Who is the WGGC?

The Governor’s Council is a critical piece of the state government and plays an outsize role in mass incarceration.  We are residents who believe this body has for too long operated in the dark. The council itself has very little transparency – it has only been since the Covid pandemic that hearings have been made accessible through live streaming.  

Our focus is on educating the public about the importance of this elected body, encouraging citizens to get involved and ensuring that counselors are accountable to their constituencies.

How many councilors are there?

There are 8 councilors elected from 8 districts. See the members page for a map of the districts. Each district is comprised of 5 contiguous senate districts.

When are governor’s councilor elections? 

The councilors are elected every two years in the general election, the first Tuesday of November.  However, the primary is held in September on a date determined by the MA Secretary of State.  Because in recent history, the Council is entirely Democratic, the primary is in most cases the determining election for councilors.

How do I find my councilor? 

Find your councilor here.

How do I find out how my councilor voted?

There is no official voting record maintained by the Governor’s Council. So, to get a sense of how the council votes on nominees, interns at the Boston Institute of Nonprofit Journalism and members of WGGC compiled votes by council members between 2015 and 2022 of judge nominees.

Historical Vote Tally (for interpretation, go here)

How do I contact my councilor?  

Emails and phone numbers for each councilor can be found here.

What other states have governor’s councils?

New Hampshire has an Executive Council with similar responsibilities to the MA Council.

Maine had a similar body, the Executive Council of Maine, which was dissolved in 1977 after a statewide referendum. 

There are various other ways states select judges and parole board members. 

Why does MA have a governor’s council?

The Governor’s Council of MA is over 400 years old; it’s role has changed significantly during that time. Read about it’s history here .

How can I attend a Governor’s Council meeting?

Governor’s Council meetings are public and are held Wednesdays in the Executive suite of the State House.  The calendar for hearings is available at mass.gov.   Meetings are also livestreamed on YouTube.   Videos of past hearings are also available.

Are Governor’s Council meetings public?

Yes, all meetings are public. They are held Wednesdays in the Executive suite of the State House.  The calendar for hearings is available at mass.gov.   Meetings are also livestreamed on YouTube.   Videos of past hearings are also available.

Do all judges have to be confirmed by the Governor’s Council?

Yes, all judicial nominees must be confirmed by the Governor’s Council.

Do all members of the Parole Board need to be confirmed by the Governor’s Council?

Yes, all members of the Parole Board must be confirmed by the Governor’s Council. 

What is the role of the Lieutenant Governor in the Governor’s Council?

The lieutenant governor is an ex-officio member of the Council and presides over the voting. The LT governor can break a tie if necessary.

What is the role of the Governor’s Council in mass incarceration?

Judges play an important role in administering the law; 60% of judicial nominees have a prosecutorial background which can lead to over-charging and sentencing.  

The Parole Board determines whether incarcerated indivduals with indeterminate sentences can be released into community supervision on parole once they have served the required number of years; for 2nd degree lifers, this is typically 15 years. Because of reluctance to release people into the community, and also because  of the number of Life without Parole prisoners, MA has the oldest prison population in the US.   

What is the role of the Governor’s Council in pardons and commutations? 

The Advisory Board of Pardons (aka the Parole Board) votes on commutations and pardons; recommendations are then sent to the governor; if the governor approves, the Governor’s Council must confirm.  

Why is “councilor” spelled as “councillor” by the MA state government?

“Councillor” is the archaic form.