P80005580: $1,405,899
  Candidate Green-Rainbow 6,550 0.21% former Congressman Cynthia A. McKinney
Vice President: Rosa A. Clemente

FEC P80004930: $240,360
  Candidate Constitution 4,971 0.16% Charles Obadiah "Chuck" Baldwin
Vice President: Darrell L. Castle

FEC P80005499: $262,010
Total 3,102,995 100.00%  

U.S. Senate  6 year term. No Term Limit. 110th Senate  Senate Electoral Classes

Class 1 Democratic Senator Edward Moore "Ted" Kennedy
First elected to finish out the term in a Special Election: 1962 [held to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Senator John F. Kennedy (Democrat): 22 December 1960- which Benjamin A. Smith II (Democrat) had been appointed by Governor Foster Furcolo (Democrat) to fill, 27 December 1960]; elected to first full term: 1964; re-elected: 1970, 1976, 1982, 1988, 1994, 2000, 2006
Seat up for election: Tuesday 6 November 2012

Class 2
Seat up for election
Democratic Senator John F. Kerry
• Re-elected Tuesday 4 November 2008
First elected: 1984; re-elected: 1990, 1996, 2002, 2008
Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008
Renominated - 16 September 2008 Primary
 Polls: Democratic Senator John F. Kerry
  Elected Democratic 1,971,974 63.55% Senator John F. Kerry
FEC S4MA00069: $16,116,152
  Candidate Republican 926,044 29.84% Jeffrey K. "Jeff" Beatty
FEC S8MA00219: $2,078,533
  Candidate Scattering 108,748 3.50% Blanks
  Candidate Libertarian 93,713 3.02% Robert Joseph Underwood
FEC S8MA00235: Financial report not available
  Candidate Scattering 2,516 0.08% All Others
Total 3,102,995 100.00%  

Governor  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2006, 2010. Term Limit: None, All Governors

  Democratic Governor Deval L. Patrick
First elected: 2006
Chair up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2010
  Candidate Independent     Christy Mihos

Lieutenant Governor  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2006, 2010. Elected on a ticket with (but nominated separately from) the Governor

  Democratic Lieutenant Governor Timothy P. "Tim" Murray
First elected: 2006
Seat up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2010

110th U.S. House of Representatives  2 year term, Election Cycle 2006, 2008. No Term Limit. 110th House
Partisan Composition (primary disposition):
10 Democratic (10 Renominated)

CD 1
{map}
Seat up for election
Democratic Congressman John W. Olver
• Re-elected Tuesday 4 November 2008
Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008
Renominated - 16 September 2008 Primary
 Polls: Democratic Congressman John W. Olver
  Elected Democratic 215,696 69.67% Congressman John W. Olver
FEC H2MA01020: $817,743
  Candidate Republican 80,067 25.86% Nathan Alexander "Nate" Bech
FEC H8MA01035: $161,389
  Candidate Scattering 13,518 4.37% Blanks
  Candidate Scattering 336 0.11% All Others
Total 309,617 100.00%  

CD 2
{map}
Seat up for election
Democratic Congressman Richard E. Neal
• Re-elected Tuesday 4 November 2008
Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008
Renominated - 16 September 2008 Primary
 Polls: Democratic Congressman Richard E. Neal
 ** Uncontested Race **
  Elected Democratic 234,369 76.39% Congressman Richard E. Neal
FEC H8MA02041: $1,621,922
  Candidate Scattering 68,820 22.43% Blanks
  Candidate Scattering 3,631 1.18% All Others
Total 306,820 100.00%  

CD 3
{map}
Seat up for election
Democratic Congressman James P. "Jim" McGovern
• Re-elected Tuesday 4 November 2008
First elected: 1996
Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008
Renominated - 16 September 2008 Primary
 Polls: Democratic Congressman James P. "Jim" McGovern
 ** Uncontested Race **
  Elected Democratic 227,619 75.04% Congressman James P. "Jim" McGovern
FEC H4MA03022: $1,085,779
  Candidate Scattering 72,208 23.81% Blanks
  Candidate Scattering 3,488 1.15% All Others
Total 303,315 100.00%  

CD 4
{map}
Seat up for election
Democratic Congressman Barney Frank
• Re-elected Tuesday 4 November 2008
Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008
Renominated - 16 September 2008 Primary
 Polls: Democratic Congressman Barney Frank
  Elected Democratic 203,032 64.30% Congressman Barney Frank
FEC H0MA04036: $2,297,677
  Candidate Republican 75,571 23.94% Earl Henry Sholley
FEC H8MA04054: $40,248
  Candidate Independent 19,848 6.29% Susan Allen
FEC H8MA04062: Financial report not available
  Candidate Scattering 16,946 5.37% Blanks
  Candidate Scattering 337 0.11% All Others
Total 315,734 100.00%  

CD 5
{map}
Seat up for election
Democratic Congressman Nicola S. "Niki" Tsongas
• Re-elected Tuesday 4 November 2008
First elected in a 16 October 2007 Special Election to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Democratic Congressman Marty Meehan.
Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008
Renominated - 16 September 2008 Primary
 Polls: Democratic Congressman Nicola S. "Niki" Tsongas
 ** Uncontested Race **
  Elected Democratic 225,947 74.72% Congressman Nicola S. "Niki" Tsongas
FEC H8MA05143: $3,302,898
  Candidate Scattering 73,490 24.30% Blanks
  Candidate Scattering 2,960 0.98% All Others
Total 302,397 100.00%  

CD 6
{map}
Seat up for election
Democratic Congressman John F. Tierney
• Re-elected Tuesday 4 November 2008
First elected: 1996
Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008
Renominated - 16 September 2008 Primary
 Polls: Democratic Congressman John F. Tierney
  Elected Democratic 226,216 66.79% Congressman John F. Tierney
FEC H4MA06033: $735,813
  Candidate Republican 94,845 28.00% Richard A. Baker, Jr.
FEC H8MA06083: $29,174
  Candidate Scattering 17,406 5.14% Blanks
  Candidate Scattering 251 0.07% All Others
Total 338,718 100.00%  

CD 7
{map}
Seat up for election
Democratic Congressman Edward J. "Ed" Markey
• Re-elected Tuesday 4 November 2008
Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008
Renominated - 16 September 2008 Primary
 Polls: Democratic Congressman Edward J. "Ed" Markey
  Elected Democratic 212,304 70.48% Congressman Edward J. "Ed" Markey
FEC H6MA07101: $1,454,661
  Candidate Republican 67,978 22.57% John Phillip Cunningham
FEC H8MA07016: $23,219
  Candidate Scattering 20,528 6.82% Blanks
  Candidate Scattering 400 0.13% All Others
Total 301,210 100.00%  

CD 8
{map}
Seat up for election
Democratic Congressman Michael E. Capuano
• Re-elected Tuesday 4 November 2008
First elected: 1998
Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008
Renominated - 16 September 2008 Primary
 Polls: Democratic Congressman Michael E. Capuano
 ** Uncontested Race **
  Elected Democratic 185,530 76.03% Congressman Michael E. Capuano
FEC H8MA08071: $1,087,336
  Candidate Scattering 55,761 22.85% Blanks
  Candidate Scattering 2,722 1.12% All Others
Total 244,013 100.00%  

CD 9
{map}
Seat up for election
Democratic Congressman Stephen F. Lynch
• Re-elected Tuesday 4 November 2008
First elected 16 October 2001 in a special election, re: the death of J. Joseph Moakley 28 May 2001.
Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008
Renominated - 16 September 2008 Primary
 Polls: Democratic Congressman Stephen F. Lynch
 ** Uncontested Race **
  Elected Democratic 242,166 76.29% Congressman Stephen F. Lynch
FEC H2MA09072: $1,066,677
  Candidate Scattering 72,126 22.72% Blanks
  Candidate Scattering 3,128 0.99% All Others
Total 317,420 100.00%  

CD 10
{map}
Seat up for election
Democratic Congressman William D. "Bill" Delahunt
• Re-elected Tuesday 4 November 2008
First elected: 1996
Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008
Renominated - 16 September 2008 Primary
 Polls: Democratic Congressman William D. "Bill" Delahunt
 ** Uncontested Race **
  Elected Democratic 272,899 75.02% Congressman William D. "Bill" Delahunt
FEC H2MA11060: $117,097
  Candidate Scattering 87,078 23.94% Blanks
  Candidate Scattering 3,774 1.04% All Others
Total 363,751 100.00%  

Secretary of the Commonwealth  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2006, 2010

  Democratic Secretary of the Commonwealth William Francis "Bill" Galvin
First elected: 1994; re-elected: 1998, 2002, 2006
Seat up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2010

Attorney General  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2006, 2010

  Democratic Attorney General Martha Coakley
First elected: 2006
Seat up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2010

Treasurer and Receiver-General  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2006, 2010

  Democratic Treasurer and Receiver-General Timothy P. "Tim" Cahill
First elected: 2002; re-elected: 2006
Seat up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2010

Auditor  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2006, 2010

  Democratic Auditor A. Joseph "Joe" DeNucci
First elected: 1986; re-elected: 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006
Seat up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2010

Political Parties    Parties appear in parenthesis and italics when a candidate receives the endorsement of a given Party and/or official sources indicate a candidate's association with a particular Party but only where the Party in question does not appear on the actual ballot as such.

Major Parties
  Democratic (affiliates): 18 incumbents, 12 candidates
  Republican: 6 candidates
Major Third Parties
  Green-Rainbow (affiliate of Green): 1 candidate
  Libertarian: 2 candidates
Other Third Parties
  Constitution (affiliates): 1 candidate
Independents
  Independent: 3 candidates
Write-in/Scattered/otherwise not readily classifiable
  Scattering: 24 candidates
 
Candidates running under the banner of more than one party are counted towards each party's total. A candidate who has lost a primary or is apparently no longer a candidate is not counted.

Notes

Candidates for office appear on this page in italics where 'The Green Papers' does not yet have independent confirmation from an election authority that the person so listed will actually appear on the ballot.
 
FEC indicates the Federal Election Commission (FEC) Campaign Finance Summary "Total Receipts" for candidates for Federal Office.

 


  2008 General Election Home  
 
  U.S. Senate Popular Vote and FEC Total Receipts by Party  
  Gubernatorial Popular Vote by Party  
  U.S. House Popular Vote and FEC Total Receipts by Party  
  Close Contests Summary - Decision by 2% or less  
  Contests Where No Candidate Received a Majority  
 
Electoral College
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  THE "FAITHLESS ELECTORS" - Presidential Electors who have defected in the past  
  May Electors Defect?  
  DATES OF U.S. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION "EVENTS": 1789 to the present  
  "APPARENT" ELECTORAL VOTE for President of the United States: 1856 to present  
  ELECTORAL VOTE for President of the United States (as pledged and as officially counted)  
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