Look It Up
Who Holds Statewide Office
Who actually runs Massachusetts
You can probably name the governor. Here are the other fifty seven people who run Massachusetts: the prosecutors who decide who gets charged, the sheriffs who run the jails, the eight councillors who vote on every judge, and the cabinet secretaries who spend your tax money. Most of them were elected, and every one of them has a public office you can contact.
The six you elect
Six statewide offices, each filled directly by the voters every four years.
Maura Healey
Governor
ElectedHead of the executive branch; chief administrator and commander-in-chief of the Commonwealth.
Kim Driscoll
Lieutenant Governor
ElectedSupports the Governor, serves on the Governor's Council, presiding over it in the Governor's absence, and assumes executive duties when the Governor is absent.
Andrea Joy Campbell
Attorney General
ElectedChief law enforcement and legal officer; protects consumers, enforces civil rights, and prosecutes fraud.
William F. Galvin
Secretary of the Commonwealth
ElectedChief elections officer; maintains public records, regulates securities, and oversees state archives.
Deborah B. Goldberg
Treasurer and Receiver-General
ElectedManages the Commonwealth's cash, debt, investments, and the state lottery.
Diana DiZoglio
State Auditor
ElectedConducts independent audits of state agencies to ensure accountability and fiscal responsibility.
The eleven who decide who gets charged
A district attorney chooses which cases become charges and which do not. Each one is elected by the voters of the district for four years.
Robert Galibois
District Attorney, Cape & Islands District · Barnstable, Dukes, Nantucket County
ElectedChief law enforcement officer for the district; prosecutes felonies and advises grand juries.
Timothy J. Shugrue
District Attorney, Berkshire District · Berkshire County
ElectedChief law enforcement officer for the district; prosecutes felonies and advises grand juries.
Thomas M. Quinn III
District Attorney, Bristol District · Bristol County
ElectedChief law enforcement officer for the district; prosecutes felonies and advises grand juries.
Paul F. Tucker
District Attorney, Eastern District (Essex County)
ElectedChief law enforcement officer for the district; prosecutes felonies and advises grand juries.
David E. Sullivan
District Attorney, Northwestern District · Franklin, Hampshire County
ElectedChief law enforcement officer for the district; prosecutes felonies and advises grand juries.
Anthony D. Gulluni
District Attorney, Hampden District · Hampden County
ElectedChief law enforcement officer for the district; prosecutes felonies and advises grand juries.
Marian T. Ryan
District Attorney, Northern District (Middlesex County)
ElectedChief law enforcement officer for the district; prosecutes felonies and advises grand juries.
Michael W. Morrissey
District Attorney, Norfolk District · Norfolk County
ElectedChief law enforcement officer for the district; prosecutes felonies and advises grand juries.
Timothy J. Cruz
District Attorney, Plymouth District · Plymouth County
ElectedChief law enforcement officer for the district; prosecutes felonies and advises grand juries.
Kevin R. Hayden
District Attorney, Suffolk District · Suffolk County
ElectedChief law enforcement officer for the district; prosecutes felonies and advises grand juries.
Joseph D. Early Jr.
District Attorney, Middle District · Worcester County
ElectedChief law enforcement officer for the district; prosecutes felonies and advises grand juries.
The fourteen who run the jails
One per county, elected for six years. The sheriff runs the county jail, which means the sheriff sets the conditions for people who have not been convicted of anything yet and are simply waiting for a trial.
Donna D. Buckley
Sheriff, Barnstable County
ElectedOperates the county jail and house of correction; serves civil process and supports local law enforcement.
Thomas Bowler
Sheriff, Berkshire County
ElectedOperates the county jail and house of correction; serves civil process and supports local law enforcement.
Paul Heroux
Sheriff, Bristol County
ElectedOperates the county jail and house of correction; serves civil process and supports local law enforcement.
Robert Ogden
Sheriff, Dukes County
ElectedOperates the county jail and house of correction; serves civil process and supports local law enforcement.
Kevin F. Coppinger
Sheriff, Essex County
ElectedOperates the county jail and house of correction; serves civil process and supports local law enforcement.
Lori M. Streeter
Sheriff, Franklin County
AppointedOperates the county jail and house of correction; serves civil process and supports local law enforcement.
Nicholas Cocchi
Sheriff, Hampden County
ElectedOperates the county jail and house of correction; serves civil process and supports local law enforcement.
Patrick J. Cahillane
Sheriff, Hampshire County
ElectedOperates the county jail and house of correction; serves civil process and supports local law enforcement.
Peter J. Koutoujian
Sheriff, Middlesex County
ElectedOperates the county jail and house of correction; serves civil process and supports local law enforcement.
James A. Perelman
Sheriff, Nantucket County
ElectedOperates the county jail and house of correction; serves civil process and supports local law enforcement.
Patrick W. McDermott
Sheriff, Norfolk County
ElectedOperates the county jail and house of correction; serves civil process and supports local law enforcement.
Joseph D. McDonald Jr.
Sheriff, Plymouth County
ElectedOperates the county jail and house of correction; serves civil process and supports local law enforcement.
Steven W. Tompkins
Sheriff, Suffolk County
ElectedOperates the county jail and house of correction; serves civil process and supports local law enforcement.
Lew Evangelidis
Sheriff, Worcester County
ElectedOperates the county jail and house of correction; serves civil process and supports local law enforcement.
The eight who vote on every judge
Before any judge in Massachusetts can take the bench, this council has to confirm them. Eight councillors, elected from districts, decide it.
Joseph C. Ferreira
Governor's Councillor, District 1 · Barnstable, Dukes, Nantucket, Plymouth County
ElectedElected body that approves judicial appointments, pardons, and commutations, and certifies statewide elections.
Tara J. Jacobs
Governor's Councillor, District 8 · Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire County
ElectedElected body that approves judicial appointments, pardons, and commutations, and certifies statewide elections.
Tamisha L. Civil
Governor's Councillor, District 2 · Bristol, Norfolk County
ElectedElected body that approves judicial appointments, pardons, and commutations, and certifies statewide elections.
Eunice Zeigler
Governor's Councillor, District 5 · Essex County
ElectedElected body that approves judicial appointments, pardons, and commutations, and certifies statewide elections.
Terrence W. Kennedy
Governor's Councillor, District 6 · Essex, Middlesex County
ElectedElected body that approves judicial appointments, pardons, and commutations, and certifies statewide elections.
Mara Dolan
Governor's Councillor, District 3 · Middlesex, Suffolk County
ElectedElected body that approves judicial appointments, pardons, and commutations, and certifies statewide elections.
Paul M. DePalo
Governor's Councillor, District 7 · Middlesex, Worcester County
ElectedElected body that approves judicial appointments, pardons, and commutations, and certifies statewide elections.
Christopher A. Iannella Jr.
Governor's Councillor, District 4 · Suffolk County
ElectedElected body that approves judicial appointments, pardons, and commutations, and certifies statewide elections.
The twelve the governor appoints
The governor appoints every one of these secretaries, and no voter confirms them. They run the agencies behind your school, your commute, and your family's health coverage.
Dr. Kiame Mahaniah
Secretary of Health and Human Services
AppointedCoordinates health care, mental health, elder services, disability services, and public health programs.
Eric Goralnick
Secretary of Veterans Services
AppointedSupports Massachusetts veterans and their families through benefits, services, and advocacy.
Eric Paley
Secretary of Economic Development
AppointedDrives job creation, business growth, and innovation across the Commonwealth.
Gina K. Kwon
Secretary of Public Safety and Security
AppointedOversees the State Police, emergency management, and public safety agencies.
Jason Snyder
Secretary of Technology Services and Security
AppointedManages state IT infrastructure, cybersecurity, and digital services for state government.
Juana B. Matias
Secretary of Housing and Livable Communities
AppointedWorks to create more homes, lower housing costs, and support community development.
Lauren Jones
Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development
AppointedSupports workers, job seekers, and employers through workforce programs and labor standards.
Matthew Gorzkowicz
Secretary of Administration and Finance
AppointedOversees the state budget, financial management, human resources, and administrative services.
Melissa Hoffer
Climate Chief
AppointedMassachusetts's first Climate Chief, leading the state's climate policy and clean energy transition.
Phillip Eng
Interim Secretary of Transportation
AppointedLeads transportation policy and oversees MassDOT and the MBTA.
Rebecca Tepper
Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs
AppointedProtects natural resources and leads the Commonwealth's environmental and energy policy.
Stephen Zrike
Secretary of Education
AppointedLeads the state's PreK-12 education policy and supports districts across Massachusetts.
The seven with the last word
The highest court in Massachusetts and the oldest appellate court still sitting anywhere in the Western Hemisphere. The governor nominates each justice, the Governor's Council confirms them, and they must retire at seventy.
Dalila Argaez Wendlandt
Associate Justice, Supreme Judicial Court
AppointedSits on the Commonwealth's highest appellate court, deciding appeals on criminal and civil cases.
Elizabeth N. Dewar
Associate Justice, Supreme Judicial Court
AppointedSits on the Commonwealth's highest appellate court, deciding appeals on criminal and civil cases.
Frank M. Gaziano
Associate Justice, Supreme Judicial Court
AppointedSits on the Commonwealth's highest appellate court, deciding appeals on criminal and civil cases.
Gabrielle R. Wolohojian
Associate Justice, Supreme Judicial Court
AppointedSits on the Commonwealth's highest appellate court, deciding appeals on criminal and civil cases.
Kimberly S. Budd
Chief Justice, Supreme Judicial Court
AppointedLeads the Commonwealth's highest appellate court, which hears final appeals on criminal and civil cases.
Scott L. Kafker
Associate Justice, Supreme Judicial Court
AppointedSits on the Commonwealth's highest appellate court, deciding appeals on criminal and civil cases.
Serge Georges Jr.
Associate Justice, Supreme Judicial Court
AppointedSits on the Commonwealth's highest appellate court, deciding appeals on criminal and civil cases.
MassCivics last checked this page on September 28, 2026.
Sources
- Elections and voter enrollment: Secretary of the Commonwealth, Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as of September 2026.
- Laws and the constitution: Massachusetts General Court, Chapter 9, as of October 2026.
- Laws and the constitution: Massachusetts General Court, Massachusetts Constitution, as of October 2026.
- State and county government: Barnstable County Sheriff’s Office, Barnstable County Sheriff, as of September 2026 and October 2026.
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- State and county government: Berkshire County Sheriff’s Office, Contact Us, as of October 2026.
- State and county government: Berkshire District Attorney’s Office, Berkshire District Attorney, as of September 2026 and October 2026.
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- State and county government: Essex County District Attorney, Office of Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker, as of September 2026 and October 2026.
- State and county government: Essex County Sheriff’s Department, Contact Us, as of October 2026.
- State and county government: Essex County Sheriff’s Department, Essex County Sheriff’s Department, as of September 2026.
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