By Sam Lambert
Oh, what a night! As election results poured in, my focus was on our state candidate and ballot question endorsements, but I could not help but be bolstered by the sea change we witnessed across our country. Election night is the culmination of years of work, of bench-building, of community outreach and organizing. Once election day arrives and you turn the work over to the voters, it is a feeling unlike any other. We know the work doesn't end with an election. Our volunteers are ready to build new relationships and organize for the policies that we are fighting for.
Before we dig into the races, I would like to share my gratitude for the people that make our political program a success. We have an incredible group of volunteers who give their time to make our endorsements happen. This volunteer committee develops questionnaires, consults with issue advocacy member leaders, reviews legislative records, conducts reviews of ballot questions and interviews of candidates, synthesizes feedback, and carefully considers each endorsement. We are a grassroots organization and our strength is our people. Every election cycle, I reflect on how proud I am of the dedication, principles, and passion that result in the voter guide we send to our members. Any member is eligible to serve on this committee or provide input into the process and we welcome you to do so! Please reach out if you are interested.
We are already preparing for municipal elections in 2027 and if you or someone you know is (or should be!) considering running for local office with climate or the environment as a key issue, let us know!
Now… on to the Massachusetts results!
Sierra Club Massachusetts Ballot Question Positions: (a check mark indicates our position was successful)
✅ Yes on Question 1: Public Records Law - Transparency wins! With more than 85% of Massachusetts voting in favor, this question expands the public records law to include the state Legislature and Governor.
✅ No on Question 3: Top-two primary elections - While it is acknowledged that election reform is an important issue for our members, analysis of this question raised concerns about creating barriers for candidates, especially when it came to the money that would be needed to run. Massachusetts voters rejected this question, as well.
✅ Yes on Question 4: Same Day Voter Registration - Removing barriers to voting is a win!
⚠️ No on Question 5: Cap and Refund Taxes - This question remains too close to call, though the ballot committee behind the question has conceded. Our member's analysis of this question was that the impact to the general fund could have consequential harms to the Commonwealth.
Sierra Club Massachusetts Endorsed Candidates:
Our deepest gratitude to each candidate listed below. Whatever the outcome, you each brought climate and our environment into the conversation and that mattered. At a time when “climate hushing” has become a real concern, you were unafraid and fought for clean air, clean water, clean energy, and a livable future. Thank you.
United States Senator:
✅ Ed Markey
United States Congress:
✅ Massachusetts 2nd District: Jim McGovern
✅ Massachusetts 5th District: Katherine Clark
✅ Massachusetts 7th District: Ayanna Pressley
State Senate:
✅ Second Middlesex Senate District: Erika Uyterhoeven
✅ Norfolk and Suffolk Senate District: Persis Yu
State House:
Barnstable County
✅ 3rd Barnstable: Jack Richardson
Bristol County
❌ 5th Bristol House District: Jamison Souza
Franklin County
✅ 1st Franklin House District: Lora Wondolowski
Hampden County
❌ 3rd Hampden House District: Tom Hendrickson
Middlesex County
✅ 1st Middlesex House District: Margaret Scarsdale
✅ 13th Middlesex House District: Ravi Simon
✅ 16th Middlesex House District: Lorena Betts
✅ 26th Middlesex House District: Mike Connolly
✅ 27th Middlesex House District: Ben Ewen-Campen
Norfolk County
✅ 6th Norfolk House District: Lisa Lopez
❌ 9th Norfolk House District: Tom Melville
Plymouth County
❌ 5th Plymouth House District: Lori Childs
Worcester County
✅ 4th Worcester House District: Natalie Higgins