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Massachusetts Governor's Council

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Massachusetts Governor's Council

Seal of Massachusetts.png

General information
Office Type:  Partisan
Office website:  Official Link
Compensation:  $36,025
2025 FY Budget:  $6,673,602
Total Seats:  8
Term limits:  None
Structure
Length of term:   2 years
Authority:  Massachusetts Constitution, Chapter 2, Section III, Article I
Selection Method:  Elected
Current Officeholder(s)
Tamisha Civil, Paul DePalo, Mara Dolan, Kim Driscoll, Joseph Ferreira, Christopher Iannella, Tara Jacobs, Terrence Kennedy, Eunice Zeigler
Elections
Next election:  2026
Last election:  2024
Other Massachusetts Executive Offices
GovernorLieutenant GovernorSecretary of StateAttorney GeneralTreasurerAuditorSecretary of EducationAgriculture CommissionerInsurance CommissionerSecretary of Energy and Environmental AffairsSecretary of Labor and Workforce DevelopmentPublic Utilities Commission


The Massachusetts Governor's Council is a state executive advisory board in the Massachusetts state government consisting of eight elected members. The lieutenant governor serves as an ex officio member of the council. The council records advice and consent regarding gubernatorial appointments, warrants for the state treasury, and pardons and commutations.[1]

Current officeholders

The Massachusetts Governor's Council is made up of eight members, elected every two years by districts, and the Massachusetts lieutenant governor.[1]


Authority

The creation and existence of the Massachusetts Governor's Council is designated in the Massachusetts Constitution.[2]

Massachusetts Constitution, Chapter 2, Section III, Article I

There shall be a council for advising the governor in the executive part of government, to consist of [nine] persons besides the lieutenant governor, whom the governor, for the time being, shall have full power and authority, from time to time, at his discretion, to assemble and call together. And the governor, with the said councillors, or five of them at least, shall and may, from time to time, hold and keep a council, for the ordering and directing the affairs of the commonwealth, according to the laws of the land.

Qualifications

Qualifications of members of the Massachusetts Governor's Council are detailed within the Massachusetts Constitution, Articles of Amendment, Article XVI.[2]

Members of the Massachusetts Governor's Council must have been a resident of Massachusetts for five years at the time of election.[3]

Elections

Members of the Massachusetts Governor's Council are elected by district every two years.

Election results

Vacancies

Under Article XXV of the Massachusetts Constitution, vacancies on the Massachusetts Governor's Council are filled by legislative appointments when the state legislature is in session. At other times, vacancies are filled by gubernatorial appointments.[2]

In case of a vacancy in the council, from a failure of election or other cause, the senate and house of representatives shall, by concurrent vote, choose some eligible person from the people of the district wherein such vacancy occurs, to fill that office. If such vacancy shall happen when the legislature is not in session, the governor, with the advice and consent of the council, may fill the same by appointment of some eligible person.

Duties

The Massachusetts Governor's Council records advice and consent regarding gubernatorial appointments, warrants for the state treasury, and pardons and commutations.[1]

State budget

See also: Massachusetts state budget and finances

The budget for the offices of governor, lieutenant governor, and the governor's council for the 2025 fiscal year was $6,673,602.[4]

Compensation

See also: Compensation of state executive officers

2023

In 2023, each council member received a salary of $36,025, according to the Massachusetts comptroller's state employee salary database.[5]

2022

In 2022, each council member received a salary of $36,025, according to the Massachusetts comptroller's state employee salary database.[6]

2021

In 2021, each council member received a salary of $36,025, according to the Massachusetts comptroller's state employee salary database.[7]

2020

In 2020, each council member received a salary of $36,025, according to the Massachusetts comptroller's state employee salary database.[8]

2019

In 2019, each council member received a salary of $36,025, according to the Massachusetts comptroller's state employee salary database.[9]

2018

In 2018, each council member received a salary of $36,025, according to the Massachusetts comptroller's state employee salary database.[10]

2017

In 2017, each council member received a salary of $36,025, according to the Massachusetts comptroller's state employee salary database.[11]

2016

In 2016, each council member received a salary of $36,025, according to the Massachusetts comptroller's state employee salary database.[12]

2015

In 2015, each council member received a salary of $31,025, according to the Massachusetts comptroller's state employee salary database.[13]

2014

In 2014, each council member received a salary of $26,025, according to the Massachusetts comptroller's state employee salary database.[14]

2013

In 2013, each council member was paid an estimated $26,025, according to the Massachusetts comptroller's state employee salary database.[15]

2012

In 2012, each council member was paid an estimated $26,025, according to the Massachusetts comptroller's state employee salary database.[16]

Historical officeholders

Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches state official websites for chronological lists of historical officeholders; information for the Massachusetts Governor's Council has not yet been added because the information was unavailable on the relevant state official websites, or we are currently in the process of formatting the list for this office. If you have any additional information about this office for inclusion on this section and/or page, please email us.

State profile

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.

Presidential voting pattern

See also: Presidential voting trends in Massachusetts

Massachusetts voted for the Democratic candidate in all seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.


More Massachusetts coverage on Ballotpedia

Recent news

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

Contact info

Address:
Massachusetts State House
Office of the Governor
Council Chamber, Room 360
Boston, MA 02133

Phone: 617-725-4016

See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Mass.gov, "Governor's Council," accessed January 21, 2021
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, "Massachusetts Constitution," accessed January 21, 2021
  3. Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, "How to Run for Office in Massachusetts," accessed January 21, 2021
  4. Commonwealth of Massachusetts, "FY 2025 Enacted," accessed January 21, 2025
  5. Massachusetts Comptroller of the Commonwealth, "CTHRY Payroll Home," accessed January 21, 2025
  6. Massachusetts Comptroller of the Commonwealth, "CTHRY Payroll Home," accessed October 27, 2023
  7. Massachusetts Comptroller of the Commonwealth, "CTHRY Payroll Home," accessed September 26, 2022
  8. Massachusetts Comptroller of the Commonwealth, "CTHRY Payroll Home," accessed January 21, 2021
  9. Massachusetts Comptroller of the Commonwealth, "CTHRY Payroll Home," accessed January 21, 2021
  10. Massachusetts Comptroller of the Commonwealth, "CTHRY Payroll Home," accessed January 21, 2021
  11. Massachusetts Comptroller of the Commonwealth, "CTHRY Payroll Home," accessed January 21, 2021
  12. MassLive.com, "Massachusetts state employee salary database 2016," February 18, 2016
  13. Massachusetts Comptroller of the Commonwealth, "CTHRY Payroll Home," accessed January 21, 2021
  14. Massachusetts Comptroller of the Commonwealth, "CTHRY Payroll Home," accessed March 1, 2017
  15. Massachusetts Comptroller of the Commonwealth, "CTHRY Payroll Home," accessed March 1, 2017
  16. Massachusetts Comptroller of the Commonwealth, "CTHRY Payroll Home," accessed March 1, 2017