REMEMBER TO VOTE TUESDAY  NOVEMBER 8!

*NOTE: Not sure if which rep or senate race is the election you are looking for? Enter your address on the Secretary of State’s website and find out where your polling place is and what ward/precinct is yours. 

(all candidates arranged alphabetically)

Only races with at least two candidates on the ballot are listed. The Presidential race has been excluded. For full ballot information statewide, check out the Secretary of State’s Candidate List.

United States House of Representatives Massachusetts 1st District

All of Berkshire County and Hampden County (excluding half of precint 1 in Palmer); Ashfield, Bernardston, Buckland, Charlemont, Colrain, Conway, Hawley, Heath, Leyden, Monroe, Rowe and Shelburne all in Franklin County; Chesterfield, Cummington, Easthampton, Goshen, Granby, Huntington, Middlefield, Plainfield, South Hadley, Southampton, Westhampton, Williamsburg and Worthington all in Hampshire County; and Brookfield, Charlton, Dudley, East Brookfield, Southbridge, Sturbridge and Warren all in Worcester County. see map

Richard Neal-D (incumbent since 1989)

Offices Held: Springfield Mayor 1984-1988; Springfield Council 1978-1983
Profession: Teacher/College Professor
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On the Candidate (briefly): The incumbent congressman, Richard Neal‘s service dates back a generation, although has district has changed in that time, shifting further west into Berkshire County in the 2010 redistricting. A former Springfield mayor, Neal is also among the quieter influential figures on  Capitol Hill. His focus on nuts and bolts issues in the district and eschewal of national TV coverage belies the power he has gathered in Washington. Since becoming dean of the delegation, Neal has moved to share that influence among his Bay State colleagues. While unlikely, should Democrats take the House, Neal is only a person or two from chairing the powerful Ways & Means Committee.

Frederick Mayock-I 

Offices Held: none
Profession: Teacher/real estate appraiser
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On the Candidate (briefly): One of two minor party/non-party candidates facing Neal, Frederick “Fritz” Mayock‘s issue profile appears vaguely Libertarian, despite not being that party’s candidate (see below). His threadbare campaign has not gained much attention.

Thomas Simmons-I 

Offices Held: Shelburne Conservation Commission
Profession: Professor
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On the Candidate (briefly): Running as the Libertarian, Thomas Simmons may be better bracketed as disaffected from both parties. Much of his issues profile leans heavily in the Libertarian camp, but his outreach posture is seemingly trying to appeal to former Bernie Sanders supporters as well. Hailing from the district’s Franklin County frontier, he is well aways from the district’s center of gravity in Metro Springfield and even satellite regions like Pittsfield.

Massachusetts Legislature

Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden & Hampshir Senate District

All of Berkshire County; Ashfield, Buckland, Charlemont, Conway, Hawley, Heath, Monroe, Rowe, Shelburne in Franklin County; Blandford and Chester in Hampden County; and Chesterfield, Cummington, Goshen, Huntington, Middlefield, Plainfield, Westhampton, Williamsburg and Worthington in Hampshire County. Census bureau MAP pdf

Christine Canning-R

Other offices held: none elected.
Profession: instructor
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On the Candidate (briefly): Many observers saw the retirement of Benjamin Downing, the Senate’s first Millennial senator, as primarily a contest in the primary, but that has not deterred Christine Canning. Once the land of Jane Swift and Silvio Conte, the 413’s hilly artists colonies and outdoor recreational haven has veered left over the last twenty years. Canning, whose resume included a number of various teaching gigs and government contracting, has a platform of general GOP bric-a-brac and like all Republicans faces the headwinds of Donald Trump. But the GOP has survived the Democratic dominance of presidential elections before. Canning’s problem here is that the Berkshires were the region after Metro Boston that most monolithically picked Martha Coakley over Charlie Baker in 2014.

Adam Hinds-D 

Other Offices Held: None elected
Profession: Community activist, UN operative
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On the Candidate (briefly): Though a few years older, Adam Hinds coincidentally shares some traits with retiring senator Ben Downing. Deeply involved in politics and in the Pittsfield community in his past life, he took a detour and worked on numerous projects for the United Nations before coming back to the Berkshires. Though his Democratic primary ultimately was not very close, it was a hard fought race indicative of the strong position Democrats now have in Massachusetts western frontier. Environment and the opiate crisis are key parts of Hinds agenda. While the Berkshires has enjoyed a bit of a bump with the creative community, economic development and transportation are top concerns as well.

First Hampden & Hampshire Senate District

Belchertown, Chicopee (Precincts 1A, 1B, 5A, 5B, 6A, 6B, 8B, 9B), East Longmeadow, Granby, Hampden, Longmeadow, Ludlow, Springfield (Ward 7, Precincts 2G, 4F, 5D, 5G, 5H, 6B, 6D, 6H, 8A), Wilbraham. MAP (in gray) Census bureau MAP pdf

James Harrington-R

Other offices held: Ludlow School Committee (currently held since 2005), Ludlow Select Board 1994-1997
Profession: business owner, special police officer
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On the Candidate (briefly): The race for this seat has a bit of deja vu, but not quite. James “Chip” Harrington has jousted with Lesser before but in the Democratic primary two years ago. Having shed his longtime party for the GOP, Harrington has revived a pillar of his 2014 campaign that banks on his personal appeal in Ludlow and arguing his biography is a better fit for the district. He has gotten a great deal of public support from Republican Governor Charlie Baker, in an attempt to transfer Baker’s popularity into the race. By implication and directly, he has also argued, as Lesser’s other opponents throughout 2014, Lesser is simply not Pioneer Valley enough to be senator.  On issues, Harrington has emphasized public safety and battling the opiate crisis.

Eric Lesser-D (incumbent since 2015)

Other Offices Held: None elected, Director of Strategic Planning, WH Council or Economic Advisors.
Profession: Gov’t/campaign staffer, consultant
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On the Candidate (briefly): Two years after winning office and squeaking to the nomination before that, Eric Lesser faced the burden of high expectations. By his campaign’s account, he has met many of them. Skeptics still deride his narrative of returning home or lay charges of ambition—near identical words this blog wrote in his 2014 profile—but the evidence of hard work, if not indisutable victory on all fronts, is hard to dismiss. A restless electorate leaves few assumptions, but presidential turnout likely benefits Lesser as well.

Second Hampden & Hampshire Senate District

Agawam, Chicopee (precincts 7A, 7B, 8A, 9A) Easthampton, Granville, Holyoke Montgomery, Russell, Southampton, Southwick, Westfield, Tolland MAP (in purple) Census bureau MAP pdf

Don Humason-R (incumbent since 2013)

Offices Held: Fourth Hampden, state representatives 2002-2013
Profession: Legislative aide (prior to election)
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On the candidate (briefly): After perhaps a bit of a scare two years ago seeking his first full term, Don Humason may have caught something of a break. His opponent is not the well-known mayor in his district or a popular state representative. But his race received a jolt nonetheless when Gov. Charlie Baker’s increasingly rocky governorship spilled over into the Western Mass. Parker-O’Grady’s fiancée claimed she was bullied by Baker staffers at her state job. On many issues, Humason is somewhat to the right of the 2^nd Hampden & Hampshire district and he relies on a personal popularity and constituent services to stay in his district’s good graces. Whether events in the governor’s office will affect Humason’s reelection is hard to know.

Jerome Parker-O’Grady-D

Other Offices Held: None elected.
Profession: law student, former legislative aide.
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On the Candidate (briefly): Another newcomer to the political scene, Jerome “J.D.” Parkery-O’Grady has become the first Democrat to challenge the GOP for this seat in a presidential year since his old boss, Michael Knapik, won it in 1994. Dems are eager to reclaim this seat that had been held by figures like Shannon O’Brien and Marty Dunn and the kerfuffle aimed at Parker-O’Grady’s fiancée raised his profile considerably. However, there remains a rigid resistance in the district’s south that the candidate would have to come. Moreover, Humason is likely to dominate the district’s swing community, despite its Democratic tilt. Even with presidential turnout at his back, Parker-O’Grady has his work cut out for him.

Third Hampden District

Agawam, Granville, Southwick

Nicholas Boldyga-R (incumbent since 2011)

Offices Held: Member, Southwick Board of Selectman, Southwick Parks & Rec Commission
Profession: Financial Services, Police Officer (former)
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On the Candidate (briefly): Facing a rematch with the foe he bested six years ago, Nick Boldyga has not crossed swords as publicly with Sandlin as he did with Sam DiSanti in the past two cycles. Boldyga seemed primed for a walk until the former rep wrote her way onto the ballot via the Democratic primary. Boldyga has cut a hard right image since his election, although has also clashed with leadership in his own party. To what end is difficult to discern.

Rosemary Sandlin-D

Offices Held: 3rd Hampden State representative (2007-2010), Agawam School Committee
Profession: consultant, office manager, chief of staff to state senator
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On the Candidate (briefly): Contented with retirement after losing reelection and an Agawam mayoral bid, Rosemary Sandlin has hit the trail again this year to reclaim her rep seat. After Agawam Town Councilor Richard Theroux dropped his bid just at the filing deadline, Sandlin organized a write-in bid for the primary securing four times the votes needed (150) to appear on the November ballot. She has united the disparate factions in her hometown of Agawam, including past electoral foes along with some support in Granville and Southwick. Whether it will be enough to defy the district’s rightward trend is yet to be seen.

Ninth Hampden District

Chicopee (Pct 5A) & Springfield (Pct 2A-2D, 2F-2G, 5C, 5D, 5G, 5H, 7F, 7H, 8A, 8B, 8D, 8H)

Jose Tosado-D (incumbent since 2015)

Other Offices Held: Springfield City Council 2002-2011, Springfield School Committee 2000-2002
Profession: Manager/social worker, Dept of Mental Health
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On the Candidate (briefly): The first Latino Springfield City Councilor, Jose Tosado made history when he claimed this district that has historically been the preserve of Springfield’s American Hibernia. It also pulled the seat out of East Springfield’s grasp and into that of 16 Acres. More than anything, Tosado’s election revived a political career that looked crushed after losing the 2011 mayoral contest. In the legislature, Tosado has filed legislation on merging public safety and economic development initiatives, while hewing a more progressive line within the confines of House’s more moderate direction.

Robert Underwood-U

Offices Held: None Known
Profession: Computer programming/analyst
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On the Candidate (briefly): Robert Underwood has run in several elections for years, sometimes on Libertarian line. Though running as an unenrolled candidate, Underwood’s projection definitely falls within the Libertarian camp. Apparently incarceration for drug offenses led him to turn to the right, but his campaigns have historically failed to gain any attraction or attention. His website has not been updated from 2012.

Hampden County Sheriff

Nicholas Cocchi-D

Offices Held: none elected, assistant superintendent Hampden County jail
Profession: Corrections
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On the Candidate (briefly): Endowed with outgoing sheriff Michael Ashe’s blessing and support, Nicholas Cocchi arrived at a commanding victory in the September primary against too more seasoned candidates. But while Ashe’s help opened doors, Cocchi also built an impressive campaign machine that gives him a decided edge in the general. County elections have become fertile ground for experience arguments that cut into the Democratic lean of Hampden County. But Cocchi’s long time in the jail probably innoculates him from that.

John Comerford-R 

Offices Held: none elected
Profession: Veterans agent, investigator
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On the Candidate (briefly): A Bondsville resident and veterans agent for several towns, John Comerford was a surprise addition the race earlier in the cycle. No GOP candidate was expected, but it added a more traditional shape to a race if one in which Cocchi was highly favored. However, his low-key campaign has not gotten much attention or support from the state party.

James Gill-I

Offices Held: none elected
Profession: Corrections
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On the Candidate (briefly): After Cocchi, James Gill has been campaign for sheriff the longest and has experience in the jail to compare to Cocchi. But Gill’s decision to run as an independent, while tactically smart in the abstract, has not redounded to a the same surge that other county candidates have found. While not too outside the policy and ideology sphere of Sheriff Ashe, he has offered some policy differences such as on the Western Massachusetts Alocohol Correction Center–Gill would keep it in Holyoke–but that so far has not threatened Cocchi’s march to the sheriff’s office.

Hampshire County Sheriff

Patrick Cahillane-D

Offices Held: none elected, assistant superintendent of Hampshire jail
Profession: Corrections
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On the Candidate (briefly): Like his colleague to the south, Patrick Cahillane has enjoyed the support of outgoing sheriff Robert Garvey and has his own illustrious career in the office. Like many running these days, Cahillane has focused on the opiate crisis and upgrading facilities.

David Isakson-R 

Offices Held: none elected
Profession: business owner, police officer
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On the Candidate (briefly): In this heavily-Democratic county bound to have high turnout amid in a presidential election, David Isakson faces a tough task. Still he has put forward a platform focused on drug treatment and opiates.

KEY
D-Democrat
L-Libertarian
I-Independent candidate
R-Republican
U-Unenrolled