Familypedi… Editing (section) Massachusetts 0 You are not logged in. The rich text editor does not work with JavaScript switched off. Please either enable it in your browser options, or visit your preferences to switch to the old MediaWiki editor <h2>Government and politics</h2> <p data-rte-fromparser="true"><img data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22image%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BFile%3AMass%20statehouse%20eb1.jpg%7Cthumb%7C250px%7C%5B%5BMassachusetts%20State%20House%5D%5D%20facing%20%5B%5BBoston%20Common%5D%5D.%5D%5D%22%2C%22title%22%3A%22Mass_statehouse_eb1.jpg%22%2C%22params%22%3A%7B%22alt%22%3A%22Mass%20statehouse%20eb1%22%2C%22thumbnail%22%3Atrue%2C%22caption%22%3A%22%5B%5BMassachusetts%20State%20House%5D%5D%20facing%20%5B%5BBoston%20Common%5D%5D.%22%2C%22width%22%3A250%2C%22captionParsed%22%3A%22%3Ca%20_rte_dataidx%3D%5C%220032%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22new%5C%22%20title%3D%5C%22Massachusetts%20State%20House%20%28page%20does%20not%20exist%29%5C%22%20rel%3D%5C%22nofollow%5C%22%20data-uncrawlable-url%3D%5C%22L3dpa2kvTWFzc2FjaHVzZXR0c19TdGF0ZV9Ib3VzZT9hY3Rpb249ZWRpdCZyZWRsaW5rPTE%3D%5C%22%3EMassachusetts%20State%20House%3C%5C%2Fa%3E%20facing%20%3Ca%20_rte_dataidx%3D%5C%220033%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22new%5C%22%20title%3D%5C%22Boston%20Common%20%28page%20does%20not%20exist%29%5C%22%20rel%3D%5C%22nofollow%5C%22%20data-uncrawlable-url%3D%5C%22L3dpa2kvQm9zdG9uX0NvbW1vbj9hY3Rpb249ZWRpdCZyZWRsaW5rPTE%3D%5C%22%3EBoston%20Common%3C%5C%2Fa%3E.%22%7D%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" alt="" src="https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/genealogy/images/4/43/Mass_statehouse_eb1.jpg/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/250?cb=20071116013629" width="250" height="192" class="image thumb withCaption" data-image-name="Mass statehouse eb1.jpg" data-image-key="Mass_statehouse_eb1.jpg" type="image" /> <!-- RTE::{"spaces":0,"type":"LINE_BREAK"} -->The government of Massachusetts is divided into three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. Massachusetts has a long political history; earlier political structures included the <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Mayflower%20Compact%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Mayflower%20Compact%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BMayflower%20Compact%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" href="/wiki/Mayflower_Compact" title="Mayflower Compact">Mayflower Compact</a> of 1620, the separate <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Massachusetts%20Bay%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Massachusetts%20Bay%20Colony%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BMassachusetts%20Bay%20Colony%7CMassachusetts%20Bay%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" href="/wiki/Massachusetts_Bay_Colony" title="Massachusetts Bay Colony">Massachusetts Bay</a> and <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Plymouth%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Plymouth%20Colony%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BPlymouth%20Colony%7CPlymouth%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" href="/wiki/Plymouth_Colony" title="Plymouth Colony">Plymouth</a> colonies, and the combined colonial <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Province%20of%20Massachusetts%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Province%20of%20Massachusetts%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BProvince%20of%20Massachusetts%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="Province of Massachusetts (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvUHJvdmluY2Vfb2ZfTWFzc2FjaHVzZXR0cz9hY3Rpb249ZWRpdCZyZWRsaW5rPTE=">Province of Massachusetts</a>. The <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Massachusetts%20Constitution%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Massachusetts%20Constitution%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BMassachusetts%20Constitution%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="Massachusetts Constitution (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvTWFzc2FjaHVzZXR0c19Db25zdGl0dXRpb24/YWN0aW9uPWVkaXQmcmVkbGluaz0x">Massachusetts Constitution</a> was ratified in 1780 while the <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Revolutionary%20War%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Revolutionary%20War%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BRevolutionary%20War%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="Revolutionary War (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvUmV2b2x1dGlvbmFyeV9XYXI/YWN0aW9uPWVkaXQmcmVkbGluaz0x">Revolutionary War</a> was in progress, four years after the <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Articles%20of%20Confederation%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Articles%20of%20Confederation%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BArticles%20of%20Confederation%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="Articles of Confederation (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvQXJ0aWNsZXNfb2ZfQ29uZmVkZXJhdGlvbj9hY3Rpb249ZWRpdCZyZWRsaW5rPTE=">Articles of Confederation</a> was drafted, and eight years before the present <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22United%20States%20Constitution%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22United%20States%20Constitution%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BUnited%20States%20Constitution%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="United States Constitution (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvVW5pdGVkX1N0YXRlc19Db25zdGl0dXRpb24/YWN0aW9uPWVkaXQmcmVkbGluaz0x">United States Constitution</a> was ratified on June 21, 1788. Drafted by <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22John%20Adams%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22John%20Adams%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BJohn%20Adams%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" href="/wiki/John_Adams" title="John Adams" class="mw-redirect">John Adams</a>, Massachusetts's constitution is one of the oldest functioning written constitutions in continuous effect in the world.<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cref%20name%3D%5C%22sjc-massgov%5C%22%3E%7B%7Bcite%20web%7Curl%3Dhttp%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fwww.mass.gov%5C%2Fcourts%5C%2Fsjc%5C%2Fjohn-adams-b.html%7Ctitle%3DJohn%20Adams%20and%20the%20Massachusetts%20Constitution%7Cyear%3D2007%7Cpublisher%3DMassachusetts%20Judicial%20Branch%2C%20mass.gov%7Caccessdate%3DJuly%2018%2C%202009%7D%7D%3C%5C%2Fref%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22ref%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false"><sup data-rte-washtml="1" id="cite_ref-sjc-massgov_0-0" class="reference" data-rte-attribs=" id=cite_ref-sjc-massgov_0-0 class=reference"><a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255B%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-00000001-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E1%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255D%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-00000002-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22%23cite_note-sjc-massgov-0%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5B%23cite_note-sjc-massgov-0%7C%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22116%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E1%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22117%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" href="#cite_note-sjc-massgov-0"><span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">[​</span>1<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">]​</span></a></sup>​</span> </p><p data-rte-fromparser="true" data-rte-empty-lines-before="1">In recent decades, Massachusetts politics have been generally dominated by the <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Democratic%20Party%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22United%20States%20Democratic%20Party%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BUnited%20States%20Democratic%20Party%7CDemocratic%20Party%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="United States Democratic Party (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvVW5pdGVkX1N0YXRlc19EZW1vY3JhdGljX1BhcnR5P2FjdGlvbj1lZGl0JnJlZGxpbms9MQ==">Democratic Party</a>, and the state has a reputation for being one of the most <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22liberal%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Modern%20liberalism%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BModern%20liberalism%7Cliberal%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="Modern liberalism (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvTW9kZXJuX2xpYmVyYWxpc20/YWN0aW9uPWVkaXQmcmVkbGluaz0x">liberal</a> in the country. In 1974, <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Elaine%20Noble%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Elaine%20Noble%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BElaine%20Noble%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="Elaine Noble (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvRWxhaW5lX05vYmxlP2FjdGlvbj1lZGl0JnJlZGxpbms9MQ==">Elaine Noble</a> became <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22the%20first%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22List%20of%20the%20first%20LGBT%20holders%20of%20political%20offices%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BList%20of%20the%20first%20LGBT%20holders%20of%20political%20offices%7Cthe%20first%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="List of the first LGBT holders of political offices (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvTGlzdF9vZl90aGVfZmlyc3RfTEdCVF9ob2xkZXJzX29mX3BvbGl0aWNhbF9vZmZpY2VzP2FjdGlvbj1lZGl0JnJlZGxpbms9MQ==">the first</a> openly <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22lesbian%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22lesbian%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5Blesbian%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="Lesbian (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvTGVzYmlhbj9hY3Rpb249ZWRpdCZyZWRsaW5rPTE=">lesbian</a> or <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22gay%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22gay%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5Bgay%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="Gay (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvR2F5P2FjdGlvbj1lZGl0JnJlZGxpbms9MQ==">gay</a> candidate elected to a state legislature in US history.<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cref%20name%3D%5C%22glbtq%5C%22%3E%7B%7Bcite%20web%20%20%20%7C%20last%20%3DGianoulis%5Cn%20%20%7C%20first%20%3DTina%20%20%20%7C%20title%20%3D%20Noble%2C%20Elaine%20%20%20%7C%20publisher%20%3Dglbtq%3A%20An%20Encyclopedia%20of%20Gay%2C%20Lesbian%2C%20Bisexual%2C%20Transgender%2C%20and%20Queer%20Culture%20%20%20%7C%20date%20%3D2005-10-13%5Cn%20%20%7C%20url%20%3Dhttp%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fwww.glbtq.com%5C%2Fsocial-sciences%5C%2Fnoble_e.html%5Cn%20%20%7C%20accessdate%20%3D2007-09-24%20%20%7D%7D%3C%5C%2Fref%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22ref%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false"><sup data-rte-washtml="1" id="cite_ref-glbtq_1-0" class="reference" data-rte-attribs=" id=cite_ref-glbtq_1-0 class=reference"><a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255B%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-00000004-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E2%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255D%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-00000005-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22%23cite_note-glbtq-1%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5B%23cite_note-glbtq-1%7C%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22122%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E2%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22123%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" href="#cite_note-glbtq-1"><span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">[​</span>2<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">]​</span></a></sup>​</span> The state housed the first openly gay member of the <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22United%20States%20House%20of%20Representatives%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22United%20States%20House%20of%20Representatives%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BUnited%20States%20House%20of%20Representatives%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" href="/wiki/United_States_House_of_Representatives" title="United States House of Representatives">United States House of Representatives</a>, <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Gerry%20Studds%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Gerry%20Studds%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BGerry%20Studds%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="Gerry Studds (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvR2VycnlfU3R1ZGRzP2FjdGlvbj1lZGl0JnJlZGxpbms9MQ==">Gerry Studds</a>. </p> <h3 data-rte-empty-lines-before="1">Government</h3> <div class="placeholder placeholder-double-brackets" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22double-brackets%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%7B%7BMain%7CGovernment%20of%20Massachusetts%7D%7D%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%221%22%2C%22title%22%3A%22Main%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%7D" contenteditable="false">​​</div> <p data-rte-fromparser="true">The <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Government%20of%20Massachusetts%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Massachusetts%20government%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BMassachusetts%20government%7CGovernment%20of%20Massachusetts%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="Massachusetts government (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvTWFzc2FjaHVzZXR0c19nb3Zlcm5tZW50P2FjdGlvbj1lZGl0JnJlZGxpbms9MQ==">Government of Massachusetts</a> is divided into three branches: Executive, Legislative, and Judicial. The <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22governor%20of%20Massachusetts%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22governor%20of%20Massachusetts%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5Bgovernor%20of%20Massachusetts%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" href="/wiki/Governor_of_Massachusetts" title="Governor of Massachusetts">governor of Massachusetts</a> heads the executive branch; duties of the governor include signing or vetoing legislation, filling judicial and agency appointments, granting pardons, preparing an annual budget, and commanding the <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Massachusetts%20National%20Guard%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Massachusetts%20National%20Guard%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BMassachusetts%20National%20Guard%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="Massachusetts National Guard (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvTWFzc2FjaHVzZXR0c19OYXRpb25hbF9HdWFyZD9hY3Rpb249ZWRpdCZyZWRsaW5rPTE=">Massachusetts National Guard</a>.<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cref%20name%20%3D%20MassPol1%3E%7B%7Bcite%20web%20%7C%20url%20%3D%20http%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fwww.sec.state.ma.us%5C%2Fcis%5C%2Fcismaf%5C%2Fmf1b.htm%20%7C%20title%20%3D%20Massachusetts%20Facts%3A%20Politics%20%7C%20publisher%20%3D%20Secretary%20of%20the%20Commonwealth%20of%20Massachusetts%20%7C%20accessdate%20%3DJune%201%2C%202010%7D%7D%3C%5C%2Fref%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22ref%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false"><sup data-rte-washtml="1" id="cite_ref-MassPol1_2-0" class="reference" data-rte-attribs=" id=cite_ref-MassPol1_2-0 class=reference"><a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255B%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-00000008-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E3%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255D%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-00000009-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22%23cite_note-MassPol1-2%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5B%23cite_note-MassPol1-2%7C%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22130%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E3%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22131%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" href="#cite_note-MassPol1-2"><span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">[​</span>3<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">]​</span></a></sup>​</span> Massachusetts governors, unlike those of most other states, are addressed as His/Her Excellency.<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cref%20name%3DMassPol1%5C%2F%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22ref%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false"><sup data-rte-washtml="1" id="cite_ref-MassPol1_2-1" class="reference" data-rte-attribs=" id=cite_ref-MassPol1_2-1 class=reference"><a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255B%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-0000000B-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E3%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255D%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-0000000C-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22%23cite_note-MassPol1-2%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5B%23cite_note-MassPol1-2%7C%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22136%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E3%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22137%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" href="#cite_note-MassPol1-2"><span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">[​</span>3<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">]​</span></a></sup>​</span> The current governor is <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Deval%20Patrick%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Deval%20Patrick%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BDeval%20Patrick%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="Deval Patrick (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvRGV2YWxfUGF0cmljaz9hY3Rpb249ZWRpdCZyZWRsaW5rPTE=">Deval Patrick</a>, a Democrat from <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Milton%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Milton%2C%20Massachusetts%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BMilton%2C%20Massachusetts%7CMilton%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" href="/wiki/Milton,_Massachusetts" title="Milton, Massachusetts">Milton</a>. The executive branch also includes the Executive Council, which is made up of eight elected councilors and the <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Lieutenant%20Governor%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Lieutenant%20Governor%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BLieutenant%20Governor%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="Lieutenant Governor (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvTGlldXRlbmFudF9Hb3Zlcm5vcj9hY3Rpb249ZWRpdCZyZWRsaW5rPTE=">Lieutenant Governor</a>.<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cref%20name%3DMassPol1%5C%2F%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22ref%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false"><sup data-rte-washtml="1" id="cite_ref-MassPol1_2-2" class="reference" data-rte-attribs=" id=cite_ref-MassPol1_2-2 class=reference"><a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255B%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-0000000E-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E3%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255D%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-0000000F-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22%23cite_note-MassPol1-2%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5B%23cite_note-MassPol1-2%7C%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22142%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E3%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22143%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" href="#cite_note-MassPol1-2"><span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">[​</span>3<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">]​</span></a></sup>​</span> </p><p data-rte-fromparser="true" data-rte-empty-lines-before="1">Abilities of the Council include confirming gubanatorial appointments and certifying elections.<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cref%20name%3DMassPol1%5C%2F%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22ref%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false"><sup data-rte-washtml="1" id="cite_ref-MassPol1_2-3" class="reference" data-rte-attribs=" id=cite_ref-MassPol1_2-3 class=reference"><a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255B%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-00000011-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E3%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255D%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-00000012-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22%23cite_note-MassPol1-2%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5B%23cite_note-MassPol1-2%7C%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22148%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E3%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22149%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" href="#cite_note-MassPol1-2"><span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">[​</span>3<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">]​</span></a></sup>​</span> The <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Massachusetts%20House%20of%20Representatives%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Massachusetts%20House%20of%20Representatives%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BMassachusetts%20House%20of%20Representatives%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="Massachusetts House of Representatives (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvTWFzc2FjaHVzZXR0c19Ib3VzZV9vZl9SZXByZXNlbnRhdGl2ZXM/YWN0aW9uPWVkaXQmcmVkbGluaz0x">Massachusetts House of Representatives</a> and <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Massachusetts%20Senate%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Massachusetts%20Senate%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BMassachusetts%20Senate%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="Massachusetts Senate (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvTWFzc2FjaHVzZXR0c19TZW5hdGU/YWN0aW9uPWVkaXQmcmVkbGluaz0x">Massachusetts Senate</a> comprise the legislature of Massachusetts, known as the <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Massachusetts%20General%20Court%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Massachusetts%20General%20Court%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BMassachusetts%20General%20Court%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="Massachusetts General Court (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvTWFzc2FjaHVzZXR0c19HZW5lcmFsX0NvdXJ0P2FjdGlvbj1lZGl0JnJlZGxpbms9MQ==">Massachusetts General Court</a>.<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cref%20name%3DMassPol1%5C%2F%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22ref%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false"><sup data-rte-washtml="1" id="cite_ref-MassPol1_2-4" class="reference" data-rte-attribs=" id=cite_ref-MassPol1_2-4 class=reference"><a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255B%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-00000014-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E3%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255D%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-00000015-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22%23cite_note-MassPol1-2%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5B%23cite_note-MassPol1-2%7C%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22154%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E3%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22155%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" href="#cite_note-MassPol1-2"><span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">[​</span>3<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">]​</span></a></sup>​</span> The House consists of 160 members while the Senate has 40 members.<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cref%20name%3DMassPol1%20%5C%2F%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22ref%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false"><sup data-rte-washtml="1" id="cite_ref-MassPol1_2-5" class="reference" data-rte-attribs=" id=cite_ref-MassPol1_2-5 class=reference"><a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255B%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-00000017-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E3%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255D%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-00000018-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22%23cite_note-MassPol1-2%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5B%23cite_note-MassPol1-2%7C%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22160%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E3%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22161%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" href="#cite_note-MassPol1-2"><span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">[​</span>3<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">]​</span></a></sup>​</span> Leaders of the House and Senate are chosen by the members of those bodies; the leader of the House is known as the Speaker while the leader of the Senate is known as the President.<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cref%20name%3DMassPol1%5C%2F%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22ref%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false"><sup data-rte-washtml="1" id="cite_ref-MassPol1_2-6" class="reference" data-rte-attribs=" id=cite_ref-MassPol1_2-6 class=reference"><a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255B%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-0000001A-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E3%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255D%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-0000001B-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22%23cite_note-MassPol1-2%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5B%23cite_note-MassPol1-2%7C%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22166%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E3%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22167%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" href="#cite_note-MassPol1-2"><span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">[​</span>3<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">]​</span></a></sup>​</span> Each branch consists of several committees.<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cref%20name%3DMassPol1%5C%2F%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22ref%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false"><sup data-rte-washtml="1" id="cite_ref-MassPol1_2-7" class="reference" data-rte-attribs=" id=cite_ref-MassPol1_2-7 class=reference"><a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255B%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-0000001D-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E3%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255D%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-0000001E-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22%23cite_note-MassPol1-2%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5B%23cite_note-MassPol1-2%7C%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22172%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E3%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22173%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" href="#cite_note-MassPol1-2"><span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">[​</span>3<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">]​</span></a></sup>​</span> Members of both bodies are elected to two-year terms. </p><p data-rte-fromparser="true" data-rte-empty-lines-before="1">The Judicial branch is headed by the Supreme Judicial Court, which serves over a number of lower courts.<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cref%20name%3DMassPol1%5C%2F%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22ref%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false"><sup data-rte-washtml="1" id="cite_ref-MassPol1_2-8" class="reference" data-rte-attribs=" id=cite_ref-MassPol1_2-8 class=reference"><a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255B%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-00000020-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E3%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255D%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-00000021-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22%23cite_note-MassPol1-2%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5B%23cite_note-MassPol1-2%7C%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22178%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E3%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22179%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" href="#cite_note-MassPol1-2"><span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">[​</span>3<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">]​</span></a></sup>​</span> The Supreme Judicial Court is made up of a chief justice and six associate justices.<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cref%20name%3DMassPol1%5C%2F%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22ref%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false"><sup data-rte-washtml="1" id="cite_ref-MassPol1_2-9" class="reference" data-rte-attribs=" id=cite_ref-MassPol1_2-9 class=reference"><a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255B%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-00000023-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E3%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255D%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-00000024-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22%23cite_note-MassPol1-2%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5B%23cite_note-MassPol1-2%7C%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22184%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E3%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22185%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" href="#cite_note-MassPol1-2"><span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">[​</span>3<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">]​</span></a></sup>​</span> Judicial appointments are made by the governor and confirmed by the executive council.<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cref%20name%3DMassPol1%5C%2F%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22ref%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false"><sup data-rte-washtml="1" id="cite_ref-MassPol1_2-10" class="reference" data-rte-attribs=" id=cite_ref-MassPol1_2-10 class=reference"><a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255B%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-00000026-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E3%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255D%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-00000027-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22%23cite_note-MassPol1-2%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5B%23cite_note-MassPol1-2%7C%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22190%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E3%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22191%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" href="#cite_note-MassPol1-2"><span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">[​</span>3<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">]​</span></a></sup>​</span> </p><p data-rte-fromparser="true" data-rte-empty-lines-before="1">The Congressional delegation from Massachusetts is entirely <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Democratic%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22U.S.%20Democratic%20Party%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BU.S.%20Democratic%20Party%7CDemocratic%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="U.S. Democratic Party (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvVS5TLl9EZW1vY3JhdGljX1BhcnR5P2FjdGlvbj1lZGl0JnJlZGxpbms9MQ==">Democratic</a>.<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cref%20name%3D%20USSenate%3E%7B%7Bcite%20web%20%7Curl%3D%20http%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fwww.senate.gov%5C%2Fgeneral%5C%2Fcontact_information%5C%2Fsenators_cfm.cfm%7Ctitle%3DMembers%20of%20the%20111th%20Congress%20%7Cpublisher%20%3D%5B%5BUnited%20States%20Senate%5D%5D%20%7Caccessdate%3DOctober%2018%2C%202009%7D%7D%3C%5C%2Fref%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22ref%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false"><sup data-rte-washtml="1" id="cite_ref-USSenate_3-0" class="reference" data-rte-attribs=" id=cite_ref-USSenate_3-0 class=reference"><a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255B%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-00000029-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E4%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255D%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-0000002A-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22%23cite_note-USSenate-3%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5B%23cite_note-USSenate-3%7C%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22196%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E4%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22197%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" href="#cite_note-USSenate-3"><span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">[​</span>4<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">]​</span></a></sup>​</span><span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cref%20name%3DUSHouse%3E%7B%7Bcite%20web%20%7Curl%20%3D%20http%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fwww.sec.state.ma.us%5C%2Fcis%5C%2Fcispdf%5C%2Fma_uscongress.pdf%20%7Ctitle%3DMassachusetts%20Congressional%20Districts%20%7Cpublisher%3D%20%5B%5BMassachusetts%20Secretary%20of%20the%20Commonwealth%5D%5D%20%7Cformat%3DPDF%20%7Caccessdate%3DOctober%2018%2C%202009%7D%7D%3C%5C%2Fref%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22ref%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false"><sup data-rte-washtml="1" id="cite_ref-USHouse_4-0" class="reference" data-rte-attribs=" id=cite_ref-USHouse_4-0 class=reference"><a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255B%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-0000002C-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E5%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255D%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-0000002D-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22%23cite_note-USHouse-4%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5B%23cite_note-USHouse-4%7C%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22202%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E5%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22203%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" href="#cite_note-USHouse-4"><span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">[​</span>5<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">]​</span></a></sup>​</span> Currently, the <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22%20US%20senators%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22United%20States%20Senate%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BUnited%20States%20Senate%7C%20US%20senators%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" href="/wiki/United_States_Senate" title="United States Senate"> US senators</a> are Democrats <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Mo%20Cowan%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Mo%20Cowan%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BMo%20Cowan%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="Mo Cowan (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvTW9fQ293YW4/YWN0aW9uPWVkaXQmcmVkbGluaz0x">Mo Cowan</a> and <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Elizabeth%20Warren%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Elizabeth%20Warren%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BElizabeth%20Warren%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" href="/wiki/Elizabeth_Warren" title="Elizabeth Warren">Elizabeth Warren</a>. The nine members of the state's delegation to the <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22US%20House%20of%20Representatives%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22US%20House%20of%20Representatives%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BUS%20House%20of%20Representatives%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="US House of Representatives (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvVVNfSG91c2Vfb2ZfUmVwcmVzZW50YXRpdmVzP2FjdGlvbj1lZGl0JnJlZGxpbms9MQ==">US House of Representatives</a> (all Democrats) are <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Richard%20Neal%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Richard%20Neal%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BRichard%20Neal%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="Richard Neal (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvUmljaGFyZF9OZWFsP2FjdGlvbj1lZGl0JnJlZGxpbms9MQ==">Richard Neal</a>, <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Jim%20McGovern%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Jim%20McGovern%20%28congressman%29%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BJim%20McGovern%20%28congressman%29%7CJim%20McGovern%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="Jim McGovern (congressman) (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvSmltX01jR292ZXJuXyhjb25ncmVzc21hbik/YWN0aW9uPWVkaXQmcmVkbGluaz0x">Jim McGovern</a>, <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Niki%20Tsongas%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Niki%20Tsongas%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BNiki%20Tsongas%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="Niki Tsongas (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvTmlraV9Uc29uZ2FzP2FjdGlvbj1lZGl0JnJlZGxpbms9MQ==">Niki Tsongas</a>, <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Joseph%20Kennedy%20III%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Joseph%20Kennedy%20III%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BJoseph%20Kennedy%20III%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="Joseph Kennedy III (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvSm9zZXBoX0tlbm5lZHlfSUlJP2FjdGlvbj1lZGl0JnJlZGxpbms9MQ==">Joseph Kennedy III</a>, <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Ed%20Markey%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Ed%20Markey%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BEd%20Markey%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="Ed Markey (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvRWRfTWFya2V5P2FjdGlvbj1lZGl0JnJlZGxpbms9MQ==">Ed Markey</a>, <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22John%20F.%20Tierney%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22John%20F.%20Tierney%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BJohn%20F.%20Tierney%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="John F. Tierney (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvSm9obl9GLl9UaWVybmV5P2FjdGlvbj1lZGl0JnJlZGxpbms9MQ==">John F. Tierney</a>, <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Mike%20Capuano%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Mike%20Capuano%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BMike%20Capuano%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="Mike Capuano (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvTWlrZV9DYXB1YW5vP2FjdGlvbj1lZGl0JnJlZGxpbms9MQ==">Mike Capuano</a>, <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Stephen%20Lynch%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Stephen%20Lynch%20%28politician%29%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BStephen%20Lynch%20%28politician%29%7CStephen%20Lynch%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="Stephen Lynch (politician) (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvU3RlcGhlbl9MeW5jaF8ocG9saXRpY2lhbik/YWN0aW9uPWVkaXQmcmVkbGluaz0x">Stephen Lynch</a>, and <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Bill%20Keating%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22William%20R.%20Keating%20%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BWilliam%20R.%20Keating%20%7CBill%20Keating%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="William R. Keating (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvV2lsbGlhbV9SLl9LZWF0aW5nP2FjdGlvbj1lZGl0JnJlZGxpbms9MQ==">Bill Keating</a>.<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cref%20name%3DUSHouse%5C%2F%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22ref%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false"><sup data-rte-washtml="1" id="cite_ref-USHouse_4-1" class="reference" data-rte-attribs=" id=cite_ref-USHouse_4-1 class=reference"><a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255B%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-0000002F-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E5%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255D%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-00000030-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22%23cite_note-USHouse-4%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5B%23cite_note-USHouse-4%7C%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22208%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E5%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22209%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" href="#cite_note-USHouse-4"><span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">[​</span>5<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">]​</span></a></sup>​</span> </p><p data-rte-fromparser="true" data-rte-empty-lines-before="1">Federal court cases are heard in the <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22United%20States%20District%20Court%20for%20the%20District%20of%20Massachusetts%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22United%20States%20District%20Court%20for%20the%20District%20of%20Massachusetts%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BUnited%20States%20District%20Court%20for%20the%20District%20of%20Massachusetts%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvVW5pdGVkX1N0YXRlc19EaXN0cmljdF9Db3VydF9mb3JfdGhlX0Rpc3RyaWN0X29mX01hc3NhY2h1c2V0dHM/YWN0aW9uPWVkaXQmcmVkbGluaz0x">United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts</a>, and appeals are heard by the <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22United%20States%20Court%20of%20Appeals%20for%20the%20First%20Circuit%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22United%20States%20Court%20of%20Appeals%20for%20the%20First%20Circuit%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BUnited%20States%20Court%20of%20Appeals%20for%20the%20First%20Circuit%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvVW5pdGVkX1N0YXRlc19Db3VydF9vZl9BcHBlYWxzX2Zvcl90aGVfRmlyc3RfQ2lyY3VpdD9hY3Rpb249ZWRpdCZyZWRsaW5rPTE=">United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit</a>.<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cref%20name%3D%5C%22autogenerated1%5C%22%3E%7B%7Bcite%20web%20%7C%20location%20%3D%20%5B%5BUnited%20States%20of%20America%20%7C%20US%5D%5D%20%7C%20url%20%3D%20http%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fwww.uscourts.gov%5C%2Fimages%5C%2FCircuitMap.pdf%20%7Ctitle%3DGeographic%20Boundaries%20of%20United%20States%20Courts%20of%20Appeals%20and%20United%20States%20District%20Courts%20%7Cpublisher%3D%20Courts%20%7Cformat%3DPDF%20%7Caccessdate%3DOctober%2018%2C%202009%7D%7D%3C%5C%2Fref%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22ref%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false"><sup data-rte-washtml="1" id="cite_ref-autogenerated1_5-0" class="reference" data-rte-attribs=" id=cite_ref-autogenerated1_5-0 class=reference"><a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255B%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-00000032-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E6%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255D%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-00000033-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22%23cite_note-autogenerated1-5%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5B%23cite_note-autogenerated1-5%7C%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22214%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E6%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22215%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" href="#cite_note-autogenerated1-5"><span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">[​</span>6<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">]​</span></a></sup>​</span> In US presidential elections, Massachusetts is allotted 11 votes in the <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22electoral%20college%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22United%20States%20Electoral%20College%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BUnited%20States%20Electoral%20College%7Celectoral%20college%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="United States Electoral College (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvVW5pdGVkX1N0YXRlc19FbGVjdG9yYWxfQ29sbGVnZT9hY3Rpb249ZWRpdCZyZWRsaW5rPTE=">electoral college</a>, out of a total of 538.<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cref%3E%7B%7Bcite%20web%20%7C%20work%20%3D%20Electoral%20College%20%7C%20title%20%3D%202008%20Presidential%20Election%20%7C%20publisher%3D%20Archives%20%7C%20location%20%3D%20US%20%7C%20accessdate%20%3DJune%202%2C%202010%20%7C%20url%20%3D%20http%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Farchives.gov%5C%2Ffederal-register%5C%2Felectoral-college%5C%2F2008%5C%2Fallocation.html%7D%7D%3C%5C%2Fref%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22ref%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false"><sup data-rte-washtml="1" id="cite_ref-6" class="reference" data-rte-attribs=" id=cite_ref-6 class=reference"><a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255B%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-00000035-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E7%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255D%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-00000036-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22%23cite_note-6%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5B%23cite_note-6%7C%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22220%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E7%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22221%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" href="#cite_note-6"><span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">[​</span>7<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">]​</span></a></sup>​</span> Like most states, Massachusetts's electoral votes are granted in a winner-take-all system.<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cref%3E%7B%7Bcite%20web%20%7C%20location%20%3D%20US%20%7C%20work%20%3D%20Electoral%20College%20%7C%20title%20%3D%20Frequently%20Asked%20Questions%20%7C%20publisher%20%3D%20Archives%20%7C%20accessdate%20%3DJune%202%2C%202010%20%7C%20url%20%3D%20http%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fwww.archives.gov%5C%2Ffederal-register%5C%2Felectoral-college%5C%2Ffaq.html%7D%7D%3C%5C%2Fref%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22ref%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false"><sup data-rte-washtml="1" id="cite_ref-7" class="reference" data-rte-attribs=" id=cite_ref-7 class=reference"><a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255B%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-00000038-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E8%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255D%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-00000039-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22%23cite_note-7%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5B%23cite_note-7%7C%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22226%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E8%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22227%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" href="#cite_note-7"><span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">[​</span>8<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">]​</span></a></sup>​</span> </p> <h3 data-rte-empty-lines-before="1">Politics</h3> <div class="placeholder placeholder-double-brackets" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22double-brackets%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%7B%7BMain%7CPolitics%20of%20Massachusetts%7D%7D%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%221%22%2C%22title%22%3A%22Main%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%7D" contenteditable="false">​​</div> <table class="wikitable" data-rte-style="float:right; font-size:110%;" style="float:right; font-size:110%;" data-rte-attribs=" class=wikitable style=float:right; font-size:110%;"> <caption> <b>Presidential elections results</b> </caption> <tr data-rte-style="background:lightgrey;" style="background:lightgrey;" data-rte-attribs=" style=background:lightgrey;"> <th data-rte-spaces-before="1">Year </th><th data-rte-spaces-before="1"><a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Republican%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Republican%20Party%20%28United%20States%29%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BRepublican%20Party%20%28United%20States%29%7CRepublican%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="Republican Party (United States) (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvUmVwdWJsaWNhbl9QYXJ0eV8oVW5pdGVkX1N0YXRlcyk/YWN0aW9uPWVkaXQmcmVkbGluaz0x">Republican</a> </th><th data-rte-spaces-before="1"><a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Democratic%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Democratic%20Party%20%28United%20States%29%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BDemocratic%20Party%20%28United%20States%29%7CDemocratic%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="Democratic Party (United States) (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvRGVtb2NyYXRpY19QYXJ0eV8oVW5pdGVkX1N0YXRlcyk/YWN0aW9uPWVkaXQmcmVkbGluaz0x">Democratic</a> </th></tr> <tr> <td data-rte-style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;" style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;" data-rte-attribs=" style=text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;"><a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%222012%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22United%20States%20presidential%20election%2C%202012%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BUnited%20States%20presidential%20election%2C%202012%7C2012%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="United States presidential election, 2012 (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvVW5pdGVkX1N0YXRlc19wcmVzaWRlbnRpYWxfZWxlY3Rpb24sXzIwMTI/YWN0aW9uPWVkaXQmcmVkbGluaz0x">2012</a> </td><td data-rte-style="text-align:center; background:#fff3f3;" style="text-align:center; background:#fff3f3;" data-rte-attribs=" style=text-align:center; background:#fff3f3;">38% <i>1,178,510</i> </td><td data-rte-style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;" style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;" data-rte-attribs=" style=text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;"><b>61%</b> <i>1,906,319</i> </td></tr> <tr> <td data-rte-style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;" style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;" data-rte-attribs=" style=text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;"><a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%222008%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22United%20States%20presidential%20election%2C%202008%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BUnited%20States%20presidential%20election%2C%202008%7C2008%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" href="/wiki/United_States_presidential_election,_2008" title="United States presidential election, 2008">2008</a> </td><td data-rte-style="text-align:center; background:#fff3f3;" style="text-align:center; background:#fff3f3;" data-rte-attribs=" style=text-align:center; background:#fff3f3;">36% <i>1,108,854</i> </td><td data-rte-style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;" style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;" data-rte-attribs=" style=text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;"><b>62%</b> <i>1,904,098</i> </td></tr> <tr> <td data-rte-style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;" style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;" data-rte-attribs=" style=text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;"><a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%222004%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22United%20States%20presidential%20election%2C%202004%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BUnited%20States%20presidential%20election%2C%202004%7C2004%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="United States presidential election, 2004 (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvVW5pdGVkX1N0YXRlc19wcmVzaWRlbnRpYWxfZWxlY3Rpb24sXzIwMDQ/YWN0aW9uPWVkaXQmcmVkbGluaz0x">2004</a> </td><td data-rte-style="text-align:center; background:#fff3f3;" style="text-align:center; background:#fff3f3;" data-rte-attribs=" style=text-align:center; background:#fff3f3;">37% <i>1,070,109</i> </td><td data-rte-style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;" style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;" data-rte-attribs=" style=text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;"><b>62%</b> <i>1,803,801</i> </td></tr> <tr> <td data-rte-style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;" style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;" data-rte-attribs=" style=text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;"><a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%222000%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22United%20States%20presidential%20election%2C%202000%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BUnited%20States%20presidential%20election%2C%202000%7C2000%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="United States presidential election, 2000 (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvVW5pdGVkX1N0YXRlc19wcmVzaWRlbnRpYWxfZWxlY3Rpb24sXzIwMDA/YWN0aW9uPWVkaXQmcmVkbGluaz0x">2000</a> </td><td data-rte-style="text-align:center; background:#fff3f3;" style="text-align:center; background:#fff3f3;" data-rte-attribs=" style=text-align:center; background:#fff3f3;">33% <i>878,502</i> </td><td data-rte-style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;" style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;" data-rte-attribs=" style=text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;"><b>60%</b> <i>1,616,487</i> </td></tr> <tr> <td data-rte-style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;" style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;" data-rte-attribs=" style=text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;"><a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%221996%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22United%20States%20presidential%20election%2C%201996%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BUnited%20States%20presidential%20election%2C%201996%7C1996%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="United States presidential election, 1996 (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvVW5pdGVkX1N0YXRlc19wcmVzaWRlbnRpYWxfZWxlY3Rpb24sXzE5OTY/YWN0aW9uPWVkaXQmcmVkbGluaz0x">1996</a> </td><td data-rte-style="text-align:center; background:#fff3f3;" style="text-align:center; background:#fff3f3;" data-rte-attribs=" style=text-align:center; background:#fff3f3;">28% <i>718,107</i> </td><td data-rte-style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;" style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;" data-rte-attribs=" style=text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;"><b>62%</b> <i>1,571,763</i> </td></tr> <tr> <td data-rte-style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;" style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;" data-rte-attribs=" style=text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;"><a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%221992%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22United%20States%20presidential%20election%2C%201992%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BUnited%20States%20presidential%20election%2C%201992%7C1992%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="United States presidential election, 1992 (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvVW5pdGVkX1N0YXRlc19wcmVzaWRlbnRpYWxfZWxlY3Rpb24sXzE5OTI/YWN0aW9uPWVkaXQmcmVkbGluaz0x">1992</a> </td><td data-rte-style="text-align:center; background:#fff3f3;" style="text-align:center; background:#fff3f3;" data-rte-attribs=" style=text-align:center; background:#fff3f3;">29% <i>805,049</i> </td><td data-rte-style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;" style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;" data-rte-attribs=" style=text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;"><b>48%</b> <i>1,318,662</i> </td></tr> <tr> <td data-rte-style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;" style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;" data-rte-attribs=" style=text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;"><a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%221988%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22United%20States%20presidential%20election%2C%201988%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BUnited%20States%20presidential%20election%2C%201988%7C1988%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="United States presidential election, 1988 (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvVW5pdGVkX1N0YXRlc19wcmVzaWRlbnRpYWxfZWxlY3Rpb24sXzE5ODg/YWN0aW9uPWVkaXQmcmVkbGluaz0x">1988</a> </td><td data-rte-style="text-align:center; background:#fff3f3;" style="text-align:center; background:#fff3f3;" data-rte-attribs=" style=text-align:center; background:#fff3f3;">46% <i>1,194,635</i> </td><td data-rte-style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;" style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;" data-rte-attribs=" style=text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;"><b>53%</b> <i>1,401,416</i> </td></tr></table> <p data-rte-fromparser="true">Throughout the mid 20th century, Massachusetts has gradually shifted from a <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22%20Republican%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Republican%20Party%20%28United%20States%29%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BRepublican%20Party%20%28United%20States%29%7C%20Republican%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="Republican Party (United States) (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvUmVwdWJsaWNhbl9QYXJ0eV8oVW5pdGVkX1N0YXRlcyk/YWN0aW9uPWVkaXQmcmVkbGluaz0x"> Republican</a>-leaning state to one largely dominated by <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Democrats%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Democratic%20Party%20%28United%20States%29%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BDemocratic%20Party%20%28United%20States%29%7CDemocrats%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="Democratic Party (United States) (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvRGVtb2NyYXRpY19QYXJ0eV8oVW5pdGVkX1N0YXRlcyk/YWN0aW9uPWVkaXQmcmVkbGluaz0x">Democrats</a>; the <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%221952%20victory%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22United%20States%20Senate%20election%20in%20Massachusetts%2C%201952%20%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BUnited%20States%20Senate%20election%20in%20Massachusetts%2C%201952%20%7C1952%20victory%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="United States Senate election in Massachusetts, 1952 (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvVW5pdGVkX1N0YXRlc19TZW5hdGVfZWxlY3Rpb25faW5fTWFzc2FjaHVzZXR0cyxfMTk1Mj9hY3Rpb249ZWRpdCZyZWRsaW5rPTE=">1952 victory</a> of <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22John%20F.%20Kennedy%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22John%20F.%20Kennedy%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BJohn%20F.%20Kennedy%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" href="/wiki/John_F._Kennedy" title="John F. Kennedy" class="mw-redirect">John F. Kennedy</a> over incumbent Senator <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Henry%20Cabot%20Lodge%2C%20Jr.%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Henry%20Cabot%20Lodge%2C%20Jr.%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BHenry%20Cabot%20Lodge%2C%20Jr.%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" href="/wiki/Henry_Cabot_Lodge,_Jr." title="Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr." class="mw-redirect">Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr.</a> is seen as a watershed moment in this transformation. His younger brother <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22%20Edward%20M.%20Kennedy%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Ted%20Kennedy%20%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BTed%20Kennedy%20%7C%20Edward%20M.%20Kennedy%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" href="/wiki/Ted_Kennedy" title="Ted Kennedy" class="mw-redirect"> Edward M. Kennedy</a> held that seat until his death from a brain tumor in 2009.<span class="placeholder placeholder-double-brackets" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22double-brackets%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%7B%7BSfn%20%7C%20Brown%20%7C%20Tager%20%7C%202000%20%7C%20p%20%3D%20310%7D%7D%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22title%22%3A%22Sfn%20%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%7D" contenteditable="false">​<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBrownTager2000310_8-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEBrownTager2000310-8">[9]</a></sup>​</span> Massachusetts has since gained a reputation as being a politically liberal state and is often used as an archetype of <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22modern%20liberalism%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22modern%20liberalism%20in%20the%20United%20States%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5Bmodern%20liberalism%20in%20the%20United%20States%7Cmodern%20liberalism%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="Modern liberalism in the United States (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvTW9kZXJuX2xpYmVyYWxpc21faW5fdGhlX1VuaXRlZF9TdGF0ZXM/YWN0aW9uPWVkaXQmcmVkbGluaz0x">modern liberalism</a>, hence the usage of the phrase "<a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Massachusetts%20liberal%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Massachusetts%20liberal%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BMassachusetts%20liberal%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="Massachusetts liberal (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvTWFzc2FjaHVzZXR0c19saWJlcmFsP2FjdGlvbj1lZGl0JnJlZGxpbms9MQ==">Massachusetts liberal</a>".<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cref%3E%7B%7Bcite%20news%7Curl%3Dhttp%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fwww.usatoday.com%5C%2Fnews%5C%2Fpoliticselections%5C%2Fnation%5C%2Fpresident%5C%2F2004-07-25-mass-liberal_x.htm%7Ctitle%3D%20Does%20%27Massachusetts%20liberal%27%20label%20still%20matter%3F%7C%20first1%20%3DSusan%20%7C%20last1%20%3D%20Page%20%7C%20first2%20%3D%20Jill%20%7C%20last2%20%3D%20Lawrence%7Cwork%3D%20USA%20Today%7Cdate%3D%20July%2011%2C%202004%7Caccessdate%20%3D%20October%2017%2C%202009%7D%7D%3C%5C%2Fref%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22ref%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false"><sup data-rte-washtml="1" id="cite_ref-9" class="reference" data-rte-attribs=" id=cite_ref-9 class=reference"><a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255B%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-0000003F-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E10%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255D%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-00000040-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22%23cite_note-9%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5B%23cite_note-9%7C%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22234%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E10%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22235%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" href="#cite_note-9"><span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">[​</span>10<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">]​</span></a></sup>​</span> </p><p data-rte-fromparser="true" data-rte-empty-lines-before="1">Massachusetts routinely votes for the Democratic Party, with the core concentrations in the Boston metro area, the Cape and Islands, and Western Massachusetts. Pockets of Republican strength are in the central areas along the I-495 crescent, and communities on the south and north shores,<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cref%3E%7B%7BCite%20web%20%7C%20url%20%3D%20http%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fwww.r-bloggers.com%5C%2Fmapping-ma-election-results%5C%2F%20%7C%20title%20%3D%20R%20bloggers%20%7C%20contribution%20%3D%20Mapping%20MA%20election%20results%20%7C%20postscript%20%3D%20%3C%21--%20Bot%20inserted%20parameter.%20Either%20remove%20it%3B%20or%20change%20its%20value%20to%20%5C%22.%5C%22%20for%20the%20cite%20to%20end%20in%20a%20%5C%22.%5C%22%2C%20as%20necessary.%20--%3E%7B%7Binconsistent%20citations%7D%7D%7D%7D.%3C%5C%2Fref%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22ref%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false"><sup data-rte-washtml="1" id="cite_ref-10" class="reference" data-rte-attribs=" id=cite_ref-10 class=reference"><a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255B%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-00000042-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E11%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255D%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-00000043-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22%23cite_note-10%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5B%23cite_note-10%7C%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22240%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E11%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22241%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" href="#cite_note-10"><span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">[​</span>11<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">]​</span></a></sup>​</span> but the state as a whole has not given its <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22%20Electoral%20College%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Electoral%20College%20%28United%20States%29%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BElectoral%20College%20%28United%20States%29%7C%20Electoral%20College%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="Electoral College (United States) (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvRWxlY3RvcmFsX0NvbGxlZ2VfKFVuaXRlZF9TdGF0ZXMpP2FjdGlvbj1lZGl0JnJlZGxpbms9MQ=="> Electoral College</a> votes to a Republican in a <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22presidential%20election%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22United%20States%20presidential%20election%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BUnited%20States%20presidential%20election%7Cpresidential%20election%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="United States presidential election (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvVW5pdGVkX1N0YXRlc19wcmVzaWRlbnRpYWxfZWxlY3Rpb24/YWN0aW9uPWVkaXQmcmVkbGluaz0x">presidential election</a> since <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Ronald%20Reagan%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Ronald%20Reagan%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BRonald%20Reagan%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" href="/wiki/Ronald_Reagan" title="Ronald Reagan" class="mw-redirect">Ronald Reagan</a> carried it in <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%221984%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22United%20States%20presidential%20election%2C%201984%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BUnited%20States%20presidential%20election%2C%201984%7C1984%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="United States presidential election, 1984 (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvVW5pdGVkX1N0YXRlc19wcmVzaWRlbnRpYWxfZWxlY3Rpb24sXzE5ODQ/YWN0aW9uPWVkaXQmcmVkbGluaz0x">1984</a>. Additionally, Massachusetts provided Reagan with his smallest margins of victory in both the <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22%201980%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22United%20States%20presidential%20election%2C%201980%20%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BUnited%20States%20presidential%20election%2C%201980%20%7C%201980%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="United States presidential election, 1980 (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvVW5pdGVkX1N0YXRlc19wcmVzaWRlbnRpYWxfZWxlY3Rpb24sXzE5ODA/YWN0aW9uPWVkaXQmcmVkbGluaz0x"> 1980</a> and 1984 elections. In recent elections, even <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Scott%20Brown%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Scott%20Brown%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BScott%20Brown%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="Scott Brown (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvU2NvdHRfQnJvd24/YWN0aW9uPWVkaXQmcmVkbGluaz0x">Scott Brown</a>'s 2010 win, Western MA is more reliably blue (by city/town) than Eastern MA. </p><p data-rte-fromparser="true" data-rte-empty-lines-before="1">As of the 2006 election, the Republican party holds less than 13% of the seats in both legislative houses of the <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22General%20Court%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Massachusetts%20General%20Court%20%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BMassachusetts%20General%20Court%20%7CGeneral%20Court%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="Massachusetts General Court (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvTWFzc2FjaHVzZXR0c19HZW5lcmFsX0NvdXJ0P2FjdGlvbj1lZGl0JnJlZGxpbms9MQ==">General Court</a>: in the House, the balance is 141<span data-rte-entity="nbsp"> </span>Democratic to 19<span data-rte-entity="nbsp"> </span>Republican, and in the Senate, 35–5.<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cref%3E%7B%7BCite%20journal%20%7C%20url%20%3D%20http%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fwww.ncsl.org%5C%2Fncsldb%5C%2Felect98%5C%2Fprofile.cfm%3Fyearsel%3D2006%26statesel%3DMA%20%7C%20title%20%3D%20State%20Vote%202006%3A%20Election%20Profile%2C%20Massachusetts%20%7C%20journal%20%3D%20State%20Legislatures%20Magazine%20%7C%20publisher%20%3D%20National%20Conference%20of%20State%20Legislatures%20%7C%20accessdate%20%3D%20November%2017%2C%202007%20%7C%20postscript%20%3D%20%3C%21--%20Bot%20inserted%20parameter.%20Either%20remove%20it%3B%20or%20change%20its%20value%20to%20%5C%22.%5C%22%20for%20the%20cite%20to%20end%20in%20a%20%5C%22.%5C%22%2C%20as%20necessary.%20--%3E%7B%7Binconsistent%20citations%7D%7D%7D%7D.%3C%5C%2Fref%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22ref%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false"><sup data-rte-washtml="1" id="cite_ref-11" class="reference" data-rte-attribs=" id=cite_ref-11 class=reference"><a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255B%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-00000045-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E12%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255D%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-00000046-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22%23cite_note-11%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5B%23cite_note-11%7C%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22246%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E12%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22247%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" href="#cite_note-11"><span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">[​</span>12<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">]​</span></a></sup>​</span> </p><p data-rte-fromparser="true" data-rte-empty-lines-before="1">Although Republicans held the governor's office continuously from 1991 to 2007, they have been among the more moderate Republican leaders in the nation.<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cref%3E%7B%7BCite%20news%20%7C%20last%20%3D%20Gordon%20%7C%20first%20%3D%20Meryl%20%7C%20title%20%3D%20Weld%20At%20Heart%20%7C%20url%20%3D%20http%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fnymag.com%5C%2Fnymetro%5C%2Fnews%5C%2Fpolitics%5C%2Fnational%5C%2Ffeatures%5C%2F5574%5C%2F%20%7C%20newspaper%20%3D%20%5B%5BNew%20York%20%28magazine%29%7C%20New%20York%5D%5D%20%7C%20date%20%3D%20January%2014%2C%202002%20%7C%20accessdate%20%3D%20May%2023%2C%202010%20%7C%20postscript%20%3D%20%3C%21--%20Bot%20inserted%20parameter.%20Either%20remove%20it%3B%20or%20change%20its%20value%20to%20%5C%22.%5C%22%20for%20the%20cite%20to%20end%20in%20a%20%5C%22.%5C%22%2C%20as%20necessary.%20--%3E%7B%7Binconsistent%20citations%7D%7D%7D%7D.%3C%5C%2Fref%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22ref%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false"><sup data-rte-washtml="1" id="cite_ref-12" class="reference" data-rte-attribs=" id=cite_ref-12 class=reference"><a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255B%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-00000048-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E13%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255D%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-00000049-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22%23cite_note-12%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5B%23cite_note-12%7C%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22252%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E13%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22253%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" href="#cite_note-12"><span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">[​</span>13<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">]​</span></a></sup>​</span><span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cref%3E%7B%7BCite%20news%20%7C%20last%20%3D%20Vennochi%20%7C%20first%20%3D%20Joan%20%7C%20title%20%3D%20Romney%27s%20liberal%20shadow%20%7C%20url%20%3D%20http%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fwww.boston.com%5C%2Fnews%5C%2Fglobe%5C%2Feditorial_opinion%5C%2Foped%5C%2Farticles%5C%2F2007%5C%2F06%5C%2F17%5C%2Fromneys_liberal_shadow%5C%2F%20%7C%20newspaper%20%3D%20%5B%5BThe%20Boston%20Globe%5D%5D%20%7C%20date%20%3D%20June%2017%2C%202007%20%7C%20accessdate%20%3D%20May%2023%2C%202010%20%7C%20postscript%20%3D%20%3C%21--%20Bot%20inserted%20parameter.%20Either%20remove%20it%3B%20or%20change%20its%20value%20to%20%5C%22.%5C%22%20for%20the%20cite%20to%20end%20in%20a%20%5C%22.%5C%22%2C%20as%20necessary.%20--%3E%7B%7Binconsistent%20citations%7D%7D%7D%7D.%3C%5C%2Fref%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22ref%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false"><sup data-rte-washtml="1" id="cite_ref-13" class="reference" data-rte-attribs=" id=cite_ref-13 class=reference"><a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255B%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-0000004B-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E14%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255D%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-0000004C-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22%23cite_note-13%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5B%23cite_note-13%7C%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22258%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E14%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22259%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" href="#cite_note-13"><span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">[​</span>14<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">]​</span></a></sup>​</span> In the <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22%202004%20election%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22United%20States%20presidential%20election%2C%202004%20%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BUnited%20States%20presidential%20election%2C%202004%20%7C%202004%20election%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="United States presidential election, 2004 (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvVW5pdGVkX1N0YXRlc19wcmVzaWRlbnRpYWxfZWxlY3Rpb24sXzIwMDQ/YWN0aW9uPWVkaXQmcmVkbGluaz0x"> 2004 election</a>, Massachusetts gave native son <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22John%20Kerry%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22John%20Kerry%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BJohn%20Kerry%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" href="/wiki/John_Kerry" title="John Kerry" class="mw-redirect">John Kerry</a> 61.9% of the vote, his best showing in any state.<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cref%3E%7B%7BCite%20document%20%7C%20title%20%3D%20Federal%20Elections%202004%20%7C%20page%20%3D%2022%20%7C%20publisher%20%3D%20%5B%5BFederal%20Election%20Commission%5D%5D%20%7C%20accessdate%20%3DOctober%2017%2C%202009%20%7C%20format%20%3D%20PDF%20%7C%20url%20%3D%20http%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fwww.fec.gov%5C%2Fpubrec%5C%2Ffe2004%5C%2Ffederalelections2004.pdf%20%7C%20postscript%20%3D%20%3C%21--%20Bot%20inserted%20parameter.%20Either%20remove%20it%3B%20or%20change%20its%20value%20to%20%5C%22.%5C%22%20for%20the%20cite%20to%20end%20in%20a%20%5C%22.%5C%22%2C%20as%20necessary.%20--%3E%7B%7Binconsistent%20citations%7D%7D%7D%7D%3C%5C%2Fref%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22ref%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false"><sup data-rte-washtml="1" id="cite_ref-14" class="reference" data-rte-attribs=" id=cite_ref-14 class=reference"><a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255B%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-0000004E-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E15%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255D%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-0000004F-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22%23cite_note-14%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5B%23cite_note-14%7C%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22264%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E15%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22265%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" href="#cite_note-14"><span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">[​</span>15<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">]​</span></a></sup>​</span> In <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%222008%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22United%20States%20presidential%20election%2C%202008%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BUnited%20States%20presidential%20election%2C%202008%7C2008%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" href="/wiki/United_States_presidential_election,_2008" title="United States presidential election, 2008">2008</a>, President <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Barack%20Obama%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Barack%20Obama%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BBarack%20Obama%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" href="/wiki/Barack_Obama" title="Barack Obama" class="mw-redirect">Barack Obama</a> carried the state with 61.8% of the vote.<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cref%3E%7B%7Bcite%20web%20%7C%20title%20%3D%202008%20Presidential%20Popular%20Vote%20Summary%7C%20format%20%3D%20PDF%20%7C%20publisher%20%3D%5B%5BFederal%20Election%20Commission%5D%5D%20%7C%20accessdate%20%3DOctober%2017%2C%202009%20%7C%20url%20%3D%20http%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fwww.fec.gov%5C%2Fpubrec%5C%2Ffe2008%5C%2Ftables2008.pdf%7D%7D%3C%5C%2Fref%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22ref%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false"><sup data-rte-washtml="1" id="cite_ref-15" class="reference" data-rte-attribs=" id=cite_ref-15 class=reference"><a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255B%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-00000051-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E16%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255D%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-00000052-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22%23cite_note-15%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5B%23cite_note-15%7C%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22270%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E16%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22271%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" href="#cite_note-15"><span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">[​</span>16<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">]​</span></a></sup>​</span> In a recent statewide election, a <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22%20%20special%20election%20in%202010%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22United%20States%20Senate%20special%20election%20in%20Massachusetts%2C%202010%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BUnited%20States%20Senate%20special%20election%20in%20Massachusetts%2C%202010%7C%20%20special%20election%20in%202010%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="United States Senate special election in Massachusetts, 2010 (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvVW5pdGVkX1N0YXRlc19TZW5hdGVfc3BlY2lhbF9lbGVjdGlvbl9pbl9NYXNzYWNodXNldHRzLF8yMDEwP2FjdGlvbj1lZGl0JnJlZGxpbms9MQ=="> special election in 2010</a> for the U.S. Senate, saw Republican <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Scott%20Brown%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Scott%20Brown%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BScott%20Brown%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="Scott Brown (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvU2NvdHRfQnJvd24/YWN0aW9uPWVkaXQmcmVkbGluaz0x">Scott Brown</a> defeat Democrat <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Martha%20Coakley%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Martha%20Coakley%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BMartha%20Coakley%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="Martha Coakley (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvTWFydGhhX0NvYWtsZXk/YWN0aW9uPWVkaXQmcmVkbGluaz0x">Martha Coakley</a> in an upset, by a 52% to 47% margin.<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cref%3E%7B%7Bcite%20news%20%7C%20title%3DInteractive%20Map%2C%20Election%20Results%20and%20Analysis%20%7Cwork%3DThe%20New%20York%20Times%20%7C%20last1%3DBloch%20%7C%20first1%3DMatthew%20%7C%20last2%3DCox%20%7C%20first2%3DAmanda%20%7C%20last3%3DEricson%20%7C%20first3%3DMatthew%20%7C%20last4%3DHossain%20%7C%20first4%20%3D%20Farhana%20%7C%20last5%3DTse%20%7C%20first5%3DArchie%20%7C%20date%3DJanuary%2019%2C%202010%20%7C%20accessdate%3DMay%2022%2C%202010%20%7C%20url%20%3D%20http%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fwww.nytimes.com%5C%2Finteractive%5C%2F2010%5C%2F01%5C%2F19%5C%2Fus%5C%2Fpolitics%5C%2Fmassachusetts-election-map.html%7D%7D%3C%5C%2Fref%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22ref%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false"><sup data-rte-washtml="1" id="cite_ref-16" class="reference" data-rte-attribs=" id=cite_ref-16 class=reference"><a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255B%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-00000054-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E17%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255D%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-00000055-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22%23cite_note-16%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5B%23cite_note-16%7C%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22276%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E17%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22277%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" href="#cite_note-16"><span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">[​</span>17<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">]​</span></a></sup>​</span> </p><p data-rte-fromparser="true" data-rte-empty-lines-before="1">A number of contemporary national political issues have been influenced by events in Massachusetts, such as the 2003 state Supreme Court decision <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22allowing%20same-sex%20marriage%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Same-sex%20marriage%20in%20Massachusetts%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BSame-sex%20marriage%20in%20Massachusetts%7Callowing%20same-sex%20marriage%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="Same-sex marriage in Massachusetts (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvU2FtZS1zZXhfbWFycmlhZ2VfaW5fTWFzc2FjaHVzZXR0cz9hY3Rpb249ZWRpdCZyZWRsaW5rPTE=">allowing same-sex marriage</a><span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cref%3E%7B%7Bcite%20news%20%7C%20title%3D%20Same-sex%20couples%20ready%20to%20make%20history%20in%20Massachusetts%20%7C%20publisher%20%3D%20CNN%20%7Cdate%3DMay%2017%2C%202004%20%7C%20unused_data%3D%20ur%20l%3D%20http%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fwww.cnn.com%5C%2F2004%5C%2FLAW%5C%2F05%5C%2F17%5C%2Fmass.gay.marriage%5C%2F%7D%7D%3C%5C%2Fref%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22ref%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false"><sup data-rte-washtml="1" id="cite_ref-17" class="reference" data-rte-attribs=" id=cite_ref-17 class=reference"><a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255B%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-00000057-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E18%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255D%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-00000058-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22%23cite_note-17%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5B%23cite_note-17%7C%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22282%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E18%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22283%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" href="#cite_note-17"><span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">[​</span>18<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">]​</span></a></sup>​</span> and <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22a%202006%20bill%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Massachusetts%202006%20Health%20Reform%20Statute%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BMassachusetts%202006%20Health%20Reform%20Statute%7Ca%202006%20bill%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="Massachusetts 2006 Health Reform Statute (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvTWFzc2FjaHVzZXR0c18yMDA2X0hlYWx0aF9SZWZvcm1fU3RhdHV0ZT9hY3Rpb249ZWRpdCZyZWRsaW5rPTE=">a 2006 bill</a> which mandated health insurance for all Bay Staters.<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cref%3E%7B%7Bcite%20web%20%7Curl%3D%20http%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fwww.npr.org%5C%2Ftemplates%5C%2Fstory%5C%2Fstory.php%3FstoryId%3D11689698%20%7C%20title%20%3DMassachusetts%20Makes%20Health%20Insurance%20Mandatory%20%7Cpublisher%3D%5B%5BNational%20Public%20Radio%5D%5D%20%7Cdate%3DJuly%203%2C%202007%20%7C%20accessdate%20%3D%20October%2018%2C%202009%7D%7D%3C%5C%2Fref%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22ref%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false"><sup data-rte-washtml="1" id="cite_ref-18" class="reference" data-rte-attribs=" id=cite_ref-18 class=reference"><a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255B%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-0000005A-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E19%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255D%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-0000005B-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22%23cite_note-18%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5B%23cite_note-18%7C%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22288%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E19%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22289%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" href="#cite_note-18"><span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">[​</span>19<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">]​</span></a></sup>​</span> In 2008, Massachusetts voters passed <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22an%20initiative%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Massachusetts%20Sensible%20Marijuana%20Policy%20Initiative%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BMassachusetts%20Sensible%20Marijuana%20Policy%20Initiative%7Can%20initiative%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="Massachusetts Sensible Marijuana Policy Initiative (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvTWFzc2FjaHVzZXR0c19TZW5zaWJsZV9NYXJpanVhbmFfUG9saWN5X0luaXRpYXRpdmU/YWN0aW9uPWVkaXQmcmVkbGluaz0x">an initiative</a> decriminalizing possession of small amounts of <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22marijuana%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22marijuana%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5Bmarijuana%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" class="new" title="Marijuana (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvTWFyaWp1YW5hP2FjdGlvbj1lZGl0JnJlZGxpbms9MQ==">marijuana</a>.<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cref%3E%7B%7Bcite%20web%20%7Cformat%3DPDF%20%7C%20url%20%3D%20http%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fwww.sec.state.ma.us%5C%2Fele%5C%2Felepdf%5C%2F2008%2520Return%2520of%2520Votes%2520Complete.pdf%20%7Ctitle%3D2008%20Return%20of%20Votes%20Complete%20%7C%20publisher%20%3D%5B%5BMassachusetts%20Secretary%20of%20the%20Commonwealth%5D%5D%20%7Cdate%3D%20December%2017%2C%202008%20%7Caccessdate%3D%20October%2018%2C%202009%7D%7D%3C%5C%2Fref%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22ref%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false"><sup data-rte-washtml="1" id="cite_ref-19" class="reference" data-rte-attribs=" id=cite_ref-19 class=reference"><a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255B%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-0000005D-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E20%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-11868825566010bd706f65b%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255D%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ157a34fcfcb5bea-nowiki-0000005E-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22%23cite_note-19%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5B%23cite_note-19%7C%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22294%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E20%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%22295%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" href="#cite_note-19"><span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">[​</span>20<span data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">]​</span></a></sup>​</span> Marijuana was legalized for medical use on November 6, 2012. </p> <div class="placeholder placeholder-double-brackets" data-rte-instance="40-11868825566010bd706f65b" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22double-brackets%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%7B%7BFurther2%7C%5B%5BPolitical%20party%20strength%20in%20Massachusetts%5D%5D%7D%7D%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%221%22%2C%22title%22%3A%22Further2%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%7D" contenteditable="false" data-rte-empty-lines-before="1">​​</div> <br /><strong data-rte-washtml="1" class="error" data-rte-attribs=" class=error">Cite error: <code data-rte-washtml="1"><ref></code> tags exist, but no <code data-rte-washtml="1"><references/></code> tag was found</strong><p /> <!-- Saved in parser cache with key genealogy:rte-parser-cache:16023 --> Loading editor Below are some commonly used wiki markup codes. Simply click on what you want to use and it will appear in the edit box above. Insert: – — … ° ≈ ≠ ≤ ≥ ± − × ÷ ← → · § Sign your username: ~~~~ Wiki markup: {{}} | [] [[]] [[Category:]] #REDIRECT [[]] <s></s> <sup></sup> <sub></sub> <code></code> <blockquote></blockquote> <ref></ref> {{Reflist}} <references/> <includeonly></includeonly> <noinclude></noinclude> {{DEFAULTSORT:}} <nowiki></nowiki> <!-- --> <span class="plainlinks"></span> Symbols: ~ | ¡ ¿ † ‡ ↔ ↑ ↓ • ¶ # ¹ ² ³ ½ ⅓ ⅔ ¼ ¾ ⅛ ⅜ ⅝ ⅞ ∞ ‘ “ ’ ” «» ¤ ₳ ฿ ₵ ¢ ₡ ₢ $ ₫ ₯ € ₠ ₣ ƒ ₴ ₭ ₤ ℳ ₥ ₦ № ₧ ₰ £ ៛ ₨ ₪ ৳ ₮ ₩ ¥ ♠ ♣ ♥ ♦ View this template This field is a spam trap. DO NOT fill it in! Edit summary Preview Mobile Desktop Show changes
