Government of Massachusetts facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Government of Massachusetts

Great Seal of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Polity type	Presidential republic Federated state
Constitution	Constitution of Massachusetts
Legislative branch
Name	General Court
Type	Bicameral
Meeting place	Massachusetts State House
Upper house
Name	Senate
Presiding officer	Karen Spilka, President
Lower house
Name	House of Representatives
Presiding officer	Ronald Mariano, Speaker
Executive branch
Head of State and Government
Title	Governor
Currently	Maura Healey
Appointer	Election
Cabinet
Name	9 Executive Agencies
Leader	Governor
Deputy leader	Lieutenant Governor
Headquarters	State House
Judicial branch
Name	Judiciary of Massachusetts
Chief Justice	Kimberly S. Budd
Courts	Courts of Massachusetts
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
Chief judge	Kimberly S. Budd
Seat	Suffolk County Courthouse, Boston

Massachusetts is a state in the United States with its own government. This government follows rules set out in the state constitution. The main parts of the government are the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.

The legislative branch makes laws. It's called the General Court and has two parts: the Senate and the House of Representatives. The executive branch carries out the laws. It's led by the Governor and other elected officials. The judicial branch explains the laws. This branch includes the Supreme Judicial Court and other courts.

The capital city of Massachusetts is Boston. The main government buildings are on Beacon Hill.

How Massachusetts Connects to the U.S. Government

Massachusetts in Congress

Massachusetts sends people to the U.S. Congress in Washington, D.C. This is how the state is represented in the national government.

Each state elects two senators to the Senate. Massachusetts also elects a number of representatives to the House of Representatives. The number of representatives depends on the state's population. Based on the 2010 U.S. Census, Massachusetts has nine representatives. Currently, all these officials are from the Democratic Party.

Massachusetts Members of Congress
Part of Congress	District	Official	Party		Term Started	Term Ends
Senate	Statewide	Elizabeth Warren		Democrat	2019	2025
		Ed Markey		Democrat	2021	2027
House of Representatives	1st	Richard Neal		Democrat	2023	2025
	2nd	Jim McGovern		Democrat
	3rd	Lori Trahan		Democrat
	4th	Jake Auchincloss		Democrat
	5th	Katherine Clark		Democrat
	6th	Seth Moulton		Democrat
	7th	Ayanna Pressley		Democrat
	8th	Stephen Lynch		Democrat
	9th	Bill Keating		Democrat

Federal Courts in Massachusetts

For federal legal cases, Massachusetts is part of the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. Appeals from this court go to the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.

Electoral College Votes

Massachusetts has 11 votes in the Electoral College. These votes help choose the President. The state gives all its votes to the candidate who wins the most votes in Massachusetts.

Executive Branch

The Executive Branch of Massachusetts is led by the Governor. The Governor is in charge of many state departments and agencies. There are also other elected officials who work in the executive branch.

Elected Officials

These officials are chosen by voters and have important jobs in the state government.

Key Elected Officials
Person		Office	Main Role	Took Office
	Maura Healey (born 1971)	Governor	Leads the state government	5 January 2023 (2 years ago) (2023-01-05)
	Kim Driscoll (born 1966)	Lieutenant Governor	Helps the Governor	5 January 2023 (2 years ago) (2023-01-05)
	William F. Galvin (born 1950)	Secretary of the Commonwealth	Manages elections and public records	1 January 1995 (30 years ago) (1995-01-01)
	Andrea Campbell (born 1982)	Attorney General	Chief lawyer for the state	18 January 2023 (2 years ago) (2023-01-18)
	Deb Goldberg (born 1954)	Treasurer and Receiver-General	Manages state money	21 January 2015 (10 years ago) (2015-01-21)
	Diana DiZoglio (born 1983)	State Auditor	Checks how state money is spent	18 January 2023 (2 years ago) (2023-01-18)

Governor's Council

The Massachusetts State House in Boston

The Governor's Council helps the Governor. It has eight members elected from different areas, plus the Lieutenant Governor. This council approves important appointments, like judges, and helps with other state decisions. The Governor leads the council, but doesn't vote.

Cabinet and State Agencies

The Governor has a team of eleven secretaries, called the cabinet. Each secretary leads an "Executive Office" that manages many state agencies. These agencies handle different parts of government, like health, education, and public safety.

Legislative Branch

State House interior

The state legislature is called the Massachusetts General Court. It makes the laws for Massachusetts. It has two parts:

• The Senate has 40 members.
• The House of Representatives has 160 members.

Members of both houses serve for two years. The leader of the House is called the Speaker. The leader of the Senate is called the President.

For a bill to become a law, it must be approved by both parts of the General Court and signed by the Governor. If the Governor doesn't sign it, the General Court can still make it a law if two-thirds of both houses vote for it again.

Senate Leaders		House Leaders
	President ▌Karen Spilka (D)		Speaker of the House ▌Ronald Mariano (D)
	President pro tempore ▌Will Brownsberger (D)		Speaker pro tempore ▌Kate Hogan (D)
	Majority Leader ▌Cynthia Stone Creem (D)		Majority Leader Michael Moran (D)
	Minority Leader ▌Bruce Tarr (R)		Minority Leader ▌Bradley Jones Jr. (R)

Judicial Branch

The John Adams Courthouse, home of the Supreme Judicial Court

The judicial branch explains and applies the laws of Massachusetts. It makes sure everyone gets fair treatment under the law. The court system includes the Supreme Judicial Court, the Appeals Court, and several trial courts.

Supreme Judicial Court

The Supreme Judicial Court is the highest court in Massachusetts. It oversees the entire court system. Besides hearing appeals, it also sets rules for how courts operate and for lawyers. It can also give advice to the Governor and legislature on legal questions.

Appeals Court

The Appeals Court reviews decisions made by the lower trial courts. It has a chief justice and twenty-four other justices.

Trial Courts

These are the courts where cases are first heard. Massachusetts has several types of trial courts:

• Superior Court
• District Court
• Land Court
• Housing Court
• Juvenile Court
• Probate and Family Court
• Boston Municipal Court

County Government

Most county governments in Massachusetts were removed in the 1990s and 2000s. However, some parts of county government still exist, mainly in the southeastern part of the state. For example, District Attorneys and Sheriffs are elected based on county areas. Sheriffs run jails and help with legal paperwork.

Sheriffs

District Attorneys

District attorneys are elected in 11 districts. They act as public lawyers for the state in criminal cases. Most district attorneys work within one county.

Registry of Deeds

Every county in Massachusetts has at least one registry of deeds. This office keeps records of property ownership, like deeds and titles. Each registry is run by an elected official called a register of deeds, who serves a six-year term.

Local Government

Boston City Hall

Massachusetts has a unique way of organizing local government, shared with other New England states. All land in Massachusetts belongs to either a city or a town. There are no areas that are not part of a city or town.

Cities and towns have the power to make their own local rules, but these rules must follow state laws. The state constitution gives cities and towns the right to govern themselves on local issues.

Elections and Politics

Massachusetts is known for its progressive politics. This means many people in the state support ideas that aim to improve society and protect individual rights. It is a strong area for the Democratic Party.

Transparency in Government

Massachusetts has laws to make sure government information is open to the public. These include an open-meeting law and a public-records law. These laws help people see what their government is doing. A new law in 2017 made it easier and cheaper for people to get government records.

See also

• Politics of Massachusetts
• United States Congress
• State governments of the United States (comparison)