Mara Dolan was born in Exeter, New Hampshire. She earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Rhode Island in 1997 and a law degree from the Massachusetts School of Law at Andover in 2003. Her career experience includes working as an attorney at law and communications director. She has been affiliated with League of Women Voters and Left of Center.[1]
Mara Dolan completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Dolan's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
If you care who our judges are, you need to care who your Governor's Councillor is. The Governor's Council confirms judges, Parole Board members, and commutations and pardons. I am running to be the first public defender on the Governor's Council. It's a perspective that is badly needed, and badly overdue. I have been a social justice advocate all my life, attending social work school before graduating from law school. I am the only pro-choice, pro-science progressive in the race, with the most endorsements of any Democratic primary challenger in any race in Massachusetts that anyone can remember. The people you trust, trust me and know I will do the work that needs to be done to stand up for reproductive rights, disability rights, juvenile justice reform, and fight systemic racism in our courts.
In a time when federal courts are taking away our rights, we must make sure our state courts uphold them. Abortion rights, civil rights, environmental rights, workers rights and more are all at stake, and no one will be a stronger defender of our rights than I will.
Substance use disorder and addiction are treated like a crime in our courts. The science is clear that addiction is a recurring disorder of the brain that does not respond to negative consequences. Yet most judges incarcerate people in recovery who relapse. Even though that is not a crime it can be a violation of conditions of release. Science also tells us that incarcerating people for relapse is the most harmful thing we can do, isolating people in recovery from supports they already have in place. People are most likely to overdose after being released from prison. I'll make sure judges understand the science of addiction and know how to work to support recovery.
Racial disparities in Massachusetts courts are below the national average. We must fight systemic racism with every tool that the law allows, and I will make sure all judges are ready, willing, and able to do that.
Upholding equal justice under the law. We must make sure that everyone who appears in our courts leaves knowing they have been treated equally, without regard to their wealth, their race, their religion, their sex, their gender presentation, or anything else.
One of my earliest heroes was Shirley Chisholm. My father took me to see her speak when she was running for President. My father told me that people thought she could never be President because she was a Black woman. I thought that was terrible and asked him if that was true. He said that someday we would have a Black woman President, but that it would take a long time. So I decided that all we had to do was keeping working, and we could make it happen!
The Aeneid. I studied it in college and it changed my life. It taught me that obstacles are a part of life and that I must always persist to overcome them, never becoming discouraged and always believing that with enough work and time, those obstacles can be overcome. I would also recommend the United States Constitution, particularly the Bill of Rights. I deeply believe in them, and that's why my life's work has been to defend people's rights.
Transparency and honesty. Democracy depends upon an informed electorate being able to vote their conscience. Elected officials must be honest and transparent about the work they are doing, and never forget that they are working for their constituents.
My experience as a public defender, because the Governor's Council has never had a public defender and I will bring a perspective that is badly needed and badly overdue. I have a very strong moral compass and stand up for what I believe. I care tremendously about having the best government we can have, and have built a very strong community throughout my district with this campaign. I will continue to build that community and strengthen it, to make sure everyone knows about the work of the Governor's Council.
Vetting and voting on judges, Parole Board members, and commutations and pardons. The Governor's Council is the gateway to the judicial branch of our government, the safeguard against corruption and people placed in positions of extraordinary power who would not reflect the values of the people. It is therefore essential that a Governor's Councillor share those values and safeguard them.
I'd like to leave our justice system more just than I find it, with more effective treatment for substance use disorder, juvenile justice reform, and the end of racial disparity. One of the issues in my race has been simply informing voters about the work of the Governor's Council, because far too many have never even heard of it. Governor's Councillors are the most consequential, least-known elected officials in Massachusetts. I want to put an end to that, so that everyone knows what the Governor's Council does, and how incredibly important it is that we elect the best people to serve.
The moon landing. I was six, and I was very excited and inspired by space exploration. I wrote to NASA to say that I'd like to be an astronaut, and they sent me a form letter saying that girls couldn't be astronauts. I didn't think that was right, and thought less of NASA because of it. But it didn't stop me from being excited about space exploration and I hoped that someday girls would grow up to be astronauts. And they did!
I was a newspaper girl for The Providence Journal. I did it for about a year. I loved seeing the paper first thing in the morning, and delivering it in my neighborhood.
Very hard to pick just one, so I'll go with a collection of essays by Ralph Waldo Emerson. Here's one of my favorite quotes of his. "The wealth of the universe is for me. Everything that is possible is practical for me. I am defeated all the time, yet to victory I am born."
I truly do not know! All great fictional characters have flaws and go through terrible struggles and sometimes tragedy, so I'm not sure I'd want to be any of them.
My sister suffered from an alcohol use disorder, and had long periods of sobriety with extraordinary achievement as an artist and as a mother. Her periods of relapse were extraordinarily painful for everyone who loved her, and there were a lot of us. Not being able to do more was extremely painful, as was knowing that she was suffering. That's why I feel as strongly as I do about making sure that others who suffer from a substance use disorder are treated appropriate by our court system. It isn't just those with addiction who suffer, it is everyone in their communities.
I have no idea why this cracks me up every time, but it does. There were two muffins cooking in the oven, when one of the muffins says, "Wow is it hot in here!" The other muffin turns to them and says, "Whoever heard of a talking muffin?"
I am the most endorsed Democratic primary challenger in any race in Massachusetts that anyone can remember. State Auditor Diana Dizoglio; Congressman Seth Moulton; State Senators Mike Barrett, Will Brownsberger, Jamie Eldridge, Cindy Friedman, and Becca Rausch; House Majority Leader Mike Moran; House Assistant Majority Leader Alice Peisch; State Reps. James Arciero, Simon Cataldo, Michelle Ciccolo, Ken Gordon, Rich Haggerty, John Lawn, Dave Rogers, Daniello Sena, Tom Stanley, and Tommy Vittolo; Harvard Law Professor Larry Tribe; Danielle Allen; Jesse Mermell; Progressive Dems of MA; Progressive Mass; IBEW Local 103, Ironworkers Local 7, State Police Association of MA. For full list, see below.
Transparency is critical to ensuring that the work of the people is being done. We must have full transparency and accountability from all our elected officials.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Note: Dolan submitted the above survey responses to Ballotpedia on July 29, 2024.
Running to be the first public defender on the Governor's Council. If you care who our judges are, you need to care who your Governor's Councillor is. The Governor's Council confirms our judges, Parole Board members, and commutations and pardons. It's time to have a public defender to help us make those decisions.
I am the only pro-choice candidate in the race. My opponent voted to confirm an anti-choice just weeks after Roe v. Wade was overturned. I will never vote to confirm anyone who is not pro-choice.
Far too many judges in Massachusetts send people to jail for relapse, even though relapse is often a part of recovery and it not a crime in itself. The science is clear that incarcerated people for relapse is the most harmful thing that we can do. I'll make sure all nominees understand the science of addiction and work to support recovery..
I have represented hundreds and hundreds of children in our Juvenile Courts. We need to raise the age of Juvenile Court jurisdiction. My opponent denies the science of brain development, and recently called it "just pages in a book". I know the science is real, and that we must not treat children and emerging adults the way we treat those who are fully developed.
The Governor's Council is the gateway to an entire branch of government, the judicial branch. It is extraordinarily consequential, and therefore our Governor's Councillor must have experience working in our courts, have integrity, and be fully responsive to and communicative with the people of the district.
I look up to people who show political courage and moral leadership, President Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Jr., Eleanor Roosevelt, Shirley Chisholm, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Frances Perkins, and Ann Richards.
Vetting and voting on nominations to the judiciary, the Parole Board, and commutations and pardons, ensuring that all nominees will uphold equal justice under the law, communicating with constituents about the work being done and responding to their concerns.
The Little House Books, by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I practically had them memorized when I was a child. I loved reading about pioneering, about a loving family that worked together, and all of the author's beautifully written characters and settings.
I have overcome a lot of hardships. I have supported myself since I was 18, and did not even have a high school diploma. I supported myself doing secretarial work, got a G.E.D., went to college, became a mother, went to law school, and started a law practice. I had to work extremely hard to achieve my goals, and my hard work made me very strong and compassionate toward others who struggle.
Understanding how our state government works is essential to the position, and therefore experience in our state government is invaluable. I am a former legislative staffer, having served as Communications Director to the Senate President. Understanding how the three branches of government work is critical.
I have been a public defender for 17 years, working all across Massachusetts in our District, Juvenile, and Superior Courts. Knowledge of our court system is essential to being an effective Governor's Councillor. I have also been a professional communications person, and know how to keep constituents informed and engaged. One of the reasons so few know about the Governor's Council is that the incumbent, who has served for 25 years, has not been an effective communicator and has not informed the people of the district about the work of the Governor's Council.
State Auditor Diana DiZoglio; Congressman Seth Moulton; State Senators Mike Barrett, Will Brownsberger, Jamie Eldridge, Cindy Friedman, and Becca Rausch; House Majority Leader Mike Moran; House Assistant Majority Leader Alice Peisch; State Representatives James Arciero, Simon Cataldo, Michelle Ciccolo, Ken Gordon, Rich Haggerty, John Lawn, Dave Rogers, Daniello Sena, Tom Stanley, and Tommy Vitolo; Harvard Law Professor Larry Tribe; Danielle Allen; IBEW Local 103, Ironworkers Local 7, Merrimack Valley Central Labor Council, Merrimack Valley Building Trades Union, Plumbers and Gasfitters Local Union #12, State Police Association of Massachusetts, United Brotherhood of Carpenters & Joiners of America Local 2168, too many to list them all!
State ballot initiatives must be clear and understandable.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Note: Dolan submitted the above survey responses to Ballotpedia on June 26, 2024.
Campaign website
Dolan’s campaign website stated the following:
“
I see the court system through the eyes of my clients.
I have been a public defender for 15 years, and deeply love the work and the law. I have worked with children, young and emerging adults, and adults in the District, Superior, and Juvenile Courts. I have stood beside defendants as they faced a judge thousands of times, representing clients in Lawrence, Springfield, and Worcester. Though Massachusetts has many exceptionally gifted and capable judges, we also have some critical areas where the judiciary needs improvement. As Senator Mike Barrett said when he endorsed me, "Our judiciary is loaded with prosecutors. Mara has the values and experience needed to get us closer to balance."
The Governor’s Council has never had a public defender to help us decide who our judges are going to be, who sits on our Parole Board, and who receives commutations and pardons. We need to make that right, and we can do that this year.
From my own professional experience, I have seen that we must have judges who respect the science around addiction, as far too many who need recovery are taken into custody following relapse. It's expensive, it doesn't work, and often it makes recovery even harder. Additionally, we must have judges who respect the science around brain development in children and emerging adults, so that we don't treat a 13-year-old the way we would treat a 35-year-old.
Everyone who leaves court should feel that they have been treated fairly, with equal justice under the law. Judges must treat the people who appear before them with respect, model healthy conflict resolution, and be exceptional examples of our government.
As a public defender, I see the court system through the eyes of my clients. They can either leave court better positioned to make their lives the way they want them to be, or face an even higher hill to climb. As Governor’s Councilor, I will make sure that every nominee who appears before me shows that they have the character, experience, values, and courage to uphold the law and treat everyone who appears before them equally. [5]
Mara Dolan completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Dolan's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
I am a public defender running for Governor's Council, which decides who our judges are going to be, our Parole Board members, and who receives a commutation or a pardon. We must have a Governor's Councilor who understands the issues facing our courts, from how our record high opiate overdose rate is impacted by decisions by judges and Parole Board members who do not understand the science of addiction and how to support recovery. I will make certain that all nominees are 100% pro choice before voting yes, as 1 in 4 minors in Massachusetts who seeks an abortion goes before a Superior Court judge for authorization. I will be certain that all Parole Board nominees support commutations and pardons where appropriate, as only two have been issued in recent years out of hundreds of applications. As a public defender, I see our court system through the eyes of my clients. We have the power to make sure people leaving court or prison are in a position to make their lives better, they way they want them to be, or with a steeper hill to climb. The Governor's Council is the most consequential, least known elected body in Massachusetts. It's time to change that, and elect the first public defender to the Governor's Council.
Addiction and recovery, reproductive rights, respect for science, climate change, workers rights, children, upholding the Constitution, and respect for the rule of law.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
2012
Dolan supports a single payer healthcare system, and favors including dental coverage within the realm of health insurance. She is pro-union, favors increasing in public transit access, and opposes fare increases.[7]
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.
Mara Dolan campaign contribution history
Year
Office
Status
Contributions
Expenditures
2022
Massachusetts Governor's Council District 3
Lost primary
$110,187
$0
Grand total
$110,187
$0
Sources: OpenSecrets, Federal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
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Mike Barrett 
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.
