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Massachusetts elections, 2016
Welcome to the Massachusetts elections portal for 2016. Scroll down for information about what was on the ballot, election dates, voting, and more. Massachusetts saw elections for the offices listed below in 2016. Click the links to navigate to Ballotpedia's overview pages for each of these elections, where you will find background, candidate lists, dates, analysis, and more.
Election results
As a result of the 2016 election, the state government of Massachusetts remained under divided partisan control. The governorship remained in Republican hands, while Democrats maintained control of the state Senate with 34 seats to Republicans' six seats. Democrats maintained control of the state House with 125 seats to Republicans' 35 seats.
The Republican Legislative Campaign Committee (RLCC) identified the Massachusetts State Senate and House of Representatives as targets in the 2016 elections.
In 2016, Massachusetts had two U.S. Senate seats and nine U.S. House seats, all of which were held by Democrats. All of the U.S. House seats were up for election in November 2016, with Democrats retaining control of the state's entire congressional delegation as a result.
In 2016, Massachusetts was one of 26 states, as well as Washington, D.C., that offered initiative and/or veto referendum rights for its citizens. Four statewide ballot measures were certified for the ballot in 2016, two of which were approved by voters.
Hillary Clinton won Massachusetts' 11 electoral votes in the 2016 general election for president. Barack Obama carried Massachusetts in both the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections. See also: Presidential election in Massachusetts, 2016.
Voting
| Dates | |
|---|---|
| Presidential primary dates | |
| Massachusetts election dates | |
| 3/1/2016 | Presidential primary |
| 9/8/2016 | State primary |
| 11/8/2016 | General election (nationwide) |
| Ballot access dates | |
| 5/3/2016 | Last day for party and non-party candidates for district and county offices to submit nomination papers to registrars of voters for signature certification |
| 5/10/2016 | Last day for party candidates for federal and statewide offices to submit nomination papers to registrars of voters for signature certification |
| 5/31/2016 | Last day for party and non-party candidates for district and county offices to file nomination papers with the secretary of the commonwealth |
| 6/7/2016 | Last day for party candidates for federal and statewide offices to file nomination papers with the secretary of the commonwealth |
| 8/2/2016 | Last day for non-party candidates for federal and statewide offices to submit nomination papers to registrars of voters for signature certification |
| 8/30/2016 | Last day for non-party candidates for federal and statewide offices to file nomination papers with the secretary of the commonwealth |
Find answers to common questions about voting in Massachusetts below.
- How do I register to vote?
- Is there an early voting period?
- Who is eligible for absentee voting?
- What are the voter ID laws in Massachusetts?
- What time were the polls open?
General information about voting or getting on the ballot is provided at the following links.
Official elections page: Massachusetts Elections Division
Primary election
See Primary elections in Massachusetts.
Elections to watch
What makes an election notable?
History
Presidential Voting Pattern
The percentages below show Massachusetts voter preference in general election presidential races from 2000 to 2012.[1]
For more information, see: Presidential voting trends in Massachusetts.
Massachusetts vote percentages
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U.S. vote percentages
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See also
Footnotes
Ballotpedia uses these criteria to identify notable elections:
- Incumbents facing more conservative or liberal challengers
- Rematches between candidates
- Elections that receive considerable media attention
- Elections that could significantly affect the state's partisan balance
- Noteworthy elections involving party leaders
- Open, competitive elections with Republican and Democratic primaries
- Elections that capture money and attention from outside groups, including key endorsements
