Massachusetts general election, 2010

The Massachusetts general election, 2010 was held on November 2, 2010 throughout Massachusetts. Primary elections took place on September 14, 2010.

Federal

United States Senate

Neither of Massachusetts's two seats in the United States Senate was up for election in the 2010 general election. In January 2010, Republican Scott Brown won a special election to fill the seat of Ted Kennedy.

United States House of Representatives

All of Massachusetts's ten seats in the United States House of Representatives are up for election in 2010. All of the incumbent Representatives are seeking re-election, with the exception of Bill Delahunt of District 10. Massachusetts is expected to lose one congressional seat in the redistricting that will follow the 2010 census.[1]

All ten seats were won by Democrats.

State

All state-wide offices were won by Democrats. The Senate and the House were overwhelmingly won by Democrats as well.

Governor

Governor Deval Patrick sought re-election. He was challenged by former Green-Rainbow Party co-chair Grace Ross in the Democratic primary,[2] but she failed to get enough signatures on her nomination petition.

Former Harvard Pilgrim Health Care CEO Charlie Baker was the Republican candidate for Governor.[3] Convenience store franchise owner Christy Mihos dropped out of the race after a poor showing at the 2010 Massachusetts Republican Convention.[4]

State Treasurer Tim Cahill left the Democratic Party in September 2009 ran as an independent candidate.[5]

Physician, activist, and Green-Rainbow Party co-chair Jill Stein ran as the Green-Rainbow candidate.[6]

Lieutenant Governor

Lieutenant Governor Tim Murray sought re-election. He was challenged in the general election by Massachusetts Senate Minority Leader Richard R. Tisei (Republican),[7] former State Representative Paul Loscocco (Independent),[8] and surgery clerk and ergonomics assessor Richard P. Purcell (Green-Rainbow).[9]

Secretary of the Commonwealth

Democratic incumbent William F. Galvin sought re-election. He was opposed by Woburn City Clerk William Campbell, who ran as a Republican.[10] and James D. Henderson, who ran as an independent.[11]

Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth Election, 2010[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic William F. Galvin 1,420,481 64.34%
Republican William Campbell 720,967 32.70%
Independent James D. Henderson 61,812 2.80%
Write-in 1,424 0.16%

Attorney General

Further information: Massachusetts Attorney General

Attorney General Martha Coakley, a Democrat, sought re-election. The Republicans did not formally nominate a candidate at their convention nor has any candidate collected enough signatures to be on the primary ballot. Nevertheless, two late entry candidates, Jim McKenna,[13] and Guy Carbone[14] were seeking to get the nomination if they can receive 10,000 write-in votes. James McKenna received 27,711 certified write-in votes, which was a United States and Massachusetts Electoral record. The ballot then listed Martha Coakley (D) and James McKenna (R)

Coakley was re-elected.

Massachusetts Attorney General Republican Primary, 2010[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Jim McKenna (Write-in) 27,711 54.38%
Republican Guy Carbone (Write-in) 9,505 18.66%
Other 13,734 26.96%
Massachusetts Attorney General Election, 2010[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Martha Coakley 1,417,538 62.76%
Republican Jim McKenna 839,274 37.16%
Write-in 1,981 0.08%

Treasurer

Treasurer Tim Cahill retired to run for Governor.

Former Democratic National Committee National Chairman Steve Grossman won the Democratic primary against Boston City Counselor Stephen J. Murphy, and was opposed by Republican State Representative Karyn Polito (of Shrewsbury) in the general election.[16] Grossman won.

Massachusetts Treasurer Democratic Primary, 2010[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Steve Grossman 245,386 60.78%
Democratic Stephen J. Murphy 157,284 38.96%
Write-in 1,071 0.26%
Massachusetts Treasurer Election, 2010[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Steve Grossman 1,208,098 54.84%
Republican Karyn Polito 993,127 45.08%
Write-in 1,784 0.08%

Auditor

Auditor Joe DeNucci retired.

Mary Z. Connaughton, former board member of the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority and Kamal Jain, the 2002 Libertarian candidate for auditor and current operations and customer service manager for Vivox competed for the Republican nomination.[18]

Suzanne Bump (former Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development), Guy Glodis (Worcester County Sheriff), and Mike Lake (Clinton-era White House intern) competed for the Democratic nomination.[19]

Nathanael Fortune, the Green-Rainbow Party nominee, also appeared on the November ballot.[11]

Bump won.

Massachusetts Auditor Democratic Primary, 2010[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Suzanne Bump 198,984 49.41%
Democratic Guy Glodis 125,974 31.28%
Democratic Mike Lake 76,764 19.06%
Write-in 1,027 0.26%
Massachusetts Auditor Republican Primary, 2010[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Mary Z. Connaughton 176,864 86.30%
Republican Kamal Jain 27,017 13.20%
Write-in 848 0.41%
Massachusetts Auditor Election, 2010[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Suzanne Bump 1,027,710 48.45%
Republican Mary Z. Connaughton 982,113 46.30%
Green-Rainbow Nat Fortune 108,997 5.14%
Write-in 2,186 0.10%

Massachusetts Senate

Further information: Massachusetts Senate

All 40 seats in the Massachusetts Senate were up for election in 2010.

Massachusetts House of Representatives

All 160 seats in the Massachusetts House of Representatives were up for election in 2010.

Ballot measures

There were three state-wide ballot questions, all initiatives. Question 1 passed, but Questions 2 and 3 failed.

Question 1 repealed the sales tax on alcohol. Question 2 would have repealled an affordable housing statute. Question 3 would have lowered the sales tax rate.[20]

County

Counties in Massachusetts will elect County Commissioners, District Attorneys, and Sheriffs.

References

  1. ↑ Brace, Kimball (December 22, 2008). "New Population Estimates Show Slight Changes For 2008 Congressional Apportionment, But Point to Major Changes for 2010 – Table E" (PDF). ElectionDataServices. Retrieved December 25, 2008.
  2. ↑ Levenson, Michael (February 5, 2010), "Ross will challenge Patrick for governor", Boston Globe, retrieved February 9, 2010
  3. ↑ Chabot, Hillary; McConville, Christine; Van Sack, Jessica (July 8, 2009). "Charles D. Baker leaving Harvard Pilgrim to run for governor". Boston Herald. Retrieved January 25, 2010.
  4. ↑ Bierman, Noah (April 18, 2010). "After Spot On Ballot is Denied Mihos Says He Won't Run Again". Boston.com.
  5. ↑ Estes, Andrea (September 10, 2009). "Cahill enters race for governor". Boston Globe. Retrieved May 3, 2010.
  6. ↑ "Stein to jump into gov race with Green-Rainbow bid". Boston Herald. January 7, 2010.
  7. ↑ Levenson, Michael (November 24, 2009). "Baker names Senate's Tisei as running mate". The Boston Globe. Retrieved February 25, 2014.
  8. ↑ LeBlanc, Steve (April 26, 2010). "Mass. House votes to scrap property tax plan". Boston Globe. Retrieved May 3, 2010.
  9. ↑ "Gubernatorial candidate Jill Stein of Green-Rainbow Party, introduces lieutenant governor candidate Richard P. Purcell, of Holyoke". The Republican (Springfield). April 3, 2010.
  10. ↑ O’Sullivan, Jim (April 13, 2010). "GOP chair sees Christy Mihos earning ballot spot". Boston Herald. Retrieved May 3, 2010.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 "2010 State Election Candidates". Massachusetts Elections Division. Retrieved October 15, 2010.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 Return of Votes For Massachusetts State Election. 2010.
  13. ↑ Millbury lawyer to run against Coakley http://www.telegram.com/article/20100719/NEWS/100719742/1116 Retrieved August 22, 2010.
  14. ↑ Election overview: What's on the ballot statewide http://www.salemnews.com/opinion/x666132227/Election-overview-Whats-on-the-ballot-statewide Retrieved August 22, 2010.
  15. ↑ "09/14/2010 State Primary". Retrieved July 2, 2011.
  16. ↑ Martin Finucane (April 28, 2010). "Grossman announces candidacy for treasurer". Boston Globe. Retrieved May 3, 2010.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 "09/14/2010 State Primary". Retrieved July 2, 2011.
  18. ↑ Murphy, Matt (April 21, 2010). "Jain launches campaign for state auditor". Lowell Sun. Retrieved April 24, 2010.
  19. ↑ Haneisen, Rob (February 3, 2010). "Connaughton gets big crowd at fundraiser". The MetroWest Daily News. Retrieved April 6, 2010.
  20. ↑ Secretary of the Commonwealth, 2010 Statewide Ballot Questions http://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/elepip10/pip101.htm Retrieved August 22, 2010.

External links