1990 Massachusetts elections

1990 Massachusetts general election

← 1988 November 6, 1990 1992 →
Part of the 1990 United States elections

Elections in Massachusetts
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A Massachusetts general election was held on November 6, 1990 in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

The election included:

• statewide elections for United States Senator, Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of the Commonwealth, Treasurer, and Auditor;
• district elections for U.S. Representatives, State Representatives, State Senators, and Governor's Councillors; and
• ballot questions at the state and local levels.

Democratic and Republican candidates were selected in party primaries held September 19, 1990.

Statewide elections[]

United States Senator[]

Democratic incumbent John Kerry was re-elected over Republican Jim Rappaport.

Governor & Lieutenant Governor[]

Republicans William Weld and Paul Cellucci were elected Governor and Lieutenant Governor, respectively, over Democratic candidates John Silber and Marjorie Clapprood. Weld's victory was the first for a Republican since 1970.

Attorney General[]

Democrat Scott Harshbarger was elected Attorney General. He defeated incumbent James Shannon in the Democratic primary and Republican in the general election.

Massachusetts Attorney General Democratic Primary, 1990 ^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Scott Harshbarger	533,481	53.56%
	Democratic	James Shannon (incumbent)	462,296	46.41%
	Write-in		253	0.03%

Massachusetts Attorney General Republican Primary, 1990 ^[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican		199,567	52.73%
	Republican	Guy Carbone	178,669	47.21%
	Write-in		231	0.00%

Massachusetts Attorney General Election, 1990 ^[3]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Scott Harshbarger	1,442,359	64.06%
	Republican		808,398	35.90%
	Write-in		783	0.04%

Secretary of the Commonwealth[]

Incumbent Secretary of the Commonwealth Michael J. Connolly defeated Republican and Independent in the general election.

Former Celtics star Dave Cowens entered the race as a Republican, but because he did not register by June 5, 1989, he was unable to appear on the primary ballot and dropped out.^[4][5]

Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth Election, 1990 ^[6]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Michael J. Connolly (incumbent)	1,011,303	45.88%
	Republican		844,085	38.29%
	Independent High Tech		347,703	15.77%
	Write-in		1,129	0.05%

Treasurer and Receiver-General[]

Incumbent Treasurer and Receiver-General Robert Q. Crane did not run for re-election. Republican Joe Malone defeated Democrat State Representative William F. Galvin and Independent in the general election.

Massachusetts Treasurer and Receiver-General Democratic Primary, 1990 ^[7]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	William F. Galvin	489,512	50.98%
	Democratic	George Keverian	287,626	29.95%
	Democratic	Richard A. Kraus	182,715	19.03%
	Write-in		436	0.05%

Massachusetts Treasurer and Receiver-General Election, 1990 ^[8]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Joe Malone	1,298,521	57.24%
	Democratic	William F. Galvin	825,808	36.41%
	Independent High Tech		143,324	6.32%
	Write-in		753	0.03%

Auditor[]

Democrat A. Joseph DeNucci was re-elected Auditor. He defeated Republican and Independent candidate .

Massachusetts Auditor Election, 1990 ^[9]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	A. Joseph DeNucci (incumbent)	1,187,241	54.66%
	Republican		801,116	36.88%
	Independent High Tech		183,136	8.43%
	Write-in		607	0.03%

Ballot questions[]

Question 1[]

Proposed Amendment to the Constitution – The proposed constitutional amendment would repeal the constitutional provision that a state census be taken and used as the basis for determining state representative, senatorial, and councilor districts. The proposed constitutional amendment would provide that the federal census shall be the basis for determining such districts. ^[10]

Proposed Legislative Amendment to the Constitution ^[10]

Candidate		Votes	%	±
✓	Yes	1,731,341	78.29%
	No	479,999	21.71%

Question 2[]

Law Proposed by Initiative Petition - The proposed law sought to place restrictions on the State’s use of consultants. It sought various limits on the amount of profit, overhead charges and expenses that the State could pay consultants. The duration of consultant contracts was for two years and any extension to one year, and such contracts could be changed only if payments exceeded the original contract. The proposed initiative sought to limit to $100,000 the amount the State could pay on a consultant contract with an individual and would require all other consultant contracts in excess of $25,000 to be awarded through competitive bidding. It sought to prohibit consultants from supervising State employees, and it would limit the use of consultants as substitutes for State employee positions. ^[11]

Law Proposed by Initiative Petition ^[11]

Candidate		Votes	%	±
	Yes	1,038,174	45.64%
✓	No	1,236,739	54.36%

Question 3[]

Law Proposed by Initiative Petition – The proposed initiative would have changed the state income tax rate, affected language contained in certain tax provisions, and regulated the setting of fees by state agencies and authorities. ^[12]

Law Proposed by Initiative Petition ^[12]

Candidate		Votes	%	±
	Yes	935,337	40.09%
✓	No	1,397,542	59.91%

Question 4[]

Law Proposed by Initiative Petition – This proposed initiative sought to change the state election laws governing the establishment of political parties and the nomination of candidates. ^[13]

Law Proposed by Initiative Petition ^[13]

Candidate		Votes	%	±
✓	Yes	1,134,535	52.46%
	No	1,027,966	47.54%

Question 5[]

Law Proposed by Initiative Petition – This proposed initiative sought to regulate the distribution to cities and towns of the Local Aid Fund, which consists of at least 40% of the revenue generated by the state income, sales, and corporate taxes, as well as the balance of the State Lottery Fund. ^[14]

Law Proposed by Initiative Petition ^[14]

Candidate		Votes	%	±
✓	Yes	1,242,270	56.68%
	No	949,561	43.32%

References[]

External links[]

• "Nov 6, 1990 general election", PD43+ Massachusetts Election Statistics, Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts