Summary
The Massachusetts Senate is the upper house of the Massachusetts General Court, the bicameral state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Senate comprises 40 elected members from 40 single-member senatorial districts in the state. All but one of the districts are named for the counties in which they are located (the “Cape and Islands” district covers Dukes, Nantucket, and parts of Barnstable counties). Senators serve two-year terms, without term limits. The Senate convenes in the Massachusetts State House, in Boston.
The current session is the 192nd General Court, which convened January 6, 2021. It consists of 37 Democrats and 3 Republicans. The President of the Senate is Karen E. Spilka of Ashland. The Senate Minority Leader, from the Republican Party, is Bruce Tarr of Gloucester.
OnAir Post: Massachusetts State Senate
Wikipedia
The Massachusetts Senate is the upper house of the Massachusetts General Court, the bicameral state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Senate comprises 40 elected members from 40 single-member senatorial districts in the state. All but one of the districts are named for the counties in which they are located (the "Cape and Islands" district covers Dukes, Nantucket, and parts of Barnstable counties). Senators serve two-year terms, without term limits.[1] The Senate convenes in the Massachusetts State House in Boston, the state capital.
Qualifications
The following are the qualifications to be elected to the Massachusetts Senate:[2]
- Be 18 years of age
- Be a registered voter in Massachusetts
- Be an inhabitant of Massachusetts for five years
- Be a resident of the district when elected
- Receive a least 300 signatures on nomination papers
Recent party control
Democrats hold a supermajority in the Senate.
| Affiliation | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Total | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Republican | Vacant | ||
| Begin 189th (2015–2016) | 34 | 6 | 40 | 0 |
| Begin 190th (2017–2018) | ||||
| Begin 191st (2019–2020) | ||||
| Begin 192nd (2021–2022) | 37 | 3 | 40 | 0 |
| Begin 193rd (2023–2024) | 37 | 3 | 40 | 0 |
| June 5, 2023[a] | 36 | 39 | 1 | |
| November 29, 2023[b] | 4 | 40 | 0 | |
| Latest voting share | 90% | 10% | ||
Current leadership
Current members and districts
Current committees and members
Past composition of the Senate
See also
- 2023–2024 Massachusetts legislature
- List of former districts of the Massachusetts Senate
- List of Massachusetts Senate delegations
- Massachusetts House of Representatives
Notes
References
- ^ Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Article LXXXII.
- ^ "How to Run for Office in Massachusetts" (PDF). March 2017.
- ^ "State Sen. Gobi tapped for new post in Healey administration as director of rural affairs". WBUR. Retrieved August 27, 2023.
- ^ "Peter Durant sworn in as senator; GOP sees signs their ideas more 'viable' in Mass". telegram.com. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
- ^ "Massachusetts Senate". Ballotpedia. Retrieved January 5, 2023.
Further reading
- "Senate of the General Court of Massachusetts". Public Officers of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 2005., 2007
- "House–Senate power struggle brewing", Boston Globe, April 4, 2015
External links
- Senate Members of the General Court official government website
- Official Senate district definitions as of 2021
- State Senate of Massachusetts[permanent dead link] at Project Vote Smart
- Massachusetts Senate at Ballotpedia
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