I heard this again and again as I was passing our ballot question endorsement palm cards at a recent community festival.
With 9 statewide ballot questions (as well as some additional local or district-specific ballot questions in some communities), the ballot this year is long. Ballot questions can be confusingly worded and have implications that aren’t fully clear at first reading.
That’s why trusted sources of information are so important. Our endorsement palm cards provide that resource.
Here’s how you can help:
Share our endorsement graphic on social media or with your friends. (Facebook, Instagram, BlueSky)
Want some copies of our palm card to distribute? Just ask us.
Click here for a deep dive on each question so you can talk about them fluently.
In solidarity, Jonathan Cohn Policy Director Progressive Massachusetts
When it comes to ballot questions, it’s always incredibly revealing to look at who is spending, especially who’s spending big.
Who is bankrolling Question 3?
Question 3, which would change MA’s primary system to a California-style jungle primary, eliminate primaries for Lt. Governor, and allow SuperPACs to get their endorsements on your ballot, is largely bankrolled by private equity.
According to OCPF filings, 20 donors gave $100,000 more more, together $5.36 million (81% of individual money). One private investment firm gave $200,000.
And 23 private equity executives gave $4.7 million (71% of all money from individuals), with most of that from current or former executives at Bain Capital or Berkshire Partners. Remember: The most dangerous words in the English language are we’re from private equity, and we’re here to help.
Why do they care so much? Because California’s system has helped corporate interest groups elect more corporate-aligned Democrats to the California Legislature, and pushing up the cost and time of an election shuts out working-class candidates from even thinking of running in the first place. Private equity executives don’t put up this much money without expecting a return.
Who is bankrolling Question 5?
Question 5, which would impose a tighter revenue limit on the state and lead to cuts to essential services we all depend on, is mostly funded by the Massachusetts Opportunity Alliance, a dark money group created by CEOs after the Fair Share fight in 2022.
These CEOs were mad about the passage of the Fair Share Amendment (or “millionaire’s tax”), and they felt that CEOs weren’t willing to donate publicly against Fair Share. Their solution? Creating a vehicle for CEOs to donate privately for campaigns in the future.
As we face $3 billion in federal cuts next year, these CEOs want to kneecap our state’s ability to respond, and they want to undermine the Fair Share Amendment and prevent our state from doing more in housing, health care, education, transportation, and the environment (and make it harder to even do what we’re already doing).
Who is bankrolling Question 8?
Question 8, which would roll back the legalization of recreational marijuana, is almost entirely funded by an out-of-state dark money group called Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) Action.
This group was founded by former Congressman Patrick Kennedy and former George W. Bush speechwriters David Sabet and David Frum (you might know him from his column in The Atlantic).
SAM, as a dark money group, doesn’t disclose its donors, but it has often been alleged to be funded by the liquor industry and the pharmaceutical industry, especially because whenever donors of anti-cannabis campaigns are disclosed, these are the big spenders. They don’t care about public health: they just don’t like competition.
Who is bankrolling No on 9?
Question 9 is different from the other 8 ballot questions. The other 8 were part on the ballot by the people who want you to vote yes. Question 9 was put on the ballot by the people who want you to vote No (it’s a “veto referendum” as opposed to a “ballot initiative petition”).
A Yes on 9 upholds the state’s 2024 gun safety law, which did important things like cracking down on ghost guns, updating our assault weapons ban, improving data collection on gun violence, and much more. But after Gov. Healey signed the bill, the Gun Owners Action League got to work to try to repeal it.
Who’s the biggest donor behind this repeal effort? None other than Smith & Wesson, whose $50K donation is 10% of the total.
With a record-tying 9 statewide ballot questions this year, that ballot will be much longer than usual, and voter education this fall is extra important. Read on for our recommendations on all 9 questions.
✅VOTE YES ON 1 to expand the public records law to cover the Governor and the Legislature. We’re the only state in the country that doesn’t do that already. Let the sunlight in.
✅VOTE YES ON 2 to enable public defenders to collectively bargain. Every worker deserves to have a union, and public defenders, who are often overworked and underpaid, should be no exception.
❌VOTE NO ON 3 to prevent private equity billionaires from rigging our election system in their favor. Top-two primaries empower corporate PACs and self-funders, disadvantage grassroots candidates, and turn MAGA voters into election kingmakers.
✅VOTE YES ON 4 to enable voters to register to vote or update their registration on Election Day. No eligible voter should be turned away due to a clerical error, and this reform is one of the most proven ways to increase voter turnout.
❌VOTE NO ON 5 to protect our state’s ability to invest in health care, transportation, and public education. The rich would get millions in tax rebates, while the rest of us suffer from underfunded public services.
⚪VOTE how you want on 6. Question 6 fell shy of our endorsement threshold: our members valued land and water conservation, but were worried about the dedication of existing funds as opposed to new ones.
✅VOTE YES on 7 to enable more starter homes across the Commonwealth. We have a housing crisis, and large lot size requirements mean fewer homes are able to be built.
❌VOTE NO on 8 to protect our state’s cannabis laws. We said NO to the war on drugs back in 2016, and we shouldn’t turn back time and destroy local economies.
✅VOTE YES ON 9 to protect our state’s landmark gun safety law, which cracked down on ghost guns, banned machine gun conversion devices, and strengthened gun violence data collection.
Phone Bank for Ballot Questions
Phone Bank for No on 3: Wednesdays at 6 pm, RSVP here (also text banking on Mondays & Tuesdays) Don’t let private equity buy our election system
Phone Bank for Yes on 4:RSVP here No eligible voter should but shut out from our elections.
Phone Bank for No on 5:RSVP here Protect our state’s ability to invest and say no to CEOs trying to undermine Fair Share.
Phone Bank for Yes on 9: Wednesdays at 6 pm, RSVP here Protect MA’s leadership in gun violence prevention.
Our 2026 Candidate Endorsements
~~US Senate~~
Ed Markey for US Senate
Djuna Perkins for Norfolk County District Attorney
Norfolk County voters who want to see a progressive reformer as their next District Attorney should vote for Djuna Perkins. Djuna will bring professionalism, accountability, a trauma-informed approach, and a commitment to building community trust to an office that desperately needs it, and her decades of experience show her strong commitment to fairness and justice.
She has been endorsed by Progressive Brookline, Progressive Mass Western Norfolk County, and Neponset Valley Progressives.
A working mom and active BPS parent, trained as a lawyer and social worker, Persis Yu is an experienced consumer rights attorney and champion for families and workers. During her nearly two decades as a consumer rights attorney and advocate, she has secured billions of dollars in student debt relief, filed class action lawsuits that directly cancelled hundreds of thousands of dollars in predatory employer debt, and led campaigns that resulted in worker protection laws in more than a dozen states. She combines expert knowledge, a proven track record, and strong progressive values. Learn more about Persis at https://www.electpersis.com/.
Persis Yu has also been endorsed by our chapters JP Progressives and Progressive West Roxbury/Roslindale.
Shannon Teabo for Worcester and Hampshire
The District: Barre, Brookfield, East Brookfield, Gardner, Hardwick, Holden, Hubbardston, Leicester, New Braintree, North Brookfield, Oakham, Paxton, Phillipston, Princeton, Rutland, Spencer, Sterling, Templeton, Ware, West Brookfield, Westminster, Worcester (W7 Pcts 2, 4-6; W9 P3&4)
Shannon Teabo is an activist, organizer, and mom running to fight for affordable childcare, funding for education, and equitable access to quality healthcare. She is running against Republican incumbent Peter Durant, who has an8% on our Legislative Scorecard and a racist, xenophobic, and anti-worker record as a state senator and previously as a state rep. Learn more about Shannon athttps://www.teaboforsenate.com/.
State Rep. Erika Uyterhoeven has been a champion of tax fairness, climate action, public schools, criminal justice reform, and so many important issues. Erika has consistently had an A+ on our Progressive Scorecard. Learn more about Erika at https://www.electerika.com/.
Vanna Howard for First Middlesex
The District: Dracut, Dunstable, Lowell, Pepperell and Tyngsborough
Sen. Vanna Howard won the special election for this seat earlier this year. Both as a state rep before and a as a state senator now, she has been a strong champion for immigrants’ rights, reproductive justice, and public education. Learn more about Vanna at https://www.vannahoward.com/.
Jamie Eldridge for Middlesex & Worcester
The District: Acton, Ayer, Boxborough, Harvard, Hudson, Littleton, Marlborough, Maynard, Southborough, Stow, Sudbury, and Wayland
Senator Jamie Eldridge has been a stalwart on so many progressive issues, like tax fairness, immigrants’ rights, climate action, housing justice, and more and has reliably had an A or A+ on our Legislator Scorecard. Learnmore about Jamie at https://www.jamieeldridge.com/.
~~MA House~~
Jack Richardson for 3rd Barnstable State Rep
The District: Bourne (Pcts 4-6), Falmouth (Pcts 3-5, 7-9), Mashpee
Jack Richardson became the youngest person ever elected to the Falmouth Select Board, and he immediately got to work. He led the effort to ban ICE from town property without a judicial warrant and secured funding for a Portuguese-speaking social worker. He has championed measures to make Falmouth more affordable, vibrant, and more climate-resilient at the local level and is ready to fight for housing affordability and climate action at the State House. Learn more about Jack at https://www.jackprichardson.com/.
Jack Richardson has also been endorsed by our chapter Indivisible Upper Cape.
Celina Reyes for 16th Essex State Rep
The District: Lawrence (Ward A Pcts 2A, 3, 4; Ward E Pcts 1A, 2, 3, 4; Ward F), Methuen (Pcts 3, 7, 13A)
Celina Reyes is a Lawrence City Councilor, a family child care provider, and a leader of her local in SEIU 509. Through her work with SEIU 509, she has championed greater investments in child care and rent stabilization, and organized to help pass the Fair Share Amendment. Learn more about Celina at http://www.celinareyes.com.
Connor Murray for 18th Essex
The District: Andover (Pcts 1, 4A, 5-10), Boxford (Pct 1), North Andover (Pcts 7&8), Tewksbury (Pcts 3, 5A, 7)
Connor Murray has been an activist for climate action, affordable housing, and gun violence prevention and is ready to lead on those and other progressive issues in the State House. Learn more about Connor at https://www.murray4ma.com/.
Lora Wondolowski is the Greenfield City Council President, a role in which she has been able to shepherd a number of progressive policy initiatives. She got into local politics to fight cuts to Greenfield public schools, and she has been a reliable champion of public education. She was the founding executive director of the Massachusetts League of Environmental Voters, where she helped pass the state’s Global Warming Solutions Act, and currently works for the Peace Development Fund, investing in grassroots organizing efforts. She would bring a much-needed mix of progressive values, policymaking knowledge, and organizing experience to the State House. Learn more about Lora at https://wondoforrep.org/.
Lora has also been endorsed by our chapter Franklin County Continuing the Political Revolution.
Tom Hendrickson is an Agawam City Councilor, who has led local initiatives on Community Choice Aggregation and Council transparency, and has worked to elect progressives across Western Mass. He is running to be a champion for public schools, workers’ rights, taking on corporate power, and single payer health care. He is running against a 16-year conservative Republican incumbent who has never broken 28% on our Scorecard. Learn more about Tom at https://www.tomhendrickson.org/.
Ravi Simon brings policy experience, organizing skills, and strong progressive values. As the legislative aide to Rep. Carmine Gentile, he worked on PM priorities like debt-free higher education, a local option real estate transfer fee, and same day registration. He has served as a member of the Lincoln-Sudbury School Committee, and he was an organizer with the State House Employee Union, fighting for better workplace conditions for himself and fellow legislative staff. Learn more about Ravi at https://www.ravisimon.com/.
Lorena Betts is first and foremost an organizer. She is the founder of The Peacemakers Network, a grassroots movement of peacemakers in Massachusetts focused on building bridges through education, community building and policy advocacy, and has organized the local No Kings rallies in her community. She has State House experience as a legislative aide, and that experience has led her to understand how badly the State House is broken and the need for organizers inside working with those outside to make real change possible. Learn more about Lorena at https://lorenabetts.com/.
Lorena Betts has also been endorsed by our chapter Solidarity Lowell.
Mike Connolly has been a strong progressive ally since we first endorsed him in 2016. On our Progressive Scorecard of the State Legislature, his scores have ranged from 95% to 100%. Mike has fought for stronger tenant protections, social housing, and revenue for affordable housing, as well as workers’ rights, bold climate action, voting rights, transparency, and more. Mike is willing to speak out against bad, rushed legislation, and to push the State House to be more ambitious in all of its policymaking. Learn more about Mike at https://www.mikeconnolly.org/.
Ben Ewen-Campen has been a reliable progressive ally and a leader on key issues on the Somerville City Council. As an advocate for affordable housing, he helped found the statewide coalition fighting for a local option real estate transfer fee. He led the passage of Somerville’s Affordable Housing Overlay (AHO) District, and he spearheaded the work on Somerville’s rent control home rule petition. He led the passage of ordinances to ban tear gas and heavily restrict the use of other “non-lethal” crowd control techniques, require Council approval of surveillance technologies, and make Somerville the second city in the US to prohibit the usage of facial recognition technology by the local government. Learn more about Ben at https://www.benforstaterepma.com/.
Leila Migliorelli is a Melrose City Councilor who has led on such issues creating the first-ever Melrose Affordable Housing Trust, advocating for critical infrastructure projects, and supporting public schools. She is running to advocate for strengthening public schools’ funding, protecting immigrant rights, expanding access to reproductive health care, and and building more sustainable communities. Learn more about Leila at https://leilaforrep.com/.
Leila has also been endorsed by our chapter Mystic Valley Progressives.
Lisa Lopez for 6th Norfolk
The District: Avon, Canton, Stoughton (Pcts 1, 2A, 4A, 5, 7, and 8)
Lisa Lopez is a former Select Board Member in Canton, the third woman in history to ever be elected to the role. She championed the town’s municipal energy aggregation program (Canton Electrical Choice) and Affordable Housing Trust and played a key role in the town’s response to COVID. She was the initial chair of the Community Preservation Committee in Canton, and she is the current chair of the Canton Housing Authority and the local Affordable Housing Trust. She is running to be an advocate for housing affordability, environmental protection, and health care access. Learn more about Lisa at https://www.lopezforrep.com/.
Tom Melville is a former journalist, having served as Executive News Director at WBUR and News Director at NECN, and someone who as a result values open communication, transparency, and listening. He was inspired to run after seeing the bigoted and divisive way that the incumbent, Republican Marcus Vaughn, responded to the opening of a shelter for migrant families. He is running to be a strong advocate for education funding, civil rights, climate action, health care access, and government transparency. Learn more about Tom at https://www.electmelville.com/.
Tom is also endorsed by Progressive Mass Western Norfolk County.
Jen Heck is a documentary filmmaker who led the successful campaign to bring Sutton into MBTA Communities Act compliance, turning early opposition into near-unanimous support. She is running to be a champion for tackling the housing affordability crisis, investing more in our public schools, and establishing clear ethical guardrails around the use of AI. She is running against Republican Joe McKenna, who has a0% on our Legislative Scorecard. Learn more about Jen at https://www.heckyeah2026.org/.
Governor’s Council
The Governor’s Council is the most important office that you may have never heard of.The Massachusetts Governor’s Council consists of eight individuals elected from districts each consisting of five state senate districts. The Council is responsible for confirming judges and members of the Parole Board, among other nominees, and of approving pardons and commutations. If you care about the present and future of courts in Massachusetts, then you should care about the Governor’s Council.
We are proud to endorse four incumbents facing contested elections.
Massachusetts’s state primary is one of the latest in the country, but this year, one of the most striking things about our primary date wasn’t how late it is, or even that it was before Labor Day and before the start of school. It was that it was the biggest moving day in Boston and the surrounding communities.
An estimated 79% of all leases in Boston turn over on September 1. The parade of moving vans and plethora of discarded household items are so visible that there is even a Wikipedia page to talk about Moving Day.
Our primary falling on Moving Day meant that countless voters got shut out of the election simply because of the date on their lease. Many voters simply do not have the time to criss-cross the entire city to get to an old polling location. And if they were lucky enough to move in August, they might not have had the time to re-register at their new address yet. Shutting out eligible voters who want to participate is bad for democracy.
Election Day Registration, on the ballot this fall as Question 4, can fix that. EDR would ensure that every eligible voter who wants to participate is able to do so. EDR is one of the best ways we can strengthen democracy here in MA.
Voting rights advocates are holding a launch for the Yes on 4 campaign this Tuesday in Worcester. Learn more about that below, and stay tuned for how to get involved.
Yes 4 Election Day Registration Campaign Launch!
Tuesday, September 15, 2026, 11 am,11 am, The Worcester Common Oval, RSVP
Join the Yes On 4 Election Day Registration ballot question campaign for our official campaign launch event on Tuesday September 15, 2026 which is also National Voter Registration Day.
Join voting rights, labor, faith-based, and community organizations to ensure that Question 4 passes on November 3 so that Election Day Voter Registration finally becomes law in Massachusetts!
Speaking of Back to School….
Sign the Petition! Tell Governor Healey to Say No to the Federal School Voucher Scheme
The federal “tax credit scholarship” voucher program takes public funds away from public schools and students to subsidize private schools, with little accountability. It was established under Section 70411 of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and is part of the federal administration’s attempt to dismantle the federal Department of Education and slash federal funding for public education — negatively impacting public schools and students. Massachusetts has one of the strongest public education systems in the nation because we invest in public schools that serve all students. We should be focused on protecting and strengthening public education, not privatizing it.
One of the biggest upset victories from last Tuesday was consumer protection attorney Persis Yu’s defeat of Senate Majority Whip Mike Rush in the Norfolk and Suffolk district, which includes the southwestern part of Boston (part of JP, part of Hyde Park, Roslindale, West Roxbury) and nearby suburbs (Dedham, Westwood, Norwood, Walpole).
Although Persis’s win came as a surprise to many politicos, it wasn’t a surprise to our chapters on the ground in the district (JP Progressives, Progressive West Roxbury/Roslindale, and Neponset Valley Progressives).
Indeed, Persis’s win on Tuesday shows why chapters are so essential.
First, the year-round organizing, community building, and political education that chapters do changes who even considers running for office in the first place. The type of people we want to see in office will only take the risk of running if they think there will be people willing and eager to support them.
Second, chapters inform communities about what incumbents are actually up to. If you want people to realize how an incumbent’s voting record and values are increasingly out of step with the district, you need to show them. Hosting events, organizing trips to the State House, publishing votes, and more—these all help people understand whether their elected officials are representing them well.
So many people thought that this district was too conservative for a progressive to win. But our chapters across all corners of the district knew otherwise because they had been listening, influencing, organizing, and doing the work.
Learn more about our existing chapters here or reach out about creating a chapter in your community at chapters@progressivemass.com.In solidarity, Jonathan Cohn Policy Director Progressive Massachusetts
🎉Congratulations to our endorsed candidates who won their primaries last week and are advancing to November! 🎉
~~US Senate~~
Ed Markey for US Senate
Djuna Perkins for Norfolk County District Attorney
Norfolk County voters who want to see a progressive reformer as their next District Attorney should vote for Djuna Perkins. Djuna will bring professionalism, accountability, a trauma-informed approach, and a commitment to building community trust to an office that desperately needs it, and her decades of experience show her strong commitment to fairness and justice.
She has been endorsed by Progressive Brookline, Progressive Mass Western Norfolk County, and Neponset Valley Progressives.
A working mom and active BPS parent, trained as a lawyer and social worker, Persis Yu is an experienced consumer rights attorney and champion for families and workers. During her nearly two decades as a consumer rights attorney and advocate, she has secured billions of dollars in student debt relief, filed class action lawsuits that directly cancelled hundreds of thousands of dollars in predatory employer debt, and led campaigns that resulted in worker protection laws in more than a dozen states. She combines expert knowledge, a proven track record, and strong progressive values. Learn more about Persis at https://www.electpersis.com/.
Persis Yu has also been endorsed by our chapters JP Progressives and Progressive West Roxbury/Roslindale.
Shannon Teabo for Worcester and Hampshire
The District: Barre, Brookfield, East Brookfield, Gardner, Hardwick, Holden, Hubbardston, Leicester, New Braintree, North Brookfield, Oakham, Paxton, Phillipston, Princeton, Rutland, Spencer, Sterling, Templeton, Ware, West Brookfield, Westminster, Worcester (W7 Pcts 2, 4-6; W9 P3&4)
Shannon Teabo is an activist, organizer, and mom running to fight for affordable childcare, funding for education, and equitable access to quality healthcare. She is running against Republican incumbent Peter Durant, who has an 8% on our Legislative Scorecard and a racist, xenophobic, and anti-worker record as a state senator and previously as a state rep. Learn more about Shannon at https://www.teaboforsenate.com/.
~~MA House~~
Jack Richardson for 3rd Barnstable State Rep
The District: Bourne (Pcts 4-6), Falmouth (Pcts 3-5, 7-9), Mashpee
Jack Richardson became the youngest person ever elected to the Falmouth Select Board, and he immediately got to work. He led the effort to ban ICE from town property without a judicial warrant and secured funding for a Portuguese-speaking social worker. He has championed measures to make Falmouth more affordable, vibrant, and more climate-resilient at the local level and is ready to fight for housing affordability and climate action at the State House. Learn more about Jack at https://www.jackprichardson.com/.
Jack Richardson has also been endorsed by our chapter Indivisible Upper Cape.
Celina Reyes for 16th Essex State Rep
The District: Lawrence (Ward A Pcts 2A, 3, 4; Ward E Pcts 1A, 2, 3, 4; Ward F), Methuen (Pcts 3, 7, 13A)
Celina Reyes is a Lawrence City Councilor, a family child care provider, and a leader of her local in SEIU 509. Through her work with SEIU 509, she has championed greater investments in child care and rent stabilization, and organized to help pass the Fair Share Amendment. She is running against a Democratic incumbent who joined Republicans in voting to weaken the protections for reproductive and gender-affirming care in the Shield 2.0 law, owns so many properties that he can’t remember how many, and has opposed efforts like a local option real estate transfer fee to address the housing crisis. Learn more about Celina at http://www.celinareyes.com.
Lora Wondolowski is the Greenfield City Council President, a role in which she has been able to shepherd a number of progressive policy initiatives. She got into local politics to fight cuts to Greenfield public schools, and she has been a reliable champion of public education. She was the founding executive director of the Massachusetts League of Environmental Voters, where she helped pass the state’s Global Warming Solutions Act, and currently works for the Peace Development Fund, investing in grassroots organizing efforts. She would bring a much-needed mix of progressive values, policymaking knowledge, and organizing experience to the State House. Learn more about Lora at https://wondoforrep.org/.
Lora has also been endorsed by our chapter Franklin County Continuing the Political Revolution.
Tom Hendrickson is an Agawam City Councilor, who has led local initiatives on Community Choice Aggregation and Council transparency, and has worked to elect progressives across Western Mass. He is running to be a champion for public schools, workers’ rights, taking on corporate power, and single payer health care. He is running against a 16-year conservative Republican incumbent who has never broken 28% on our Scorecard. Learn more about Tom at https://www.tomhendrickson.org/.
Ravi Simon brings policy experience, organizing skills, and strong progressive values. As the legislative aide to Rep. Carmine Gentile, he worked on PM priorities like debt-free higher education, a local option real estate transfer fee, and same day registration. He has served as a member of the Lincoln-Sudbury School Committee, and he was an organizer with the State House Employee Union, fighting for better workplace conditions for himself and fellow legislative staff. Learn more about Ravi at https://www.ravisimon.com/.
Lorena Betts is first and foremost an organizer. She is the founder of The Peacemakers Network, a grassroots movement of peacemakers in Massachusetts focused on building bridges through education, community building and policy advocacy, and has organized the local No Kings rallies in her community. She has State House experience as a legislative aide, and that experience has led her to understand how badly the State House is broken and the need for organizers inside working with those outside to make real change possible. Learn more about Lorena at https://lorenabetts.com/.
Lorena Betts has also been endorsed by our chapter Solidarity Lowell.
Mike Connolly has been a strong progressive ally since we first endorsed him in 2016. On our Progressive Scorecard of the State Legislature, his scores have ranged from 95% to 100%. Mike has fought for stronger tenant protections, social housing, and revenue for affordable housing, as well as workers’ rights, bold climate action, voting rights, transparency, and more. Mike is willing to speak out against bad, rushed legislation, and to push the State House to be more ambitious in all of its policymaking. Learn more about Mike at https://www.mikeconnolly.org/.
Ben Ewen-Campen has been a reliable progressive ally and a leader on key issues on the Somerville City Council. As an advocate for affordable housing, he helped found the statewide coalition fighting for a local option real estate transfer fee. He led the passage of Somerville’s Affordable Housing Overlay (AHO) District, and he spearheaded the work on Somerville’s rent control home rule petition. He led the passage of ordinances to ban tear gas and heavily restrict the use of other “non-lethal” crowd control techniques, require Council approval of surveillance technologies, and make Somerville the second city in the US to prohibit the usage of facial recognition technology by the local government. Learn more about Ben at https://www.benforstaterepma.com/.
Leila Migliorelli is a Melrose City Councilor who has led on such issues creating the first-ever Melrose Affordable Housing Trust, advocating for critical infrastructure projects, and supporting public schools. She is running to advocate for strengthening public schools’ funding, protecting immigrant rights, expanding access to reproductive health care, and and building more sustainable communities. Learn more about Leila at https://leilaforrep.com/.
Leila has also been endorsed by our chapter Mystic Valley Progressives.
Lisa Lopez for 6th Norfolk
The District: Avon, Canton, Stoughton (Pcts 1, 2A, 4A, 5, 7, and 8)
Lisa Lopez is a former Select Board Member in Canton, the third woman in history to ever be elected to the role. She championed the town’s municipal energy aggregation program (Canton Electrical Choice) and Affordable Housing Trust and played a key role in the town’s response to COVID. She was the initial chair of the Community Preservation Committee in Canton, and she is the current chair of the Canton Housing Authority and the local Affordable Housing Trust. She is running to be an advocate for housing affordability, environmental protection, and health care access. Learn more about Lisa at https://www.lopezforrep.com/.
Tom Melville is a former journalist, having served as Executive News Director at WBUR and News Director at NECN, and someone who as a result values open communication, transparency, and listening. He was inspired to run after seeing the bigoted and divisive way that the incumbent, Republican Marcus Vaughn, responded to the opening of a shelter for migrant families. He is running to be a strong advocate for education funding, civil rights, climate action, health care access, and government transparency. Learn more about Tom at https://www.electmelville.com/.
Tom is also endorsed by Progressive Mass Western Norfolk County.
Jen Heck is a documentary filmmaker who led the successful campaign to bring Sutton into MBTA Communities Act compliance, turning early opposition into near-unanimous support. She is running to be a champion for tackling the housing affordability crisis, investing more in our public schools, and establishing clear ethical guardrails around the use of AI. She is running against Republican Joe McKenna, who has a 0% on our Legislative Scorecard. Learn more about Jen at https://www.heckyeah2026.org/.
Governor’s Council
The Governor’s Council is the most important office that you may have never heard of. The Massachusetts Governor’s Council consists of eight individuals elected from districts each consisting of five state senate districts. The Council is responsible for confirming judges and members of the Parole Board, among other nominees, and of approving pardons and commutations. If you care about the present and future of courts in Massachusetts, then you should care about the Governor’s Council.
We are proud to endorse four incumbents facing contested elections.
(1) Questionnaire: Every cycle, Progressive Mass’s Elections and Endorsements Committee (EEC) puts together comprehensive policy questionnaires for federal and state candidates, which we publish on our website. Only candidates who fill out these questionnaires are eligible for endorsement. Find all questionnaires collected this cycle here.
(2) Interviews: For Congressional races, the EEC conducts public interviews of all candidates who submit questionnaires. For legislative races, the EEC conducts research about the various races on the ballot and interviews candidates who submit questionnaires and meet certain criteria (progressive values, viability, etc.).
(3) Recommendations: The EEC then deliberates on whom and whether to recommend for endorsement to the full membership.
(4) Member Vote: The ultimate decision lies with our members. Candidates must receive at least 60% of the vote in a member ballot to receive an endorsement.
~~US Senate~~
Ed Markey for US Senate
Here’s a sampling of what our members turn us why they overwhelmingly supported re-electing Senator Ed Markey:
“Markey has been on the side of regular people (not billionaires) his entire career. I have complete faith in him.”
“Ed has proven he is a strong environmentalist, labor supporter and fighter for women’s rights, LGBTQ rights and all around progressive champion.”
“Senator Markey continues to be such an important policy leader, looking out for us, our communities, and our climate. From the ICE Out of Our Faces Act because he recognizes the threat of becoming a surveillance state, to the FATCAT Act, which would add a fuel tax for people with private jets to reinvest in public transit, and many other bills, he leads the way. He consistently shows that he’s focused on making life better for all of us, not focused on his own ambition.”
“Senator Markey is a proven supporter of Progressive causes. Markey has proven time and time again that he is willing to listen and engage with Progressive groups, the working classes, and society as a whole. I trust Senator Markey to continue standing up against authoritarianism while maintaining connections with the various communities of the commonwealth.”
~~Congress~~
Jeromie Whalen for MA-01
As a public school educator, Jeromie Whalen understands the importance of investing in our future, of building a culture of civic engagement, and of creating a community and a country where all are welcome. He is running to rein in corporate power over our economy and our elections, make sure the wealthy are paying their fair share, and ensure that everyone has access to high-quality health care and higher education without cost. He is running against 37-year incumbent Richard Neal, who is one of Congress’s biggest recipients of corporate PAC money.
Jeromie has also been endorsed by our chapter Franklin County Continuing the Political Revolution.
Tram Nguyen has a proven track record of fighting for working families and brings the lived experience of both an immigrant and a union member. As an attorney for Greater Boston Legal Services, she advocated for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, veterans, immigrants, low-wage workers, and people with disabilities. Since defeating a conservative Republican incumbent in the State House in 2018, she has been a reliable champion of legislation to protect workers, from expanding unemployment benefits during the pandemic to increasing the minimum wage to protecting injured workers from retaliation. At a time when immigrants’ rights, reproductive rights, LGBTQ rights, workers’ rights, and climate action are under attack every day from the Trump administration, Tram can be counted on to fight back.
Patrick Roath is a democracy and voting rights advocate, having served as the former board chair of Common Cause Massachusetts. In that role, he was active in the rights for automatic voter registration, universal vote-by-mail, and same day registration. He is running on an omnibus Working Families Affordability Package, including tackling the costs of health care, housing, and child care, and Trump-proofing our government in order to rein in corruption and the abuse of power.
He is running against 22-year incumbent Stephen Lynch, one of the few Democrats left in the US Congress to have voted against the Affordable Care Act. Lynch is the only member of the Massachusetts delegation to have voted for the Laken Riley Act and has repeatedly voted with Republicans this Congressional session to roll back protections for our immigrant communities.
Patrick has also been endorsed by our chapters JP Progressives, Neponset Valley Progressives, True North Action Alliance, and Progressive West Roxbury/Roslindale.
Craig Swallow is a former teacher, hospitality professional, and co-founder of a local Indivisible chapter. He is running to fight for universal health care through Medicare for All, break up corporate monopoly power, and restore trust in government by reining in the outsize influence of money in politics.
Craig has also been endorsed by our chapter Indivisible Upper Cape.
Djuna Perkins for Norfolk County District Attorney
Norfolk County voters who want to see a progressive reformer as their next District Attorney should vote for Djuna Perkins. Djuna will bring professionalism, accountability, a trauma-informed approach, and a commitment to building community trust to an office that desperately needs it, and her decades of experience show her strong commitment to fairness and justice.
She has been endorsed by Progressive Brookline, Progressive Mass Western Norfolk County, and Neponset Valley Progressives.
A working mom and active BPS parent, trained as a lawyer and social worker, Persis Yu is an experienced consumer rights attorney and champion for families and workers. During her nearly two decades as a consumer rights attorney and advocate, she has secured billions of dollars in student debt relief, filed class action lawsuits that directly cancelled hundreds of thousands of dollars in predatory employer debt, and led campaigns that resulted in worker protection laws in more than a dozen states. She combines expert knowledge, a proven track record, and strong progressive values. Learn more about Persis at https://www.electpersis.com/.
Persis Yu has also been endorsed by our chapters JP Progressives and Progressive West Roxbury/Roslindale.
Latoya Gayle for First Suffolk State Senate
The District: Boston: Downtown / Chinatown (Ward 3 Pcts 8, 14; Ward 5 Pct 1); Back Bay / South End / Bay Village (Ward 3 Pcts 7, 15, 16; Ward 4 Pcts 1 – 5; Ward 5 Pcts 13 & 14; Ward 8 Pcts 1 & 2; Ward 9 Pcts 1 & 2); South Boston (Wards 6 & 7); Dorchester (Ward 8 Pct 6; Ward 13 Pcts 3, 5-10; Wards 15-17)
Latoya Gayle has an impressive background in activism and advocacy, a clear commitment to social justice and progressive values, and a rootedness in her community. She is currently the Senior Director of Advocacy and Family Partnerships at Neighborhood Villages, where she advocates for early education and child care investments and empowers parents to do the same. She is a former chair of the BPS City-Wide Parent Council and organized March Like a Mother—a 1,000-person rally and vigil after the murder of George Floyd. She is an organizer who understands the urgency of addressing the housing crisis, the climate crisis, and the growing inequality in the state. Learn more about Latoya at https://www.latoyaforsenate.com/.
Carey McDonald is a Malden City Councilor who led the process to create Malden’s climate action plan, passed policies to protect renters and invest in affordable housing, and championed policies to protect Malden’s immigrant communities. Carey also brings a background as a nonprofit leader who has built voter outreach programs and an education funding expert. They are running to fight for bold solutions to address our housing crisis and climate crisis, to invest more in our public schools, and to make state government more transparent and accountable. Learn more about Carey at https://www.careymcdonald.com/.
Carey has also been endorsed by our chapter Mystic Valley Progressives.
Daniel Lander has worked for progressive campaigns up and down the ballot and most recently worked at Boston City Hall on issues like using city-owned land for affordable housing, expanding access to Boston’s cultural sites, and helping small businesses recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. He understands that Massachusetts can and must do more to make Massachusetts an affordable place for people to live at any stage of life, increase access and reliability of public transit, and tackle the climate crisis and that we have resources to turn big and policy ideas into action. Learn more about Daniel at https://www.daniellander.com/.
Daniel has also been endorsed by our chapter Allston-Brighton Progressives.
Shannon Teabo for Worcester and Hampshire
The District: Barre, Brookfield, East Brookfield, Gardner, Hardwick, Holden, Hubbardston, Leicester, New Braintree, North Brookfield, Oakham, Paxton, Phillipston, Princeton, Rutland, Spencer, Sterling, Templeton, Ware, West Brookfield, Westminster, Worcester (W7 Pcts 2, 4-6; W9 P3&4)
Shannon Teabo is an activist, organizer, and mom running to fight for affordable childcare, funding for education, and equitable access to quality healthcare. She is running against Republican incumbent Peter Durant, who has an 8% on our Legislative Scorecard and a racist, xenophobic, and anti-worker record as a state senator and previously as a state rep. Learn more about Shannon at https://www.teaboforsenate.com/.
Mike Zullas is a former Member and former Chair of the Milton Select Board. On the Select Board, he led the creation of the town’s Climate Action Planning Committee and Advisory Committee on Equity and Justice for All and led the effort for Milton to opt in to the Community Preservation Act. He was among the Select Board members who voted to support compliance with the MBTA Communities Act. He is running to be a champion of more transparent government and more robust supports to address the fiscal crises hitting our cities and towns. Learn more about Mike at https://www.votezullas.com/.
~~MA House~~
Jack Richardson for 3rd Barnstable State Rep
The District: Bourne (Pcts 4-6), Falmouth (Pcts 3-5, 7-9), Mashpee
Jack Richardson became the youngest person ever elected to the Falmouth Select Board, and he immediately got to work. He led the effort to ban ICE from town property without a judicial warrant and secured funding for a Portuguese-speaking social worker. He has championed measures to make Falmouth more affordable, vibrant, and more climate-resilient at the local level and is ready to fight for housing affordability and climate action at the State House. Learn more about Jack at https://www.jackprichardson.com/.
Jack Richardson has also been endorsed by our chapter Indivisible Upper Cape.
Zosia VanMeter is a public servant, immigrant, and community leader. She has founded and worked with local nonprofits devoted to combating food insecurity and empowering women and girls. She is running to fight to increase the supply of affordable housing, strengthen tenant protections, and fight legislative inertia. She is running against a 16-year Republican incumbent with a 5% on our Scorecard. Learn more about Zosia at https://www.electzvm.com/.
Celina Reyes for 16th Essex State Rep
The District: Lawrence (Ward A Pcts 2A, 3, 4; Ward E Pcts 1A, 2, 3, 4; Ward F), Methuen (Pcts 3, 7, 13A)
Celina Reyes is a Lawrence City Councilor, a family child care provider, and a leader of her local in SEIU 509. Through her work with SEIU 509, she has championed greater investments in child care and rent stabilization, and organized to help pass the Fair Share Amendment. She is running against a Democratic incumbent who joined Republicans in voting to weaken the protections for reproductive and gender-affirming care in the Shield 2.0 law, owns so many properties that he can’t remember how many, and has opposed efforts like a local option real estate transfer fee to address the housing crisis. Learn more about Celina at http://www.celinareyes.com.
Lora Wondolowski is the Greenfield City Council President, a role in which she has been able to shepherd a number of progressive policy initiatives. She got into local politics to fight cuts to Greenfield public schools, and she has been a reliable champion of public education. She was the founding executive director of the Massachusetts League of Environmental Voters, where she helped pass the state’s Global Warming Solutions Act, and currently works for the Peace Development Fund, investing in grassroots organizing efforts. She would bring a much-needed mix of progressive values, policymaking knowledge, and organizing experience to the State House. Learn more about Lora at https://wondoforrep.org/.
Lora has also been endorsed by our chapter Franklin County Continuing the Political Revolution.
Tom Hendrickson is an Agawam City Councilor, who has led local initiatives on Community Choice Aggregation and Council transparency, and has worked to elect progressives across Western Mass. He is running to be a champion for public schools, workers’ rights, taking on corporate power, and single payer health care. He is running against a 16-year conservative Republican incumbent who has never broken 28% on our Scorecard. Learn more about Tom at https://www.tomhendrickson.org/.
Michael Lachenmeyer for 12th Hampden State Rep
The District: East Longmeadow (Pcts 1, 2A, 3A, 4A), Monson (Pct A), Springfield (Ward 5 Pcts D, G; Ward 7 Pcts B, C, D, E, F, G, H1; Ward 8 Pcts B1, G), Wilbraham
Michael Lachenmeyer is a teacher, journalist, and organizer who is running to champion policies like reducing wealth inequality, single payer health care, and making state government more democratic and transparent. He is running against a conservative Democratic incumbent who voted against the Fair Share Amendment, the 2020 police reform bill, and the ROE Act. Learn more about Michael at https://electlachenmeyer.com/.
Alison Leary is a Newton City Councilor who has been a strong advocate for transit-oriented development, climate-ready infrastructure, and plastics reduction. She has been active as a member and leader of various environmental organizations and worked for a nonprofit providing transitional housing. She is running to continue the fight for action on climate and the housing crisis, to champion single payer health care, and to make the State House more transparent. Learn more about Alison at https://www.alisonleary.com/.
Ravi Simon brings policy experience, organizing skills, and strong progressive values. As the legislative aide to Rep. Carmine Gentile, he worked on PM priorities like debt-free higher education, a local option real estate transfer fee, and same day registration. He has served as a member of the Lincoln-Sudbury School Committee, and he was an organizer with the State House Employee Union, fighting for better workplace conditions for himself and fellow legislative staff. Learn more about Ravi at https://www.ravisimon.com/.
Lorena Betts is first and foremost an organizer. She is the founder of The Peacemakers Network, a grassroots movement of peacemakers in Massachusetts focused on building bridges through education, community building and policy advocacy, and has organized the local No Kings rallies in her community. She has State House experience as a legislative aide, and that experience has led her to understand how badly the State House is broken and the need for organizers inside working with those outside to make real change possible. Learn more about Lorena at https://lorenabetts.com/.
Lorena Betts has also been endorsed by our chapter Solidarity Lowell.
Harini Aiyer is an immigrant scientist and community activist running to address the housing crisis and the climate crisis, to invest more in our public schools, and to fight for a more transparent and accountable state legislature. She is the only candidate in the race who supported the rent control ballot question and the only candidate in the race to support a moratorium on pipeline expansion and prison construction. Learn more about Harini at https://www.voteforharini.com/.
Harini has also been endorsed by our chapter Solidarity Lowell.
Evan MacKay is a climate and democracy activist, union organizer, and former president of the Harvard Grad Student Union. Evan understands that the best state representatives are good organizers, people who are proactive and responsive and who build welcoming and effective coalitions. Evan is ready to do that work and to fight for tax justice, strong democracy, bold solutions to our housing crisis and the climate crisis, and the rights of everyone at a moment when they are under daily attack. Learn more about Evan at https://www.evanforcambridge.com/.
Mike Connolly has been a strong progressive ally since we first endorsed him in 2016. On our Progressive Scorecard of the State Legislature, his scores have ranged from 95% to 100%. Mike has fought for stronger tenant protections, social housing, and revenue for affordable housing, as well as workers’ rights, bold climate action, voting rights, transparency, and more. Mike is willing to speak out against bad, rushed legislation, and to push the State House to be more ambitious in all of its policymaking. Learn more about Mike at https://www.mikeconnolly.org/.
Ben Ewen-Campen has been a reliable progressive ally and a leader on key issues on the Somerville City Council. As an advocate for affordable housing, he helped found the statewide coalition fighting for a local option real estate transfer fee. He led the passage of Somerville’s Affordable Housing Overlay (AHO) District, and he spearheaded the work on Somerville’s rent control home rule petition. He led the passage of ordinances to ban tear gas and heavily restrict the use of other “non-lethal” crowd control techniques, require Council approval of surveillance technologies, and make Somerville the second city in the US to prohibit the usage of facial recognition technology by the local government. Learn more about Ben at https://www.benforstaterepma.com/.
Leila Migliorelli is a Melrose City Councilor who has led on such issues creating the first-ever Melrose Affordable Housing Trust, advocating for critical infrastructure projects, and supporting public schools. She is running to advocate for strengthening public schools’ funding, protecting immigrant rights, expanding access to reproductive health care, and and building more sustainable communities. Learn more about Leila at https://leilaforrep.com/.
Leila has also been endorsed by our chapter Mystic Valley Progressives.
Lisa Lopez for 6th Norfolk
The District: Avon, Canton, Stoughton (Pcts 1, 2A, 4A, 5, 7, and 8)
Lisa Lopez is a former Select Board Member in Canton, the third woman in history to ever be elected to the role. She championed the town’s municipal energy aggregation program (Canton Electrical Choice) and Affordable Housing Trust and played a key role in the town’s response to COVID. She was the initial chair of the Community Preservation Committee in Canton, and she is the current chair of the Canton Housing Authority and the local Affordable Housing Trust. She is running to be an advocate for housing affordability, environmental protection, and health care access. Learn more about Lisa at https://www.lopezforrep.com/.
Tom Melville is a former journalist, having served as Executive News Director at WBUR and News Director at NECN, and someone who as a result values open communication, transparency, and listening. He was inspired to run after seeing the bigoted and divisive way that the incumbent, Republican Marcus Vaughn, responded to the opening of a shelter for migrant families. He is running to be a strong advocate for education funding, civil rights, climate action, health care access, and government transparency. Learn more about Tom at https://www.electmelville.com/.
Tom is also endorsed by Progressive Mass Western Norfolk County.
Lee Meyer is a paramedic who sees the impacts of inequality, the housing crisis, and the gaps in our health care system every day. He is running to reduce health care costs, expand access to reproductive health care, invest in affordable housing, and take on utility profiteering. He is running against the second-most conservative Democrat in the MA House, who has voted repeatedly against expanding abortion access and against common-sense guns safety measures and has a record of hard-line NIMBYism. Learn more about Lee at https://www.lee4themasses.com/.
Jen Heck is a documentary filmmaker who led the successful campaign to bring Sutton into MBTA Communities Act compliance, turning early opposition into near-unanimous support. She is running to be a champion for tackling the housing affordability crisis, investing more in our public schools, and establishing clear ethical guardrails around the use of AI. She is running against Republican Joe McKenna, who has a 0% on our Legislative Scorecard. Learn more about Jen at https://www.heckyeah2026.org/.
Governor’s Council
The Governor’s Council is the most important office that you may have never heard of. The Massachusetts Governor’s Council consists of eight individuals elected from districts each consisting of five state senate districts. The Council is responsible for confirming judges and members of the Parole Board, among other nominees, and of approving pardons and commutations. If you care about the present and future of courts in Massachusetts, then you should care about the Governor’s Council.
We are proud to endorse four incumbents facing contested elections.
The Massachusetts state primary is just under four weeks away on Tuesday, September 1, and the general election is just three months way on Tuesday, November 3. That time will fly by.
Over the past few months, our Elections Committee has been hard at work developing our candidate questionnaires, researching candidates, and interviewing candidates.
As a member-based organization, all of our endorsements are ultimately decided by member votes, and we’re proud to announce the next batch of endorsements.
About Our Endorsement Process
Our endorsement process contains a few steps.
(1) Questionnaire: Every cycle, Progressive Mass’s Elections and Endorsements Committee (EEC) puts together comprehensive policy questionnaires for federal and state candidates, which we publish on our website. Only candidates who fill out these questionnaires are eligible for endorsement.
(2) Interviews: For Congressional races, the EEC conducts public interviews of all candidates who submit questionnaires. For legislative races, the EEC conducts research about the various races on the ballot and interviews candidates who submit questionnaires and meet certain criteria (progressive values, viability, etc.).
(3) Recommendations: The EEC then deliberates on whom and whether to recommend for endorsement to the full membership.
(4) Member Vote: The ultimate decision lies with our members. Candidates must receive at least 60% of the vote in a member ballot to receive an endorsement.
Carey McDonald is a Malden City Councilor who led the process to create Malden’s climate action plan, passed policies to protect renters and invest in affordable housing, and championed policies to protect Malden’s immigrant communities. Carey also brings a background as a nonprofit leader who has built voter outreach programs and an education funding expert. They are running to fight for bold solutions to address our housing crisis and climate crisis, to invest more in our public schools, and to make state government more transparent and accountable. Learn more about Carey at https://www.careymcdonald.com/.
Carey has also been endorsed by our chapter Mystic Valley Progressives.
Daniel Lander has worked for progressive campaigns up and down the ballot and most recently worked at Boston City Hall on issues like using city-owned land for affordable housing, expanding access to Boston’s cultural sites, and helping small businesses recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. He understands that Massachusetts can and must do more to make Massachusetts an affordable place for people to live at any stage of life, increase access and reliability of public transit, and tackle the climate crisis and that we have resources to turn big and policy ideas into action. Learn more about Daniel at https://www.daniellander.com/.
Daniel has also been endorsed by our chapter Allston-Brighton Progressives.
~Progressive Mass also polled members on the Second Middlesex Senate race. Although Erika Uyterhoeven received the most votes, no candidate reached 60%. Find questionnaires from all candidates here.~
Alison Leary is a Newton City Councilor who has been a strong advocate for transit-oriented development, climate-ready infrastructure, and plastics reduction. She has been active as a member and leader of various environmental organizations and worked for a nonprofit providing transitional housing. She is running to continue the fight for action on climate and the housing crisis, to champion single payer health care, and to make the State House more transparent. Learn more about Alison at https://www.alisonleary.com/.
Harini Aiyer is an immigrant scientist and community activist running to address the housing crisis and the climate crisis, to invest more in our public schools, and to fight for a more transparent and accountable state legislature. She is the only candidate in the race who supported the rent control ballot question and the only candidate in the race to support a moratorium on pipeline expansion and prison construction. Learn more about Harini at https://www.voteforharini.com/.
Harini has also been endorsed by our chapter Solidarity Lowell.
Evan MacKay is a climate and democracy activist, union organizer, and former president of the Harvard Grad Student Union. Evan understands that the best state representatives are good organizers, people who are proactive and responsive and who build welcoming and effective coalitions. Evan is ready to do that work and to fight for tax justice, strong democracy, bold solutions to our housing crisis and the climate crisis, and the rights of everyone at a moment when they are under daily attack. Learn more about Evan at https://www.evanforcambridge.com/.
Leila Migliorelli is a Melrose City Councilor who has led on such issues creating the first-ever Melrose Affordable Housing Trust, advocating for critical infrastructure projects, and supporting public schools. She is running to advocate for strengthening public schools’ funding, protecting immigrant rights, expanding access to reproductive health care, and and building more sustainable communities. Learn more about Leila at https://leilaforrep.com/.
Leila has also been endorsed by our chapter Mystic Valley Progressives.
Lee Meyer is a paramedic who sees the impacts of inequality, the housing crisis, and the gaps in our health care system every day. He is running to reduce health care costs, expand access to reproductive health care, invest in affordable housing, and take on utility profiteering. He is running against the second-most conservative Democrat in the MA House, who has voted repeatedly against expanding abortion access and against common-sense guns safety measures and has a record of hard-line NIMBYism. Learn more about Lee at https://www.lee4themasses.com/.
Governor’s Council
The Governor’s Council is the most important office that you may have never heard of. The Massachusetts Governor’s Council consists of eight individuals elected from districts each consisting of five state senate districts. The Council is responsible for confirming judges and members of the Parole Board, among other nominees, and of approving pardons and commutations. If you care about the present and future of courts in Massachusetts, then you should care about the Governor’s Council.
We are proud to endorse four incumbents facing contested elections.
✅VOTE YES ON 1 to expand the public records law to cover the Governor and the Legislature. We’re the only state in the country that doesn’t do that already. Let the sunlight in.
✅VOTE YES ON 2 to enable public defenders to collectively bargain. Every worker deserves to have a union, and public defenders, who are often overworked and underpaid, should be no exception.
❌VOTE NO ON 3 to prevent private equity billionaires from rigging our election system in their favor. Top-two primaries empower corporate PACs and self-funders, disadvantage grassroots candidates, and turn MAGA voters into election kingmakers.
✅VOTE YES ON 4 to enable voters to register to vote or update their registration on Election Day. No eligible voter should be turned away due to a clerical error, and this reform is one of the most proven ways to increase voter turnout.
❌VOTE NO ON 5 to protect our state’s ability to invest in health care, transportation, and public education. Billionaires would get to enrich themselves, while the rest of us suffer from underfunded public services.
✅VOTE YES on 7 to enable more starter homes across the Commonwealth. We have a housing crisis, and large lot size requirements mean fewer homes are able to be built.
❌VOTE NO on 8 to protect our state’s cannabis laws. We said NO to the war on drugs back in 2016, and we shouldn’t turn back time and destroy local economies.
✅VOTE YES ON 9 to protect our state’s landmark gun safety law, which cracked down on ghost guns, banned machine gun conversion devices, and strengthened gun violence data collection.
Progressive Mass has not yet taken a position on Question 6, which would dedicate the portion of the sales tax revenue collected from sporting goods, RVs, and golf courses to a nature and water conservation fund.
The Massachusetts state primary is a month and a half away away on Tuesday, September 1, and the general election is just three and a half months away on Tuesday, November 3. That time will fly by.
Over the past few months, our Elections Committee has been hard at work developing our candidate questionnaires, researching candidates, and interviewing candidates.
As a member-based organization, all of our endorsements are ultimately decided by member votes, and we recently finished our first Congressional and Legislative member ballot of the summer.
Why Is a Race Not on the List Yet?
As a member-based organization, we conduct member ballots and have thorough questionnaires. That limits how many offices we can include on a ballot.
We defer to our chapters to take the lead on races in their territory. If our chapters want to host candidate forums or conduct their own votes, we will not take up the race until afterwards.
If you care about a specific Congressional or legislative race, just ask.
About Our Endorsement Process
Our endorsement process contains a few steps.
(1) Questionnaire: Every cycle, Progressive Mass’s Elections and Endorsements Committee (EEC) puts together comprehensive policy questionnaires for federal and state candidates, which we publish on our website. Only candidates who fill out these questionnaires are eligible for endorsement.
(2) Interviews: For Congressional races, the EEC conducts public interviews of all candidates who submit questionnaires. For legislative races, the EEC conducts research about the various races on the ballot and interviews candidates who submit questionnaires and meet certain criteria (progressive values, viability, etc.).
(3) Recommendations: The EEC then deliberates on whom and whether to recommend for endorsement to the full membership.
(4) Member Vote: The ultimate decision lies with our members. Candidates must receive at least 60% of the vote in a member ballot to receive an endorsement.
MA Senate
Shannon Teabo for Worcester and Hampshire
The District: Barre, Brookfield, East Brookfield, Gardner, Hardwick, Holden, Hubbardston, Leicester, New Braintree, North Brookfield, Oakham, Paxton, Phillipston, Princeton, Rutland, Spencer, Sterling, Templeton, Ware, West Brookfield, Westminster, Worcester (W7 Pcts 2, 4-6; W9 P3&4)
Shannon Teabo is an activist, organizer, and mom running to fight for affordable childcare, funding for education, and equitable access to quality healthcare. She is running against Republican incumbent Peter Durant, who has an 8% on our Legislative Scorecard and a racist, xenophobic, and anti-worker record as a state senator and previously as a state rep. Learn more about Shannon at https://www.teaboforsenate.com/.
Mike Zullas is a former Member and former Chair of the Milton Select Board. On the Select Board, he led the creation of the town’s Climate Action Planning Committee and Advisory Committee on Equity and Justice for All and led the effort for Milton to opt in to the Community Preservation Act. He was among the Select Board members who voted to support compliance with the MBTA Communities Act. He is running to be a champion of more transparent government and more robust supports to address the fiscal crises hitting our cities and towns. Learn more about Mike at https://www.votezullas.com/.
Zosia VanMeter is a public servant, immigrant, and community leader. She has founded and worked with local nonprofits devoted to combating food insecurity and empowering women and girls. She is running to fight to increase the supply of affordable housing, strengthen tenant protections, and fight legislative inertia. She is running against a 16-year Republican incumbent with a 5% on our Scorecard. Learn more about Zosia at https://www.electzvm.com/.
Lisa Lopez for 6th Norfolk
The District: Avon, Canton, Stoughton (Pcts 1, 2A, 4A, 5, 7, and 8)
Lisa Lopez is a former Select Board Member in Canton, the third woman in history to ever be elected to the role. She championed the town’s municipal energy aggregation program (Canton Electrical Choice) and Affordable Housing Trust and played a key role in the town’s response to COVID. She was the initial chair of the Community Preservation Committee in Canton, and she is the current chair of the Canton Housing Authority and the local Affordable Housing Trust. She is running to be an advocate for housing affordability, environmental protection, and health care access. Learn more about Lisa at https://www.lopezforrep.com/.
Tom Melville is a former journalist, having served as Executive News Director at WBUR and News Director at NECN, and someone who as a result values open communication, transparency, and listening. He was inspired to run after seeing the bigoted and divisive way that the incumbent, Republican Marcus Vaughn, responded to the opening of a shelter for migrant families. He is running to be a strong advocate for education funding, civil rights, climate action, health care access, and government transparency. Learn more about Tom at https://www.electmelville.com/.
Tom is also endorsed by Progressive Mass Western Norfolk County.
Jen Heck is a documentary filmmaker who led the successful campaign to bring Sutton into MBTA Communities Act compliance, turning early opposition into near-unanimous support. She is running to be a champion for tackling the housing affordability crisis, investing more in our public schools, and establishing clear ethical guardrails around the use of AI. She is running against Republican Joe McKenna, who has a 0% on our Legislative Scorecard. Learn more about Jen at https://www.heckyeah2026.org/.
