View source for Governor of Massachusetts

{{Short description|Head of government of Massachusetts}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2018}}
{{Use American English|date=June 2018}}
{{for|a list|List of governors of Massachusetts}}
{{Infobox official post
| post = Governor
| body = the<br>Commonwealth of Massachusetts
| insignia = Seal of the Governor of Massachusetts.svg
| insigniasize = 110
| insigniacaption = Seal of the governor
| insigniaalt = Seal of the governor
| flag = Flag of the Governor of Massachusetts.svg
| flagsize = 
| flagalt = Standard of the governor
| flagborder = 
| flagcaption = Standard of the governor
| image = Maura Healey, official portrait, governor (cropped).jpg
| imagesize = 
| alt = Maura Healey Official Photo
| imagecaption = 
| incumbent = [[Maura Healey]]
| incumbentsince = January 5, 2023
| department = [[Government of Massachusetts]]
| style = {{ublist|[[Governor]] (informal)|[[Excellency#United States|Her Excellency]] (formal)}}
| status = [[Head of state]]<br />[[Head of government]]
| member_of = [[Massachusetts Governor's Council|Governor's Council]]<br />[[Government of Massachusetts#Cabinet and government agencies|Cabinet]]
| residence = None official
| seat = [[Massachusetts State House|State House]], [[Boston, Massachusetts]]
| nominator = [[Nominating petition]],<br>[[Political parties and political designations in Massachusetts|Political parties]]
| appointer = [[Direct election|Popular vote]]
| termlength = Four years, no term limits<ref>{{Cite web |title=Which States Have Term Limits On Governor? |url=https://www.termlimits.com/which-states-have-term-limits-on-governor/ |access-date=December 3, 2020 |website=Term Limits.com |date=June 3, 2020 |publisher=U.S. Term Limits |quote="Thirty-six states have some form of term limit on the office of governor. Fourteen states do not. They are: Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin." |location=Washington, DC}}</ref>
| constituting_instrument = [[Constitution of Massachusetts]]
| formation = [[List of colonial governors of Massachusetts|Original post]]:<br />April 30, 1629<br />Current form:<br />October 25, 1780
| succession = [[Gubernatorial_lines_of_succession_in_the_United_States#Massachusetts|Line of succession]]
| deputy = [[Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts]]
| salary = $185,000 (2022)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://bookofthestates.org/tables/selected-state-administrative-officials-annual-salaries/ |title=Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries |publisher=The Council of State Governments |access-date=August 7, 2024}}</ref>
| website = {{Official website}}
| footnotes = 
| first = [[John Endecott]]
}}
The '''governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts''' is the [[head of government]] of the [[Commonwealth (U.S. state)|Commonwealth]] of [[Massachusetts]]. The [[governor]] is the [[chief executive|head]] of the state cabinet and the [[commander-in-chief]] of the commonwealth's [[Massachusetts National Guard|military forces]].

Massachusetts has a [[Republicanism|republican]] system of government that is akin to a [[presidential system]]. The governor acts as the [[head of government]] while having a distinct role from that of the [[Massachusetts General Court|legislative branch]]. The governor has far-reaching political obligations, including ceremonial and political duties. The governor also signs bills into law and has [[Veto|veto power]]. The governor is a member of the [[Massachusetts Governor's Council]], a popularly elected council with eight members who provide [[advice and consent]] on certain legal matters and appointments.<ref>Morison 1917, p.22-28.</ref>

Beginning with the [[Massachusetts Bay Colony|Massachusetts Bay Company]] in 1629, the role of the governor has changed throughout its history in terms of powers and selection. The modern form of the position was created in the [[Constitution of Massachusetts|1780 Constitution of Massachusetts]], which called for the position of a "supreme executive magistrate".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Massachusetts Constitution |url=https://malegislature.gov/laws/constitution#chapterIISectionI}}</ref>

Governors of Massachusetts are elected every four years during state elections that are held on the first Tuesday of November after November 1. The most recent Massachusetts gubernatorial election was held in [[2022 Massachusetts gubernatorial election|2022]]. Following each gubernatorial election, the elected governor is inaugurated on the Thursday after the first Wednesday in January following the election.<ref>{{Cite web |last=William |first=Galvin |title=Elected Officials' Effective Dates of Office |url=https://www.sec.state.ma.us/divisions/elections/research-and-statistics/effective-dates-of-office.htm |access-date=6 November 2022 |publisher=Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts}}</ref> There are no [[Term limits in the United States|term limits]] restricting how long a governor may serve.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-06-08 |title=A Third Term For Governor Charlie Baker? |url=https://www.wgbh.org/news/local-news/2019/06/08/a-third-term-for-governor-charlie-baker |access-date=2020-08-03 |website=News |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-07-04 |title=What Charlie Baker faces should he seek a third term |url=https://www.bostonherald.com/2020/07/04/what-charlie-baker-faces-should-he-seek-a-third-term/ |access-date=2020-08-03 |website=Boston Herald |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Term Limits on Governor |url=https://www.termlimits.com/governor_termlimits/ |access-date=2020-08-03 |website=U.S. Term Limits |date=June 19, 2018 |language=en-US}}</ref> The longest-serving Massachusetts governor is [[Michael Dukakis]], who served 12 years; Dukakis was in office from 1975 to 1979 and from 1983 to 1991. The current governor is [[Maura Healey]], a Democrat.

==Qualifications==
Any person seeking to become governor of [[Massachusetts]] must meet the following requirements:<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 2017 |title=How to Run for Office in Massachusetts |url=https://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/elepdf/Candidates-Guide-generic.pdf |access-date=December 26, 2022 |website=Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth}}</ref>
* Be at least eighteen years of age
* Be a [[registered voter]] in Massachusetts
* Be a Massachusetts resident for at least seven years when elected
* Receive 10,000 signatures from registered voters on nomination papers

== Election and term ==
The governor is an elected position. The term of office is four years since the 82nd amendment to the Massachusetts Constitution in 1964, with no [[Term limits in the United States|term limit]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Massachusetts Constitution |url=https://malegislature.gov/Laws/Constitution#amendmentArticleLXXXII |access-date=2025-11-16 |website=malegislature.gov}}</ref>. 

Elections for governor are held on a four-year basis concurrently with elections for the offices of [[Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts|lieutenant governor]], [[Massachusetts Attorney General|attorney general]], [[Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth|secretary of the commonwealth]], [[Treasurer and Receiver-General of Massachusetts|state treasurer]], and [[Massachusetts State Auditor|state auditor]].

==History==

The role of governor has existed in Massachusetts since the [[Charter of the Massachusetts Bay Company|Royal Charter]] of 1628. The original role was one of a president of the board of a [[joint-stock company]], namely the [[Massachusetts Bay Colony|Massachusetts Bay Company]]. The governor would be elected by [[Freeman (Thirteen Colonies)|freemen]], who were [[shareholders]] of the company. These shareholders were mostly colonists themselves who fit certain religious requirements. The governor acted in a [[Viceroy|vice-regal]] manner, overseeing the governance and functioning of the colony. Originally they were supposed to reside in [[London]], as was the case with other colonial company governors, although this protocol was broken when [[John Winthrop]] was appointed governor. The governor served as the executive of the colony, originally elected annually, and were joined by a Council of Assistants. This council was a group of magistrates who performed judicial functions, acted as an upper house of the General Court, and provided [[advice and consent]] to the governor. The early governors of Massachusetts Bay were staunchly [[Puritans|Puritan]] colonists who wished to form a state that coincided with religious law.<ref>Adams 1913, p.444-445.</ref>

With the founding of the [[Dominion of New England]] by [[James II of England]], the [[New England]] colonies were combined with the [[Province of New York]], [[West Jersey|Province of West Jersey]], and the [[East Jersey|Province of East Jersey]]. During this period (1686–1689) Massachusetts had no governor of its own. Instead there existed a royally appointed governor who resided in [[Boston]] and served at the King's pleasure. Though there existed a council which served as a quasi-legislature, however the logistics of calling the council to meet were so arduous that the Dominion was essentially governed by the Crown through the royal governor. The reason for the creation of such a post was there existed tremendous hostility between the [[Kingdom of England]] and the colonists of Massachusetts Bay. In an effort to bring the colonies under tighter control the Crown dismantled the old assembly system and created the Viceroy system based on the Spanish model in [[New Spain]]. This model of government was greatly disliked by the colonists all throughout British North America but especially in New England where colonists at one time did have some semblance of democratic and local control. With the [[Glorious Revolution]] and the [[1689 Boston revolt|Boston Revolt]] the Dominion was abolished in 1689.<ref>Adams 1913, p.430-445</ref>

With the creation of the [[Massachusetts Charter]] in 1691, the role of civilian governor was restored in Massachusetts Bay. Now the [[Province of Massachusetts Bay]], the colony then encompassed the territory of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, the [[Plymouth Colony]], and areas of what is now the state of [[Maine]]. The governor however would not be chosen by the electorate, instead the position would remain a royal appointment. In order to ease tensions with royal authorities and the colonists the [[Massachusetts General Court|General Court]] was reestablished and given significant powers. This created acrimony between the governors and the assembly of the General Court. The governor could veto any decision made by the assembly and had control over the [[Massachusetts National Guard|militia]], however the General Court had authority of the treasury and provincial finances. This meant that in the event the governor did not agree with or consent with the rulings and laws of the General Court then the assembly would threaten to withhold any pay for the governor and other Royal Officers.<ref name="Morison 1917, p.9-22">Morison 1917, p.9-22.</ref>

From 1765 on the unraveling of the Province into a full political crisis only increased the tensions between the governor and the people of Massachusetts Bay. Following the passage of the [[Stamp Act 1765|Stamp Act]] Governor [[Thomas Hutchinson (governor)|Thomas Hutchinson]] had his home broken into and ransacked. The early stages of the [[American Revolution]] saw political turmoil in Massachusetts Bay. With the passage of the [[Intolerable Acts]] the then Royal Governor [[Thomas Gage]] dissolved the General Court and began to govern the province by decree. In 1774 the [[Massachusetts Provincial Congress]] was formed as an alternative revolutionary government to the royal government in Boston. With Massachusetts Bay declaring its independence in May 1776 the role of governor was vacant for four years. The executive role during this time was filled by the Governor's Council, the Committee of Safety, and the president of the Congress when in session.<ref name="Morison 1917, p.9-22" />

With the adoption of the [[Constitution of Massachusetts]] in 1780 the role of an elected civilian governor was restored. [[John Hancock]] was elected as the first governor of the independent commonwealth on October 25, 1780.<ref name="Morison 1917, p.9-22" />

==Constitutional role==
Part the Second, Chapter II, Section I, Article I of the [[Constitution of Massachusetts|Massachusetts Constitution]] reads,
{{blockquote|1=There shall be a supreme executive magistrate, who shall be styled, The Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; and whose title shall be&nbsp;– His Excellency.}}

The governor of Massachusetts is the chief executive of the commonwealth, and is supported by a number of subordinate officers. He, like most other state officers, senators, and representatives, was originally elected annually. In 1918 this was changed to a two-year term, and since 1966 the office of governor has carried a four-year term. The governor of Massachusetts does not receive a mansion or other official residence and resides in their own private residence. However, the governor does receive a housing allowance/stipend for $65,000. The title "His Excellency" is a holdover from the royally appointed governors of the [[Province of Massachusetts Bay]]. The first governor to use the title was [[Richard Coote, 1st Earl of Bellomont]], in 1699; since he was an [[Earl]], it was thought proper to call him "Your Excellency." The title was retained until 1742, when an order from [[George II of Great Britain|King George II]] forbade its further use. However, the framers of the state constitution revived it because they found it fitting to dignify the governor with this title.<ref>[[Louis A. Frothingham|Frothingham, Louis Adams]]. ''A Brief History of the Constitution and Government of Massachusetts'', p. 74. [[Cambridge, Massachusetts|Cambridge]]: Harvard University Press, 1916.</ref>

The governor also serves as [[commander-in-chief]] of the commonwealth's armed forces.

==Succession==
{{see also|Gubernatorial lines of succession in the United States#Massachusetts}}
According to the [[Constitution of Massachusetts|Massachusetts State Constitution]]:<blockquote>Whenever the chair of the governor shall be vacant, by reason of his death, or absence from the commonwealth, or otherwise, the lieutenant governor, for the time being, shall, during such vacancy, perform all the duties incumbent upon the governor, and shall have and exercise all the powers and authorities, which by this constitution the governor is vested with, when personally present.<ref>[https://malegislature.gov/Laws/Constitution#chapterIISectionII Constitution of Massachusetts, Chapter II, Section II, Article III].</ref></blockquote>The Constitution does not use the term "acting governor", but the practice in Massachusetts has been that the lieutenant governor retains the position and title as "lieutenant governor" and becomes acting governor, not governor. The lieutenant governor, when acting as governor, is referred to as "the lieutenant-governor, acting governor" in official documents.<ref>An example of this is found in [http://www.mass.gov/legis/laws/seslaw01/sl010045.htm Chapter 45 of the Acts of 2001], where a veto by Swift was overridden by the General Court.</ref>

Despite this terminology, the Massachusetts courts have found that the full authority of the office of the governor devolves to the lieutenant governor upon vacancy in the office of governor, and that there is no circumstance short of death, resignation, or impeachment that would relieve the acting governor from the full gubernatorial responsibilities.{{Citation needed|date=November 2019}}

The first use of the succession provision occurred in 1785, five years after the constitution's adoption, when Governor [[John Hancock]] resigned the post, leaving Lieutenant Governor [[Thomas Cushing]] as acting governor. Most recently, [[Jane Swift]] became acting governor upon the resignation of [[Paul Cellucci]].

When the constitution was first adopted, the [[Massachusetts Governor's Council|Governor's Council]] was charged with acting as governor in the event that both the governorship and lieutenant governorship were vacant. This occurred in 1799 when Governor [[Increase Sumner]] died in office on June 7, 1799, leaving Lieutenant Governor [[Moses Gill]] as acting governor. Acting Governor Gill never received a lieutenant and died on May 20, 1800, between that year's election and the inauguration of Governor-elect [[Caleb Strong]]. The Governor's Council served as the executive for ten days; the council's chair, [[Thomas Dawes]] was at no point named governor or acting governor.

Article LV of the Constitution, enacted in 1918, created a new line of succession:
{| class=wikitable
|-
!#
! Office
! Current officeholder
|-
!
|'''Governor of Massachusetts'''
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[Maura Healey]] (D)'''
|-
!1
|[[Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts|Lieutenant Governor]]
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[Kim Driscoll]] (D)
|-
!2
|[[Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth|Secretary of the Commonwealth]]
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[William F. Galvin]] (D)
|-
!3
|[[Massachusetts Attorney General|Attorney General]]
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[Andrea Campbell]] (D)
|-
!4
|[[Treasurer and Receiver-General of Massachusetts|Treasurer and Receiver-General]]
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[Deb Goldberg]] (D)
|-
!5
|[[Massachusetts State Auditor|Auditor]]
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[Diana DiZoglio]] (D)
|}

==Cabinet==
The governor has a 10-person cabinet, each of whom oversees a portion of the government under direct administration (as opposed to independent executive agencies). See [[Government of Massachusetts]] for a complete listing.

==Traditions==
The front doors of the State House are only opened when a governor leaves office, a head of state or the president of the United States comes to visit the State House, or for the return of flags from Massachusetts regiments at the end of wars. The tradition of the ceremonial door originated when departing governor [[Benjamin Butler]] kicked open the front door and walked out by himself in 1884.

Incoming governors usually choose at least one past governor's portrait to hang in their office.

Immediately before being sworn into office, the governor-elect receives four symbols from the departing governor: the ceremonial pewter "Key" for the governor's office door, the Butler Bible, the "Gavel", and a two-volume set of the Massachusetts General Statutes with a personal note from the departing governor to their successor added to the back of the text. The governor-elect is then escorted by the sergeant-at-arms to the House Chamber and sworn in by the [[President of the Massachusetts Senate|President of the Senate]] before a joint session of the House and Senate.<ref name="State Library">[http://www.mass.gov/lib/facts/transfer.htm Massachusetts State Library Information, Governor Transfer of Power], Retrieved February 14, 2007.</ref>

===Lone walk===
Upon completion of their term, the departing governor takes a "lone walk" down the Grand Staircase, through the House of Flags, into Doric Hall, out the central doors, and down the steps of the [[Massachusetts State House]]. The governor then crosses the street into [[Boston Common]], thereby symbolically rejoining the commonwealth as a private citizen. [[Benjamin Butler]] started the tradition in 1884.<ref>{{Cite web |title=A Tour of the Grounds of the Massachusetts State House |url=http://www.sec.state.ma.us/trs/trsbok/trstour.htm |access-date=June 8, 2012 |publisher=Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts}}</ref> Some walks have been modified with some past governors having their wives, friends, or staff accompany them.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Braun |first=Stephen |date=December 3, 2011 |title=Mitt Romney Not Alone in Destroying Records |work=The Herald News |url=http://www.heraldnews.com/newsnow/x1560332634/FOCUS-Mitt-Romney-not-alone-in-destroying-records}}</ref> A [[21-gun salute|19-gun salute]] is offered during the walk, and frequently the steps are lined by the outgoing governor's friends and supporters.<ref name="Romney" />

In January 1991, outgoing lieutenant governor [[Evelyn Murphy]], the first woman elected to statewide office in Massachusetts, walked down the stairs before Governor [[Michael Dukakis]]. In a break from tradition, the January 2007 inauguration of Governor [[Deval Patrick]] took place the day after outgoing governor [[Mitt Romney]] took the lone walk down the front steps.<ref name="Romney">{{Cite news |last=Weber |first=David |date=January 4, 2007 |title=Romney Takes 'Lone Walk' out of Office |work=Bangor Daily News |agency=Associated Press |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2457&dat=20070104&id=Lr88AAAAIBAJ&pg=1267,644167}}</ref>

==Governor's residence==
Despite several proposals for establishing an [[official residence]] for the governor of Massachusetts, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts does not have a governor's mansion.

In 1955, Governor [[Foster Furcolo]] turned down a proposal to establish the [[Shirley–Eustis House]] in [[Roxbury, Boston|Roxbury]], built by royal Governor [[William Shirley]], as the official residence.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Shirley Eustis House |url=http://www.shirleyeustishouse.org/residents.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928211108/http://www.shirleyeustishouse.org/residents.html |archive-date=September 28, 2007}}</ref>

At one time, Governor [[John A. Volpe]] accepted the donation of the [[Endicott Estate]] in [[Dedham, Massachusetts|Dedham]] from the heirs of [[Henry Bradford Endicott]]. He intended to renovate the 19th-century mansion into a splendid governor's residence.<ref name="commonwealthmag">{{Cite web |title=Commonwealth Magazine, Fall 1999 | date=April 2024 |url=http://www.massinc.org/index.php?id=346&pub_id=967&bypass=1&bypass=1&bypass=1}}</ref> After Volpe resigned to become [[United States Secretary of Transportation]] in the [[Presidency of Richard Nixon|Nixon administration]], the plan was aborted by his successor in consideration of budgetary constraints and because the location was considered too far from the seat of power, the State House in Boston.

Prior to their respective demolitions in 1922 and 1863, the [[Province House (Boston, Massachusetts)|Province House]] and the [[Hancock Manor]]<ref name="commonwealthmag" /> were also proposed as official residences.

Since the governor has no official residence, the expression "corner office", rather than "governor's mansion", is commonly used in the press as a [[Metonymy|metonym]] for the office of governor. This refers instead to the governor's office on the third floor of the State House.<ref>{{Cite web |title=State House 3rd Floor information, floor plan, and room listing |url=https://malegislature.gov/VirtualTour/Floor/3 |website=The 191st General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts |access-date=May 16, 2020 |archive-date=October 27, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121027231410/http://malegislature.gov/VirtualTour/Floor/3 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Timeline==
{| role="presentation" class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
| <strong>Timeline of Massachusetts governors</strong>
|-
|
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 from:1787.42 till:1793.77 color:noparty text:"John Hancock"
 from:1785.13 till:1785.4 color:noparty text:"Thomas Cushing"
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 from:1808.94 till:1809.42 color:demrep text:"Levi Lincoln Sr."
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 from:1853.04 till:1854.03 color:whig text:"John H. Clifford"
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 from:1937.02 till:1939.01 color:dem text:"Charles F. Hurley"
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 from:1945.01 till:1947.01 color:dem text:"Maurice J. Tobin"
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 from:1949.02 till:1953.02 color:dem text:"Paul A. Dever"
 from:1953.02 till:1957.01 color:rep text:"Christian Herter"
 from:1957.01 till:1961.01 color:dem text:"Foster Furcolo"
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 from:1963.01 till:1965.02 color:dem text:"Endicott Peabody"
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 from:1997.58 till:2001.27 color:rep text:"Paul Cellucci"
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 from:2003.01 till:2007.01 color:rep text:"Mitt Romney"
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|}

==See also==
* [[List of governors of Massachusetts]]
* [[First ladies and gentlemen of Massachusetts]]

==References==
'''Citations'''
{{Reflist}}

'''Sources'''
{{refbegin}}
*{{Cite book |title=Journals of each Provincial Congress of Massachusetts in 1774 and 1775 and of the Committee of Safety, with an Appendix containing the Proceedings of the County Conventions_Narratives of the Events of the Nineteenth of April, 1775-Paper relating to Ticonderoga and Crown Point, and other documents |publisher=Dutton and Wentworth, Printers to the State |year=1838 |editor-last=Lincoln |editor-first=William}}
*{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/commonwealthhist04hart |title=Commonwealth History of Massachusetts |publisher=The States History Company |year=1927 |editor-last=Hart |editor-first=Albert Bushnell |location=New York |oclc=1543273}} (five volume history of Massachusetts until the early 20th century; volume 3 deals with the provisional period and post-independence history until 1820)
*{{Cite book |last=Morison |first=Samuel |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YvAnAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA18 |title=A History of the Constitution of Massachusetts |date=1917 |publisher=Wright & Potter Printing Co. |location=Harvard University Library}}
*{{Cite book |last=Truslow Adams |first=James |url=https://archive.org/details/foundingnewengl03adamgoog |title=The Founding of New England |date=1913 |publisher=Atlantic Monthly Press |location=Stanford University Library}}
* {{Cite web |title=Former Massachusetts Governors |url=https://www.nga.org/former-governors/massachusetts/ |access-date=March 6, 2023 |publisher=National Governors Association}}
* {{Cite book |last=Sobel |first=Robert |url=https://archive.org/details/biographicaldire0000sobe/ |title=Biographical directory of the governors of the United States, 1789-1978, Vol. II |publisher=Meckler Books |year=1978 |isbn=9780930466008 |access-date=March 6, 2023}}
*{{Cite book |last=Dubin |first=Michael J. |url=http://archive.org/details/unitedstatesgube0000dubi |title=United States Gubernatorial Elections, 1776-1860: The Official Results by State and County |date=2003 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=978-0-7864-1439-0}}
* {{Cite book |last=Dubin |first=Michael J. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WYJAIOabIPgC |title=United States Gubernatorial Elections, 1861-1911: The Official Results by State and County |date=2014 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=978-0-7864-5646-8 |language=en}}
*{{Cite book |last=Kallenbach |first=Joseph Ernest |url=http://archive.org/details/americanstategov0000kall |title=American State Governors, 1776-1976 |date=1977 |publisher=Oceana Publications |isbn=978-0-379-00665-0 |access-date=September 23, 2023}}
*{{Cite book |last=Glashan |first=Roy R. |url=http://archive.org/details/americangovernor0000glas |title=American Governors and Gubernatorial Elections, 1775-1978 |date=1979 |publisher=Meckler Books |isbn=978-0-930466-17-6}}
* {{Cite web |title=Our Campaigns - Governor of Massachusetts - History |url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/ContainerHistory.html?ContainerID=238 |access-date=2023-07-25 |website=www.ourcampaigns.com}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
* {{Official website}}
* {{Citation |title=Office of the Governor |hdl=2452/35301}}. (Various documents).

{{Governors of Massachusetts}}
{{Navboxes
|list  =
{{Massachusetts}}
{{BaystatersList}}
{{Current Massachusetts statewide political officials}}
{{Massachusetts government}}
{{Lists of US Governors}}
{{Current U.S. Governors}}
{{United States governors' residences}}
}}

[[Category:Governors of Massachusetts| ]]
[[Category:Commonwealth constitutional officers of Massachusetts|Governor]]
[[Category:1780 establishments in the Province of Massachusetts Bay]]