2014 Massachusetts elections

The Massachusetts general election, 2014 was held on November 4, 2014, throughout Massachusetts. Primary elections took place on September 9, 2014.

2014 Massachusetts general election

← 2012November 4, 20142016 →

Part of the
2014 United States elections

Governor and lieutenant governor

Incumbent Democratic governor Deval Patrick did not seek re-election to a third term in office.[1] The office of lieutenant governor had been vacant since the resignation of Tim Murray on June 2, 2013.[2]

Primary elections for governor and lieutenant governor were conducted separately on September 9, 2014, with the Democrats nominating Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley and former CEO of the Democratic National Convention Steve Kerrigan, and the Republicans nominating former state cabinet secretary and 2010 gubernatorial nominee Charlie Baker and former state representative Karyn Polito. Three independent candidates also ran: healthcare executive Evan Falchuk and his running mate Angus Jennings; evangelical pastor Scott Lively and his running mate Shelly Saunders; and businessman Jeff McCormick and his running mate Tracy Post.

Secretary of the Commonwealth

Incumbent Democratic Secretary of the Commonwealth William F. Galvin ran for re-election to a sixth term in office.[3] Malden City Councilor At-Large David D'Arcangelo ran as a Republican[4] and Acton attorney Danny Factor ran as a candidate with the Green-Rainbow Party.[5]

General election

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
William F.
Galvin (D)
David
D'Arcangelo (R)
OtherUndecided
Suffolk UniversityOctober 27–29, 2014500± 4.4%54.4%15%3.2%[6]27.4%
Umass AmherstSeptember 19–23, 2014437 LV± ?56%28%<1%16%
587 RV± 4.4%53%24%<1%23%
Suffolk UniversitySeptember 25–28, 2014500± 4.4%54.8%12.6%4%[6]28.6%
General election results
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticWilliam F. Galvin (incumbent) 1,395,616 67.4
RepublicanDavid D'Arcangelo597,49128.9
Green-RainbowDaniel L. Factor74,7893.6
Total votes2,186,789 100

Attorney general

Incumbent Democratic attorney general Martha Coakley was eligible to run for re-election to a third term in office, but she instead ran for governor.[7]

Democratic primary

Candidates

Former state senator Warren Tolman and former Assistant Attorney General Maura Healey[8][9] ran for the Democratic nomination.[10]

State Representative Harold Naughton Jr. was a Democratic candidate, but dropped out of the race to run for re-election to the House instead.[11]

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Maura
Healey
Harold
Naughton
Warren
Tolman
OtherUndecided
Boston GlobeSeptember 2–3, 2014400± 4.8%45%29%27%
UMass LowellAugust 25–31, 2014685± 4.55%34%39%27%
Boston GlobeAugust 17–19 & 24–26, 2014361± 5.2%30%30%40%
Suffolk Archived August 26, 2014, at the Wayback MachineAugust 21–24, 2014400± 4.9%28.5%34.75%36.75%
Boston GlobeAugust 10–12 & 17–19, 2014358± 5.2%28%26%46%
Boston GlobeJune 1–3 & 8–10, 2014442± 4.7%22%20%58%
Suffolk Archived July 13, 2014, at the Wayback MachineJune 4–7, 2014450± 4.6%21.33%17.56%61.11%
SuffolkJan. 29–Feb. 3, 2014309± ?16.5%1.94%24.6%56.96%

Results

Democratic convention vote[12]
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticWarren Tolman 2,232 51.8
DemocraticMaura Healey 2,037 48.1
Total votes4,309 100

Bold denotes candidate met the minimum threshold of 15 percent to appear on the primary ballot

Democratic primary results
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticMaura Healey 321,264 62.2
DemocraticWarren Tolman194,84437.8
Total votes516,108 100

Republican primary

Attorney John Miller was the only Republican to file to run for the office.[13]

General election

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Maura
Healey (D)
John
Miller (R)
OtherUndecided
Suffolk UniversityOctober 27–29, 2014500± 4.4%44.8%23.8%31.4%
Umass AmherstSeptember 19–23, 2014441 LV± ?53%30%1%16%
593 RV± 4.4%52%24%<1%23%
Suffolk UniversitySeptember 25–28, 2014500± 4.4%49%18.4%32.6%
General election results
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticMaura Healey 1,280,513 61.7
RepublicanJohn Miller793,82138.2
Total votes2,186,789 100

Treasurer and Receiver-General

Incumbent Democratic treasurer and receiver-general Steve Grossman was eligible to run for re-election to a second term in office, but he instead ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination for governor.[14]

Democratic primary

Candidates

State Representative Tom Conroy,[15] State Senator Barry Finegold and former member of the Brookline Board of Selectmen Deb Goldberg were the Democratic candidates.

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Thomas
Conroy
Barry
Finegold
Deb
Goldberg
OtherUndecided
Boston GlobeSeptember 2–3, 2014400± 4.8%15%23%18%44%
Boston GlobeAugust 17–19 & 24–26, 2014361± 5.2%9%17%14%60%
Suffolk Archived August 26, 2014, at the Wayback MachineAugust 21–24, 2014400± 4.9%6.5%7.75%19.75%66%
Boston GlobeAugust 10–12 & 17–19, 2014358± 5.2%10%16%13%62%
Boston GlobeJune 1–3 & 8–10, 2014442± 4.7%8%12%11%69%
Suffolk Archived July 13, 2014, at the Wayback MachineJune 4–7, 2014450± 4.6%4.44%8.44%10.67%76.44%
SuffolkJan. 29–Feb. 3, 2014309± ?5.50%9.06%18.45%66.99%

Results

Democratic convention vote[12]
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticDeb Goldberg 1,638 39
DemocraticThomas Conroy 1,461 33.9
DemocraticBarry Finegold 1,165 27.1
Total votes4,264 100

Bold denotes candidate met the minimum threshold of 15 percent to appear on the primary ballot

Democratic primary results
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticDeb Goldberg 202,077 43
DemocraticBarry Finegold149,18832
DemocraticThomas Conroy121,80226
Total votes473,067 100

Republican primary

Businessman Mike Heffernan was the only Republican to file to run.[16]

Green-Rainbow nomination

Ian T. Jackson ran as a Green-Rainbow candidate.[17]

General election

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Deb
Goldberg (D)
Mike
Heffernan (R)
OtherUndecided
Suffolk UniversityOctober 27–29, 2014500± 4.4%39%26%3.6%[18]31.4%
Umass AmherstOctober 20–27, 2014591 LV± 4.4%46%33%20%
800 RV± 3.8%43%29%26%
Umass AmherstSeptember 19–23, 2014437 LV± ?47%35%1%18%
587 RV± 4.4%45%31%1%23%
Suffolk UniversitySeptember 25–28, 2014500± 4.4%43.8%20.2%4.6%[18]31.4%
General election results
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticDeb Goldberg 1,120,192 55.1
RepublicanMike Heffernan828,89440.8
Green-RainbowIan T. Jackson81,9074.0
Total votes2,186,789 100

Auditor

Incumbent Democratic Auditor Suzanne M. Bump ran for re-election to a second term in office.[19] Patricia Saint Aubin was the Republican challenger[20] and M.K. Merelice ran as a candidate with the Green-Rainbow Party.[5]

General election

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Suzanne M.
Bump (D)
Patricia
Saint
Aubin (R)
OtherUndecided
Suffolk UniversityOctober 27–29, 2014500± 4.4%33.4%22.8%4.4%[21]39.4%
Umass AmherstOctober 20–27, 2014591 LV± 4.4%45%31%22%
800 RV± 3.8%42%27%30%
Suffolk UniversitySeptember 25–28, 2014500± 4.4%38.2%19.4%4.8%[21]37.6%
General election results
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticSuzanne Bump (incumbent) 1,146,987 57.7
RepublicanPatricia Saint Aubin757,21338.1
Green-RainbowM. K. Merelice81,4304.1
Total votes2,186,789 100

United States Senate

The Massachusetts seat in the United States Senate won by Ed Markey in the 2013 special election was up for election in 2014. Markey was re-elected with 62% of the vote.[22]

United States House of Representatives

All of Massachusetts' nine seats in the United States House of Representatives were up for election in 2014.

Massachusetts Senate

All 40 seats in the Massachusetts Senate were up for election in 2014.

Massachusetts House of Representatives

All 160 seats in the Massachusetts House of Representatives were up for election in 2014.

County

Counties in Massachusetts elected county commissioners, district attorneys, registers of probate and sheriffs.

Ballot measures

There were four state-wide ballot questions, all initiatives.

NumberInitiative TitleSubjectDescriptionStatusYesNo
Question 1Massachusetts Automatic Gas Tax Increase Repeal InitiativeGas TaxesRepeals automatic gas tax increases already signed into lawOn ballot
Y
Question 2Massachusetts Expansion of Bottle Deposits InitiativeEnvironmentExpands the state's beverage container recycling law to include all non-alcoholic containersOn ballot
N
Question 3Massachusetts Casino Repeal InitiativeGamblingRepeals a 2011 law allowing resort casinosOn ballot
N
Question 4Massachusetts Paid Sick Days InitiativeLaborEntitles certain employees to earn and utilize paid sick daysOn ballot
Y

References

External links