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Massachusetts gubernatorial election, 2018 (September 4 Republican primary)

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Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts
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Democratic primary
Republican primary
General election
Election details
Filing deadline: June 5, 2018
Primary: September 4, 2018
General: November 6, 2018
Pre-election incumbent(s):
Gov. Charlie Baker (Republican)
Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito (Republican)
How to vote
Poll times: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Voting in Massachusetts
Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Solid Republican
Sabato's Crystal Ball: Safe Republican
Inside Elections: Solid Republican
Ballotpedia analysis
Federal and state primary competitiveness
State executive elections in 2018
Impact of term limits in 2018
State government trifectas
State government triplexes
Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2018
Massachusetts
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A Republican Party primary election took place on September 4, 2018 in Massachusetts to determine which candidate would earn the right to run as the party's nominee in the state's November 6, 2018, gubernatorial election.

For more information about gubernatorial elections in 2018, click here.

SETTING THE STAGE
  • Heading into the 2018 election, the governor of Massachusetts was Charles D. Baker (R), who was first elected in 2014. On November 28, 2017, Baker announced that he would seek re-election in 2018.
  • In 2018, Massachusetts was under divided government. It had held this status since Baker took office in 2015. Massachusetts was also under divided triplex control.
  • The Democratic candidate won Massachusetts in each presidential election between 2000 and 2016. The widest margin of victory was Al Gore's 27 percent margin in 2000 while the narrowest was Barack Obama's 23 percent margin in 2012.

    • Massachusetts was one of 36 states that held an election for governor in 2018. Democrats gained seven previously Republican-held seats, and Republicans gained one previously independent-held seat. Heading into the 2018 elections, there were 16 Democratic governors, 33 Republican governors, and one independent governor. In 2018, 26 of the 33 states with a Republican governor held a gubernatorial election, while nine out of the 16 states with a Democratic governor held a gubernatorial election. Seventeen of the 36 seats up for election were open seats (four Democratic, 12 Republican, and one independent), meaning that the sitting governor was not seeking re-election. Click here for more information on other 2018 gubernatorial elections.

    Candidates and election results

    See also: Statistics on gubernatorial candidates, 2018

    Incumbent Charles D. Baker defeated Scott Lively in the Republican primary for Governor of Massachusetts on September 4, 2018.

    Republican primary election

    Republican primary for Governor of Massachusetts

    Candidate
    %
    Votes
    ✔
    Image of Charles D. Baker
    		Charles D. Baker
     
    63.9
     
    		174,126
    Image of Scott Lively
    		Scott Lively
     
    36.1
     
    		98,421

    Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

    		Total votes: 272,547
    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.

    Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

    Context of the 2018 election

    Past elections

    2014

    See also: Massachusetts gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2014

    In the 2014 Republican primary election, Charles D. Baker defeated Mark Fisher by a 48.4 percent margin.[1]

    Governor of Massachusetts, Republican Primary, 2014
    Candidate Vote % Votes
    Green check mark transparent.pngCharles D. Baker 74.1% 116,004
    Mark Fisher 25.7% 40,240
    Write-in votes 0.2% 336
    Total Votes 156,580
    Election results via Massachusetts Secretary of State.

    Voter information

    How the primary works

    A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Massachusetts utilizes a semi-closed primary system. An unaffiliated voter is allowed to vote in the primary election of his or her choice.[2][3]

    For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

    Poll times

    In Massachusetts, most polling places are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. However, municipalities may open their polls as early as 5:45 a.m. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.[4]

    Registration requirements

    Check your voter registration status here.

    To vote in Massachusetts, one must be a United States citizen, a resident of Massachusetts, and at least 18 years old on or before Election Day.[5]

    The deadline for registration is 10 days prior to the election. A voter can register online, by mail, or in person at any registration office or the Registry of Motor Vehicles. A form of identification is required to register. The following are acceptable forms of identification:[5]

    • Valid driver's license
    • State-issued identification card
    • Current utility bill
    • Bank statement
    • Paystub
    • Government-issued check
    • Any other government document displaying the voter's name and address

    Automatic registration

    Massachusetts automatically registers eligible individuals to vote through the Department of Motor Vehicles, division of medical assistance, health insurance connector authority, and other agencies that collect what state law defines as reliable citizenship information.[6]

    Online registration

    See also: Online voter registration

    Massachusetts has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.[7]

    Same-day registration

    Massachusetts does not allow same-day voter registration.[7]

    Residency requirements

    To register to vote in Massachusetts, you must be a resident of the state. State law does not specify a length of time for which you must have been a resident to be eligible.[5]

    Verification of citizenship

    See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

    Massachusetts does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual must attest that they are a U.S. citizen when registering to vote. According to the state's voter registration application, the penalty for an illegal registration is a "fine of not more than $10,000 or imprisonment for not more than five years or both."[8]

    All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment.[9] Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.

    Verifying your registration

    The Elections and Voting page, run by the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth office, allows residents to check their voter registration status online.


    Voter ID requirements

    Massachusetts does not require voters to present identification (ID) while voting, in most cases.[10]

    However, voters will be asked to show ID in the following circumstances:

    “
    • You are voting for the first time in Massachusetts in a federal election;
    • You are an inactive voter;
    • You are casting a provisional or challenged ballot;
    • The poll worker has a reasonable suspicion that leads them to request identification.[10][11]
    		 ”

    The following list of accepted ID was current as of August 2024:

    • A driver's license
    • A state ID card
    • A recent utility bill
    • A rent receipt or lease.
    • A copy of a voter registration affidavit
    • A letter from a school dormitory or housing office
    • Any other printed identification which contains your name and address

    Click here for the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' page on accepted ID to ensure you have the most current information.

    “ Acceptable identification must include your name and the address at which you are registered to vote. Examples of acceptable identification include: a driver's license, state-issued ID card, recent utility bill, rent receipt, lease, a copy of a voter registration affidavit, or any other printed identification which contains the voter's name and address.[11] ”

    Early voting

    Massachusetts permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.

    Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.

    Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia permit no-excuse early voting.

    Absentee voting

    Any eligible voter has the option to vote by absentee/mail-in ballot in all elections.[12]


    State overview

    Partisan control

    This section details the partisan control of federal and state positions in Massachusetts heading into the 2018 elections.

    Congressional delegation

    State executives

    State legislature

    • Democrats controlled both chambers of the Massachusetts General Court. They had a 117-34 majority in the state House and a 31-7 majority in the state Senate.

    Trifecta status

    • Massachusetts was under divided government, meaning that the two parties shared control of the state government. Charlie Baker (R) served as governor, while Democrats controlled the state legislature.

    2018 elections

    See also: Massachusetts elections, 2018

    Massachusetts held elections for the following positions in 2018:

    Demographics

    Demographic data for Massachusetts
     MassachusettsU.S.
    Total population:6,784,240316,515,021
    Land area (sq mi):7,8003,531,905
    Race and ethnicity**
    White:79.6%73.6%
    Black/African American:7.1%12.6%
    Asian:6%5.1%
    Native American:0.2%0.8%
    Pacific Islander:0%0.2%
    Two or more:2.9%3%
    Hispanic/Latino:10.6%17.1%
    Education
    High school graduation rate:89.8%86.7%
    College graduation rate:40.5%29.8%
    Income
    Median household income:$68,563$53,889
    Persons below poverty level:13.1%11.3%
    Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015)
    Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Massachusetts.
    **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

    As of July 2016, Massachusetts' three largest cities were Boston (pop. est. 685,000), Worcester (pop. est. 186,000), and Springfield (pop. est. 155,000).[13]

    State election history

    This section provides an overview of federal and state elections in Massachusetts from 2000 to 2016. All data comes from the Massachusetts Secretary of State.

    Historical elections

    Presidential elections, 2000-2016

    This chart shows the results of the presidential election in Massachusetts every year from 2000 to 2016.

    Election results (President of the United States), Massachusetts 2000-2016
    Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
    2016 Democratic Party Hillary Clinton 60.0% Republican Party Donald Trump 32.8% 27.2%
    2012 Democratic Party Barack Obama 60.7% Republican Party Mitt Romney 37.5% 23.2%
    2008 Democratic Party Barack Obama 61.8% Republican Party John McCain 36.0% 25.8%
    2004 Democratic Party John Kerry 61.9% Republican Party George W. Bush 36.8% 25.1%
    2000 Democratic Party Al Gore 59.8% Republican Party George W. Bush 32.5% 27.3%

    U.S. Senate elections, 2000-2016

    This chart shows the results of U.S. Senate races in Massachusetts from 2000 to 2016. Every state has two Senate seats, and each seat goes up for election every six years. The terms of the seats are staggered so that roughly one-third of the seats are up every two years.

    Election results (U.S. Senator), Massachusetts 2000-2016
    Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
    2014 Democratic Party Ed Markey 61.9% Republican Party Brian Herr 38.0% 23.9%
    2013[14] Democratic Party Ed Markey 57.3% Republican Party Gabriel Gomez 44.6% 12.7%
    2012 Democratic Party Elizabeth Warren 53.7% Republican Party Scott Brown 46.2% 7.5%
    2010[14] Republican Party Scott Brown 51.9% Democratic Party Martha Coakley 47.1% 4.8%
    2008 Democratic Party John Kerry 65.9% Republican Party Jeffrey Beatty 30.9% 35.0%
    2006 Democratic Party Ted Kennedy 69.3% Republican Party Kenneth Chase 30.5% 38.8%
    2002 Democratic Party John Kerry Unopposed -- -- Unopposed
    2000 Democratic Party Ted Kennedy 72.7% Republican Party Jack E. Robinson III 12.9% 59.8%

    Gubernatorial elections, 2000-2016

    This chart shows the results of the four gubernatorial elections held between 2000 and 2016. Gubernatorial elections are held every four years in Massachusetts.

    Election results (Governor), Massachusetts 2000-2016
    Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
    2014 Republican Party Charlie Baker 48.4% Democratic Party Martha Coakley 46.5% 1.9%
    2010 Democratic Party Deval Patrick 48.4% Republican Party Charlie Baker 42.0% 6.4%
    2006 Democratic Party Deval Patrick 55.6% Republican Party Kerry Healey 35.3% 20.3%
    2002 Republican Party Mitt Romney 49.8% Democratic Party Shannon P. O'Brien 44.9% 4.9%

    Congressional delegation, 2000-2016

    This chart shows the number of Democrats and Republicans who were elected to represent Massachusetts in the U.S. House from 2000 to 2016. Elections for U.S. House seats are held every two years.

    Congressional delegation, Massachusetts 2000-2016
    Year Republicans Republicans (%) Democrats Democrats (%) Balance of power
    2016 Republican Party 0 0% Democratic Party 9 100% D+9
    2014 Republican Party 0 0% Democratic Party 9 100% D+9
    2012 Republican Party 0 0% Democratic Party 9 100% D+9
    2010 Republican Party 0 0% Democratic Party 10 100% D+10
    2008 Republican Party 0 0% Democratic Party 10 100% D+10
    2006 Republican Party 0 0% Democratic Party 10 100% D+10
    2004 Republican Party 0 0% Democratic Party 10 100% D+10
    2002 Republican Party 0 0% Democratic Party 10 100% D+10
    2000 Republican Party 0 0% Democratic Party 10 100% D+10

    Trifectas, 1992-2017

    A state government trifecta occurs when one party controls both chambers of the state legislature and the governor's office.

    Massachusetts Party Control: 1992-2024
    Ten years of Democratic trifectas  •  No Republican trifectas
    Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

    Year 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
    Governor R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R D D D D D D D D R R R R R R R R D D
    Senate D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D
    House D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D


    Pivot Counties

    See also: Pivot Counties by state

    There are no Pivot Counties in Massachusetts. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.

    In the 2016 presidential election, Hillary Clinton (D) won Massachusetts with 60 percent of the vote. Donald Trump (R) received 32.8 percent. In presidential elections between 1789 and 2016, Massachusetts voted Republican 36.2 percent of the time and Democratic 34.4 percent of the time. In the five presidential elections between 2000 and 2016, Massachusetts voted Democratic all five times.[15]

    Presidential results by legislative district

    The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in Massachusetts. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[16][17]

    In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 135 out of 160 state House districts in Massachusetts with an average margin of victory of 31.6 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 141 out of 160 state House districts in Massachusetts with an average margin of victory of 34.1 points. Clinton won 21 districts controlled by Republicans heading into the 2018 elections.
    In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 25 out of 160 state House districts in Massachusetts with an average margin of victory of 4.1 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 19 out of 160 state House districts in Massachusetts with an average margin of victory of 5.5 points. Trump won five districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections.

    Recent news

    The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Massachusetts governor Republican primary 2018. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

    Massachusetts gubernatorial election, 2018 (September 4 Republican primary) - Google News

    See also

    Massachusetts government:

    Elections:

    Ballotpedia exclusives:

    External links

    Footnotes

    1. ↑ Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, "2014 Primary Results," accessed September 19, 2017
    2. ↑ NCSL, "State Primary Election Types," accessed October 3, 2024
    3. ↑ Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, "How to Vote in a Primary," accessed October 3, 2024
    4. ↑ Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, "The Voting Process," accessed April 13, 2023
    5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, "Voter Registration Information," accessed April 13, 2023
    6. ↑ Governing, “Automatic Voter Registration Gains Bipartisan Momentum,” accessed April 13, 2023
    7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 NCSL, "State Profiles: Elections," accessed August 26, 2024
    8. ↑ Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, "Massachusetts Official Mail-in Voter Registration Form," accessed November 1, 2024
    9. ↑ Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
    10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, "Identification Requirements," accessed April 13, 2023
    11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
    12. ↑ Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, "Voting by Mail," accessed July 18, 2022
    13. ↑ Massachusetts Demographics, "Massachusetts Cities by Population," accessed September 5, 2018
    14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Special election
    15. ↑ 270towin.com, "Massachusetts," accessed June 29, 2017
    16. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
    17. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
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