# 2026 United States House of Representatives elections in Massachusetts
The 2026 [United States House of Representatives](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-states-house-of-representatives) elections in Massachusetts will elect all nine of the state's representatives to the 120th Congress on November 3, 2026, following a September 1, 2026 primary.[1](https://www.sec.state.ma.us/divisions/elections/getting-on-the-ballot/how-to-run-for-office-2026.htm) • [2](https://poltrapro.com/races/ma) Massachusetts has nine congressional districts, all held by Democrats going into the cycle.[3](https://www.270towin.com/2026-house-election/states/massachusetts/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Seats | All 9 of Massachusetts's U.S. House districts on the ballot[2](https://poltrapro.com/races/ma) |
| Primary | Tuesday, September 1, 2026[1](https://www.sec.state.ma.us/divisions/elections/getting-on-the-ballot/how-to-run-for-office-2026.htm) |
| General election | Tuesday, November 3, 2026[1](https://www.sec.state.ma.us/divisions/elections/getting-on-the-ballot/how-to-run-for-office-2026.htm) |
| Filing deadline (party candidates, federal office) | 5 p.m., June 2, 2026, for certified nomination papers with the Secretary of the Commonwealth[1](https://www.sec.state.ma.us/divisions/elections/getting-on-the-ballot/how-to-run-for-office-2026.htm) |
| Signature requirement | 2,000 certified signatures for U.S. Representative[1](https://www.sec.state.ma.us/divisions/elections/getting-on-the-ballot/how-to-run-for-office-2026.htm) |
| Incumbents running | Five, tying with 2018 for the most since 2014; the 6th District is open[4](https://news.ballotpedia.org/2026/06/29/five-u-s-house-incumbents-are-running-in-massachusetts-this-year-tying-with-2018-for-the-most-since-2014/) |
| Ratings | Cook Political Report rates the Massachusetts seats Solid Democratic, including the open MA-06[5](https://www.cookpolitical.com/races?order=Rating&page=4&sort=asc) |
| Forecast delegation | 270toWin's Cook-based forecast projects a 9-Democrat, 0-Republican Massachusetts delegation[3](https://www.270towin.com/2026-house-election/states/massachusetts/) |
## Election calendar and ballot access
Massachusetts candidates qualify for the ballot by petition. Candidates obtain nomination papers, gather certified signatures from registered voters, and file them in stages: party candidates for federal or statewide office submit papers to local registrars of voters by 5 p.m. on May 5, 2026, and file the certified papers and other required paperwork with the Secretary of the Commonwealth's Elections Division by 5 p.m. on June 2, 2026. Non-party candidates for federal or statewide office follow a later track, with a July 28, 2026 deadline at the registrars and an August 25, 2026 deadline with the Elections Division.[1](https://www.sec.state.ma.us/divisions/elections/getting-on-the-ballot/how-to-run-for-office-2026.htm) A U.S. Representative candidate must collect 2,000 certified signatures, gathered only from voters registered in the district; party candidates may collect signatures from members of their own party and from voters unenrolled in any party.[1](https://www.sec.state.ma.us/divisions/elections/getting-on-the-ballot/how-to-run-for-office-2026.htm)
The primary date itself was set by statute. House Bill 4531, which set the primary at September 1, 2026, was signed by Governor Maura Healey on September 23, 2025.[6](https://www.thegreenpapers.com/G26/MA) Under a 2025 session law, if a nomination vacancy arises through the death, withdrawal, or ineligibility of a candidate from the September 1, 2026 primary, the party's certificate of nomination must be filed with the state secretary no later than 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, and the state secretary may adjust dates relating to the primary as needed for the orderly administration of the November 3 election.[7](https://malegislature.gov/Laws/SessionLaws/Acts/2025/Chapter34)
The elections use the congressional map drawn for the 2022 elections under the 2021-2031 redistricting plan.[8](https://malegislature.gov/Redistricting/NewDistricts/Congressional) The House of Representatives notes that updates to district boundaries may change what district a voter votes in during the 2026 primary and general elections, but do not change which congressional district a voter is currently represented in until the changes take effect at the start of the new Congress in January 2027.[9](https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative?hl=en-US)
## Seats and candidates
**Incumbents and the open seat.** Five U.S. House incumbents ran for re-election in Massachusetts in 2026, tying with 2018 for the most since 2014, and the 6th Congressional District became an open seat because its incumbent did not run.[4](https://news.ballotpedia.org/2026/06/29/five-u-s-house-incumbents-are-running-in-massachusetts-this-year-tying-with-2018-for-the-most-since-2014/) Among the running incumbents, the Cook Political Report's race table lists [Richard Neal](https://www.edgepedia.org/richard-neal) in MA-01, Jim McGovern in MA-02, Lori Trahan in MA-03, Jake Auchincloss in MA-04, and [Katherine Clark](https://www.edgepedia.org/katherine-clark) in MA-05, each rated Solid D.[5](https://www.cookpolitical.com/races?order=Rating&page=4&sort=asc) Auchincloss faced Republican Thomas "Tom" Stalcup on the November ballot; Clark's race was uncontested, with a write-in Independent candidate.[6](https://www.thegreenpapers.com/G26/MA)
**The 6th District primary.** The open MA-06 contest attracted a Democratic field of no fewer than seven hopefuls, among them [Dan Koh](https://www.edgepedia.org/dan-koh), who served on the Andover Select Board and as chief of staff to [Marty Walsh](https://www.edgepedia.org/marty-walsh) during his time as Boston's mayor.[10](https://www.axios.com/local/boston/2026/01/07/massachusetts-2026-election-primary-races-ballot-questions-senate-governor) The September 1 Democratic primary for the seat drew wide public attention in the state.[6](https://www.thegreenpapers.com/G26/MA)
## Political context
All nine Massachusetts districts are held by Democrats, and the nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates each of the state's 2026 House races Solid D, including the open MA-06 seat.[5](https://www.cookpolitical.com/races?order=Rating&page=4&sort=asc) The projected post-election view on 270toWin's Cook-based map shows Massachusetts retaining a 9-0 Democratic delegation.[3](https://www.270towin.com/2026-house-election/states/massachusetts/)
The national backdrop for the cycle was a difficult one for Republicans. On September 25, 2026, the Cook Political Report shifted 15 House races toward Democrats, with Democrats favored in 208 races and Republicans in 205; on October 9 it shifted 18 more races toward Democrats, forecasting a Democratic gain of nine to 19 seats nationally, which would yield 224 seats at the low end and 234 at the upper end, with 218 needed for a House majority.[11](https://www.axios.com/2026/09/25/house-republicans-majority-democrats-battleground) • [12](https://www.axios.com/newsletters/axios-pm-94c0604c-2142-4702-9262-3535346bf65a) In Massachusetts, this environment ran in the same direction as the state's existing partisan makeup, with no Massachusetts seat moved into competitive territory in the ratings shown.[5](https://www.cookpolitical.com/races?order=Rating&page=4&sort=asc)
## References
1. [How to Run for Office in 2026, Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Elections Division](https://www.sec.state.ma.us/divisions/elections/getting-on-the-ballot/how-to-run-for-office-2026.htm)
2. [Massachusetts 2026 races: House, Senate and governor, Political Transparency Project](https://poltrapro.com/races/ma)
3. [2026 Massachusetts House Election Map, 270toWin](https://www.270towin.com/2026-house-election/states/massachusetts/)
4. [Five U.S. House incumbents are running in Massachusetts this year, tying with 2018 for the most since 2014, Ballotpedia News](https://news.ballotpedia.org/2026/06/29/five-u-s-house-incumbents-are-running-in-massachusetts-this-year-tying-with-2018-for-the-most-since-2014/)
5. [Find a Race, Cook Political Report](https://www.cookpolitical.com/races?order=Rating&page=4&sort=asc)
6. [Massachusetts 2026 General Election, The Green Papers](https://www.thegreenpapers.com/G26/MA)
7. [Session Law, Acts of 2025 Chapter 34, Massachusetts Legislature](https://malegislature.gov/Laws/SessionLaws/Acts/2025/Chapter34)
8. [2021-2031 Districts, Massachusetts Legislature Redistricting](https://malegislature.gov/Redistricting/NewDistricts/Congressional)
9. [Find Your Representative, house.gov](https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative?hl=en-US)
10. [Crowded Massachusetts ballot will test Democratic establishment, affordability agenda, Axios Boston](https://www.axios.com/local/boston/2026/01/07/massachusetts-2026-election-primary-races-ballot-questions-senate-governor)
11. [House Republicans on track to lose majority, Axios](https://www.axios.com/2026/09/25/house-republicans-majority-democrats-battleground)
12. [Axios PM: Big Dem shift, Axios](https://www.axios.com/newsletters/axios-pm-94c0604c-2142-4702-9262-3535346bf65a)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Society and history › Politics and government › Elections and representation › Elections and referendums › United States election events › United States federal election events › US House of Representatives election events › US House elections by state (modern per-state cycle sets)*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license