 | This article needs to beupdated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(November 2010) |
 | ||||
| ||||
Part of the 2008 United States elections | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
TheMassachusetts general election, 2008 were held on November 4, 2008 throughoutMassachusetts. Among the elections which took place were those for the office ofPresident of the United States,John Kerry's seat in theSenate, all ten seats in the Massachusetts delegation to theHouse of Representatives, all eight seats in theMassachusetts Governor's Council, and all of the seats of theMassachusetts Senate andMassachusetts House of Representatives. There were also three ballot questions: to eliminate the commonwealth'sincome tax; todecriminalize possession of a small amount ofmarijuana; and to prohibitgreyhound racing. Numerous local elections also took place throughout the state.
U.S. SenatorJohn Kerry (D) defeated Democratic challengerEdward O'Reilly in the primary on September 16, 2008. He defeated RepublicanJeff Beatty and Libertarian Robert Underwood in the general election. The seat was considered safe forJohn Kerry.[1]
All 10 members of the delegation to theUnited States House of Representatives in Massachusetts were up for re-election in 2008. All 10 seats were underDemocratic control. Republican candidates contested four of the races. InDistrict 1, Republican Nathan Bech opposed Democratic incumbentJohn Olver. (John Olver defeated a Democratic challenger, Robert Feuer, in the primary on September 16, 2008.) InDistrict 4, Republican Earl Sholley and Unenrolled candidate Susan Allen opposed Democratic incumbentBarney Frank. InDistrict 6, Republican Richard Baker opposed Democratic incumbentJohn Tierney. InDistrict 7, Republican John Cunningham opposed Democratic incumbentEd Markey. Despite these challenges, all ten seats were considered safe for their incumbents.[2]
All 8 current members of theMassachusetts Governor's Council were up for re-election in 2008. The Governor's Council's most important role is to approve the governor's judicial nominees, serving as an important check on the power of the Governor. Because Governor's Council districts are so large, and because the office of Governor's Councillor has very little awareness in the state, it is notoriously difficult to unseat an incumbent.
In 2008, six of the eight incumbent Governor's Councillors defeated a Democratic challenger in the primary on September 16, 2008. One of the eight incumbents, Thomas Merrigan, faced a Republican challenger, Michael Franco, in the general election. One of the seats was uncontested.
All 40 seats in theMassachusetts Senate were up for election in 2008. TheMassachusetts Democratic Party maintained asupermajority of 35 seats, with the remaining 5 seats under the control of theMassachusetts Republican Party.
All 160 seats in theMassachusetts House of Representatives were up for election in 2008. TheMassachusetts Democratic Party maintained asupermajority of 144, with the remaining 16 seats under the control of theMassachusetts Republican Party.
Each ofMassachusetts' fourteen counties elected a Register ofProbate, who will administer the county's family and probate court. Races inBarnstable County,Bristol County,Hampden County, andNantucket County are expected to feature more than one candidate in the general election.
Bristol County,Duke's County,Norfolk County andPlymouth County each elected a County Treasurer in the 2008 Massachusetts general election. Only the race inPlymouth County featured more than one candidate for the position.
Barnstable County,Bristol County,Duke's County,Norfolk County andPlymouth County will each elect one or two County Commissioners in the 2008 Massachusetts general election. Every race will feature more than one candidate for the position.
| Number | Initiative Title | Subject | Description | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Question 1 | Massachusetts State Income Tax Repeal | Taxes | Would repeal state income tax | Defeated |
| Question 2 | Massachusetts Sensible Marijuana Policy Initiative | Marijuana policy | Decriminalizes small amounts of marijuana | Passed[3][4] |
| Question 3 | Massachusetts Greyhound Protection Act | Animal rights | Aims to prohibit (professional) dog racing | Passed |
Source:[5]
