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MASSACHUSETTSRace Summary
TOP RACES GOVERNOR: Acting Gov. Paul Cellucci (R), who assumed the governorship in July 1997 after William Weld's resignation, is seeking his first full term. He will face State Attorney General Scott Harshbarger (D).
back to top 1998 POLLSback to topPOLL HOURS7 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET back to top SENATOR AND GOVERNOR NOT UP IN 1998 Sen. Edward Kennedy (D); first elected 1962; next election in 2000. back to top VACANCIESback to top HOUSE DISTRICTS
John W. Olver (inc.) (D); Gregory L. Morgan (R) Richard E. Neal (D); no Republican candidate Jim McGovern (inc.) (D); Matthew Amorello (R) Barney Frank (inc.) (D); no Republican candidate Martin T. Meehan (inc.) (D); David E. Coleman (R) John F. Tierney (inc.) (D); Peter G. Torkildsen (R) Edward J. Markey (inc.) (D); Patricia H. Long (R) Michael E. Capuano (D); Philip Hyde, III (R) Joe Moakley (inc.) (D); no Republican candidate Bill Delahunt (D); Eric V. Bleicken (R) back to top PRIMARY DATESeptember 15 FILING DEADLINEJune 2 back to top STATEWIDE BALLOT MEASURESTotal Number: 4
To Watch: Governor: Republican back to top STATE LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONSSenate: All 40 seats up back to top PARTY REGISTRATIONState Projected Voting Age Population: 4,649,000 (1996)
back to top ELECTORAL VOTES12 PRESIDENTIAL VOTING HISTORYClinton won in 1996; Clinton in 1992; Dukakis in 1988; Reagan in 1984; Reagan in 1980; Carter in 1976; McGovern in 1972; Humphrey in 1968; Johnson in 1964; Kennedy in 1960. LAST TIME VOTED DEMOCRATIC FOR PRESIDENT: 1996PRESIDENTIAL VOTE IN 1996:Clinton 61% PRESIDENTIAL VOTE IN 1992:Clinton 47% PRESIDENTIAL VOTE IN 1988:Dukakis 53% PRESIDENTIAL VOTE IN 1984:Reagan 51% PRESIDENTIAL VOTE IN 1980:Reagan 41.9% back to top PAST EXIT POLLS1992: 1994: 1996: back to top TURNOUTHistorical voter turnout as a percentage of the voting age population 1996-1960 back to top DEMOGRAPHICSPopulation: 6,092,000 (1996) White: 92% Persons of Hispanic origin account for 4.5% of the voting population (from 1990 Census) back to top STATE TIDBITSState Capital: Boston When the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth in 1620, they became the first chapter in the Massachusetts story. The Kennedys remain the state's most potent living legacy to the nation, helping to make politics one of the state's favorite spectator sports. Six-term veteran Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy II will retire after this term, due in part to the death of his brother, Michael, and to spend more time with his family in Massachusetts. The younger Joe Kennedy was at one time a likely gubernatorial candidate in Massachusetts, but public life seems to have taken its toll on the family. Due in large part to much Catholic immigration, the state's Puritan legacy has taken an interesting twist: Massachusetts is arguably a Democratic stronghold with both of its senators and, since 1996, 10 of its representatives Democrats. (But just two years ago, Republicans held two of the 10 House seats.) Sen. John Kerry, now one of the most affluent members of Congress since his marriage to the heiress of the Heinz ketchup fortune, is mulling a presidential bid in 2000. back to top RELATED SITESNOTE: External sites will open in a new browser window. Government:Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth Home Page News Media:CNN AffiliatesWCVB (Boston) State NewspapersThe Boston Globe General Interest:The White Househttp://www.whitehouse.gov/WH/Welcome.html The House of Representatives http://www.house.gov/ The Senate http://www.senate.gov/ Library of Congress -- The Legislative Branch http://lcweb.loc.gov/global/legislative/congress.html Congressional Quarterly's American Voter http://voter.cq.com/ Congressional Quarterly's VoteWatch http://pathfinder.com/CQ/ THOMAS: Legislative Information on the Internet http://thomas.loc.gov/ Federal Election Commission http://www.fec.gov/ Democratic National Committee http://www.democrats.org/ Republican National Committee http://www.rnc.org/ Project Vote Smart http://www.vote-smart.org Policy.com http://www.policy.com/ Updated: October 27, 1998 |