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John Velis

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John Velis
Image of John Velis
Massachusetts State Senate Hampden and Hampshire District
Tenure

2023 - Present

Term ends

2027

Years in position

2

Prior offices
Massachusetts House of Representatives 4th Hampden District

Massachusetts State Senate 2nd Hampden and Hampshire District (Historical)

Compensation

Base salary

$73,655.01/year

Per diem

$No per diem is paid.

Elections and appointments
Last elected

November 5, 2024

Education

Law

Suffolk University

Military

Service / branch

U.S. Army

Service / branch

U.S. Army National Guard

Personal
Birthplace
Westfield, Mass.
Profession
Lawyer
Contact

John Velis (Democratic Party) is a member of the Massachusetts State Senate, representing Hampden and Hampshire District. He assumed office on January 4, 2023. His current term ends on January 6, 2027.

Velis (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the Massachusetts State Senate to represent Hampden and Hampshire District. He won in the general election on November 5, 2024.

Biography

John Velis was born and lives in Westfield, Massachusetts. Velis served in the U.S. Army, U.S. Army Reserve, and Massachusetts Army National Guard. He earned an undergraduate degree in political science from the University of South Florida and a juris doctor from Suffolk University. His career experience includes working as a lawyer.[1]

Committee assignments

Note: This membership information was last updated in September 2023. Ballotpedia completes biannual updates of committee membership. If you would like to send us an update, email us at: editor@ballotpedia.org.

2023-2024

Velis was assigned to the following committees:

2021-2022

Velis was assigned to the following committees:

2019-2020

Velis was assigned to the following committees:

2017 legislative session

At the beginning of te 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:

Massachusetts committee assignments, 2017
Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Joint
Health Care Financing Joint
Marijuana Policy Joint
Veterans and Federal Affairs Joint, Vice chair

2015 legislative session

At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Velis served on the following committees:

The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.


Elections

2024

See also: Massachusetts State Senate elections, 2024

General election

General election for Massachusetts State Senate Hampden and Hampshire District

Incumbent John Velis won election in the general election for Massachusetts State Senate Hampden and Hampshire District on November 5, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of John Velis
John Velis (D)
 
98.7
 
62,335
 Other/Write-in votes
 
1.3
 
831

Total votes: 63,166
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Massachusetts State Senate Hampden and Hampshire District

Incumbent John Velis advanced from the Democratic primary for Massachusetts State Senate Hampden and Hampshire District on September 3, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of John Velis
John Velis
 
99.6
 
11,129
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.4
 
46

Total votes: 11,175
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Velis in this election.

2022

See also: Massachusetts State Senate elections, 2022

General election

General election for Massachusetts State Senate Hampden and Hampshire District

Incumbent John Velis defeated Cecilia Calabrese in the general election for Massachusetts State Senate Hampden and Hampshire District on November 8, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of John Velis
John Velis (D)
 
65.6
 
37,130
Cecilia Calabrese (R)
 
34.3
 
19,388
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.1
 
77

Total votes: 56,595
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Massachusetts State Senate Hampden and Hampshire District

Incumbent John Velis advanced from the Democratic primary for Massachusetts State Senate Hampden and Hampshire District on September 6, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of John Velis
John Velis
 
99.6
 
14,304
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.4
 
51

Total votes: 14,355
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for Massachusetts State Senate Hampden and Hampshire District

Cecilia Calabrese advanced from the Republican primary for Massachusetts State Senate Hampden and Hampshire District on September 6, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
Cecilia Calabrese
 
99.3
 
5,449
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.7
 
39

Total votes: 5,488
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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2020

State Senate - regular election

See also: Massachusetts State Senate elections, 2020

General election

General election for Massachusetts State Senate 2nd Hampden and Hampshire District (Historical)

Incumbent John Velis defeated John Cain in the general election for Massachusetts State Senate 2nd Hampden and Hampshire District (Historical) on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of John Velis
John Velis (D)
 
63.9
 
50,100
John Cain (R)
 
35.8
 
28,078
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.2
 
177

Total votes: 78,355
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Massachusetts State Senate 2nd Hampden and Hampshire District (Historical)

Incumbent John Velis advanced from the Democratic primary for Massachusetts State Senate 2nd Hampden and Hampshire District (Historical) on September 1, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of John Velis
John Velis
 
99.6
 
26,196
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.4
 
99

Total votes: 26,295
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for Massachusetts State Senate 2nd Hampden and Hampshire District (Historical)

John Cain advanced from the Republican primary for Massachusetts State Senate 2nd Hampden and Hampshire District (Historical) on September 1, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
John Cain
 
99.1
 
7,523
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.9
 
69

Total votes: 7,592
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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State Senate - special election

See also: Massachusetts state legislative special elections, 2020

General election

Special general election for Massachusetts State Senate 2nd Hampden and Hampshire District (Historical)

John Velis defeated John Cain in the special general election for Massachusetts State Senate 2nd Hampden and Hampshire District (Historical) on May 19, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of John Velis
John Velis (D)
 
64.2
 
10,089
John Cain (R)
 
35.8
 
5,620
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.1
 
10

Total votes: 15,719
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Special Democratic primary for Massachusetts State Senate 2nd Hampden and Hampshire District (Historical)

John Velis advanced from the special Democratic primary for Massachusetts State Senate 2nd Hampden and Hampshire District (Historical) on March 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of John Velis
John Velis
 
99.1
 
20,848
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.9
 
181

Total votes: 21,029
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Republican primary election

Special Republican primary for Massachusetts State Senate 2nd Hampden and Hampshire District (Historical)

John Cain advanced from the special Republican primary for Massachusetts State Senate 2nd Hampden and Hampshire District (Historical) on March 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
John Cain
 
98.2
 
5,586
 Other/Write-in votes
 
1.8
 
104

Total votes: 5,690
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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2018

See also: Massachusetts House of Representatives elections, 2018

General election

General election for Massachusetts House of Representatives 4th Hampden District

Incumbent John Velis won election in the general election for Massachusetts House of Representatives 4th Hampden District on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of John Velis
John Velis (D)
 
99.1
 
11,734
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.9
 
101

Total votes: 11,835
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Massachusetts House of Representatives 4th Hampden District

Incumbent John Velis advanced from the Democratic primary for Massachusetts House of Representatives 4th Hampden District on September 4, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of John Velis
John Velis
 
100.0
 
1,881

Total votes: 1,881
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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2016

See also: Massachusetts House of Representatives elections, 2016

Elections for the Massachusetts House of Representatives took place in 2016. The primary election took place on September 8, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was June 7, 2016.

Incumbent John Velis ran unopposed in the Massachusetts House of Representatives Fourth Hampden District general election.[2][3]

Massachusetts House of Representatives, Fourth Hampden District General Election, 2016
Party Candidate
    Democratic Green check mark transparent.png John Velis Incumbent (unopposed)
Source: Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth


Incumbent John Velis ran unopposed in the Massachusetts House of Representatives Fourth Hampden District Democratic Primary.[4][5]

Massachusetts House of Representatives, Fourth Hampden District Democratic Primary, 2016
Party Candidate
    Democratic Green check mark transparent.png John Velis Incumbent (unopposed)


2014

General election

See also: Massachusetts House of Representatives elections, 2014

Elections for the Massachusetts House of Representatives took place in 2014. A primary election was held on September 9, 2014, and a general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was June 3, 2014. Incumbent John C. Velis was unopposed in the Democratic primary. Dan Allie was unopposed in the Republican primary. Velis defeated Allie in the general election.[6]

Massachusetts House of Representatives, Fourth Hampden District General Election, 2014
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngJohn Velis Incumbent 58.9% 7,327
     Republican Dan Allie 41.1% 5,111
Total Votes 12,438

Special election

See also: Massachusetts state legislative special elections, 2014

John C. Velis (D) defeated Dan Allie (R) in the special election, which took place on April 1. Velis was unopposed in the Democratic primary, while Allie was unopposed in the Republican primary.[7][8][9]

The seat was vacant following Donald F. Humason, Jr.'s (R) election to the Massachusetts State Senate.[10]

A special election for the position of Massachusetts House of Representatives Fourth Hampden District was called for April 1, with a primary on March 4. The filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was January 28.[10]

Massachusetts House of Representatives, Fourth Hampden District, Special Election, 2014
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngJohn C. Velis 53.4% 2,697
     Republican Dan Allie 46.6% 2,354
Total Votes 5,051

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

John Velis did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.

2022

John Velis did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

2020

John Velis did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.

Campaign finance summary


Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.


John Velis campaign contribution history
YearOfficeStatusContributionsExpenditures
2024* Massachusetts State Senate Hampden and Hampshire DistrictWon general$191,978 $0
2022Massachusetts State Senate Hampden and Hampshire DistrictWon general$350,485 $0
2016Massachusetts House of Representatives, District Fourth HampdenWon $52,615 N/A**
2014Massachusetts House of Representatives, Fourth HampdenWon $5,735 N/A**
Grand total$600,813 N/A**
Sources: OpenSecretsFederal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* Data from this year may not be complete
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only available data.

Scorecards

See also: State legislative scorecards and State legislative scorecards in Massachusetts

A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.

Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.

Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Massachusetts scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.


2024


2023


2022


2021


2020


2019


2018


2017


2016


2015


2014



See also


External links

Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by
-
Massachusetts State Senate Hampden and Hampshire District
2023-Present
Succeeded by
-
Preceded by
-
Massachusetts State Senate 2nd Hampden and Hampshire District (Historical)
2020-2023
Succeeded by
-
Preceded by
-
Massachusetts House of Representatives 4th Hampden District
2014-2020
Succeeded by
-


Current members of the Massachusetts State Senate
Senators
Berkshire, Hampden, Franklin, and Hampshire District
Paul Mark (D)
Bristol and Norfolk District
Cape and Islands District
Hampden District
Hampden and Hampshire District
Hampden, Hampshire, and Worcester District
Hampshire, Franklin and Worcester District
Middlesex and Norfolk District
Middlesex and Suffolk District
Middlesex and Worcester District
Norfolk and Middlesex District
Norfolk and Plymouth District
Norfolk and Suffolk District
Norfolk, Plymouth, and Bristol District
Norfolk, Worcester, and Middlesex District
Plymouth and Barnstable District
Suffolk and Middlesex District
Worcester and Hampden District
Worcester and Hampshire District
Worcester and Middlesex District
1st Bristol and Plymouth District
1st Essex District
1st Essex and Middlesex District
1st Middlesex District
1st Plymouth and Norfolk District
1st Suffolk District
1st Worcester District
2nd Bristol and Plymouth District
2nd Essex District
2nd Essex and Middlesex District
2nd Middlesex District
2nd Plymouth and Norfolk District
2nd Suffolk District
2nd Worcester District
3rd Bristol and Plymouth District
3rd Essex District
3rd Middlesex District
3rd Suffolk District
4th Middlesex District
5th Middlesex District
Democratic Party (35)
Republican Party (5)