Massachusetts

===Government===

{{Main|Government of Massachusetts}}
{{See also|Commonwealth (U.S. state)}}
[[File:Maura Healey, official portrait, governor.jpg|thumb|upright=0.7|[[Maura Healey]] ([[Democratic Party (Massachusetts)|D]]), the 73rd [[Governor of Massachusetts]]]]
The [[Massachusetts government|Government of Massachusetts]] is divided into three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. The [[governor of Massachusetts]] heads the executive branch, while legislative authority vests in a separate but coequal legislature. Meanwhile, judicial power is constitutionally guaranteed to the independent judicial branch.<ref>{{cite web |title=Massachusetts Government Structure |url=https://budget.digital.mass.gov/bb/h1/fy10h1/prnt10/exec10/pbuddevstructure.htm |website=budget.digital.mass.gov |access-date=December 3, 2022}}</ref>

====Executive branch====
As chief executive, the governor is responsible for signing or vetoing legislation, filling judicial and agency appointments, granting pardons, preparing an annual budget, and commanding the [[Massachusetts National Guard]].<ref name=MassPol1>{{cite web |url=http://www.sec.state.ma.us/cis/cismaf/mf1b.htm |title=Massachusetts Facts: Politics |publisher=[[Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth]] |access-date=June 1, 2010}}</ref> Massachusetts governors, unlike those of most other states, are addressed as His/Her Excellency.<ref name=MassPol1/> The governor is [[Maura Healey]] and the incumbent lieutenant governor is [[Kim Driscoll]]. The governor conducts the affairs of state alongside a separate [[Massachusetts Governor's Council|Governor's Council]] made up of the [[Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts|lieutenant governor]] and eight separately elected councilors.<ref name=MassPol1/> The council is charged by the state constitution with reviewing and confirming gubernatorial appointments and pardons, approving disbursements out of the state treasury, and certifying elections, among other duties.<ref name=MassPol1 />

Aside from the governor and Governor's Council, the executive branch also includes four independently elected constitutional officers: a [[Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth|secretary of the commonwealth]], an [[Massachusetts Attorney General|attorney general]], a [[Treasurer and Receiver-General of Massachusetts|state treasurer]], and a [[Massachusetts State Auditor|state auditor]]. The commonwealth's incumbent constitutional officers are respectively [[William F. Galvin]], [[Andrea Campbell]], [[Deb Goldberg]] and [[Diana DiZoglio]], all [[Massachusetts Democratic Party|Democrats]]. In accordance with state statute, the secretary of the commonwealth administers elections, regulates lobbyists and the securities industry, registers corporations, serves as register of deeds for the entire state, and preserves public records as keeper of the [[Seal of Massachusetts|state seal]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sec.state.ma.us/|title=Main Menu|publisher=Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth|access-date=May 14, 2022}}</ref> Meanwhile, the attorney general provides legal services to state agencies, combats fraud and corruption, investigates and prosecutes crimes, and enforces consumer protection, environment, labor, and civil rights laws as Massachusetts chief lawyer and law enforcement officer.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mass.gov/orgs/office-of-attorney-general-maura-healey|title=Office of the Attorney General|publisher=Commonwealth of Massachusetts|access-date=May 14, 2022}}</ref> At the same time, the state treasurer manages the state's cash flow, debt, and investments as chief financial officer, whereas the state auditor conducts audits, investigations, and studies as chief audit executive in order to promote government accountability and transparency and improve state agency financial management, legal compliance, and performance.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.masstreasury.org/departments|title=Departments|publisher=Office of the Treasurer and Receiver-General|access-date=May 14, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mass.gov/orgs/office-of-the-state-auditor|title=Office of the State Auditor|publisher=Commonwealth of Massachusetts|access-date=May 14, 2022}}</ref>

====Legislative branch====
The [[Massachusetts House of Representatives]] and [[Massachusetts Senate]] comprise the legislature of Massachusetts, known as the [[Massachusetts General Court]].<ref name=MassPol1/> The House consists of 160 members while the Senate has 40 members.<ref name=MassPol1 /> Leaders of the House and Senate are chosen by the members of those bodies; the leader of the House is known as the Speaker while the leader of the Senate is known as the President.<ref name=MassPol1/> Each branch consists of several committees.<ref name=MassPol1/> Members of both bodies are elected to two-year terms.<ref>{{cite web |title=Number of Legislators and Length of Terms in Years |url=http://www.ncsl.org/research/about-state-legislatures/number-of-legislators-and-length-of-terms.aspx |publisher=[[National Conference of State Legislatures]] |access-date=May 4, 2015}}</ref>

====Judicial branch====
The [[Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court]] (a chief justice and six associates) are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Governor's Council, as are all other judges in the state.<ref name=MassPol1 />

Federal court cases are heard in the [[United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts]], and appeals are heard by the [[United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit]].<ref>{{cite web |location=US |url=http://www.uscourts.gov/file/document/us-federal-courts-circuit-map |title=Geographic Boundaries of United States Courts of Appeals and United States District Courts |publisher=United States Courts |format=PDF |access-date=May 12, 2015}}</ref>

====Federal representation====

The Congressional delegation from Massachusetts is entirely [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm |title=Members of the 111th Congress |publisher=[[United States Senate]] |access-date=October 18, 2009}}</ref> The [[United States Senate|Senators]] are [[Elizabeth Warren]] and [[Ed Markey]] while the [[United States House of Representatives|Representatives]] are [[Richard Neal]] ([[Massachusetts's 1st congressional district|1st]]), [[Jim McGovern (congressman)|Jim McGovern]] ([[Massachusetts's 2nd congressional district|2nd]]), [[Lori Trahan]] ([[Massachusetts's 3rd congressional district|3rd]]), [[Jake Auchincloss]] ([[Massachusetts's 4th congressional district|4th]]), [[Katherine Clark]] ([[Massachusetts's 5th congressional district|5th]]), [[Seth Moulton]] ([[Massachusetts's 6th congressional district|6th]]), [[Ayanna Pressley]] ([[Massachusetts's 7th congressional district|7th]]), [[Stephen Lynch (politician)|Stephen Lynch]] ([[Massachusetts's 8th congressional district|8th]]), and [[Bill Keating (politician)|Bill Keating]] ([[Massachusetts's 9th congressional district|9th]]).<ref>{{cite web |title=Directory of Representatives |url=http://www.house.gov/representatives/#state_ma |publisher=[[United States House of Representatives]] |access-date=January 19, 2019}}</ref>

In U.S. presidential elections since 2012, Massachusetts has been allotted 11 votes in the [[United States Electoral College|electoral college]], out of a total of 538.<ref>{{cite web |series=Electoral College |title=Distribution of 2004 and 2008 Electoral Votes |publisher=[[National Archives and Records Administration]] |location=US |access-date=June 2, 2010 |url=http://archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/2008/allocation.html}}</ref> Like most states, Massachusetts's electoral votes are granted in a winner-take-all system.<ref>{{cite web |location=US |series=Electoral College |title=Frequently Asked Questions |publisher=[[National Archives and Records Administration]] |access-date=June 2, 2010 |url=https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/faq.html}}</ref>