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President of the Massachusetts Senate

Presiding officer

Summary

Presiding officer

Field	Value
post	President
body	the Massachusetts Senate
insignia	File:Seal of the Senate of Massachusetts.svg
insigniasize	110px
insigniacaption	Seal of the Senate of Massachusetts
insigniaalt	Seal of the Senate of Massachusetts
image	Karen E. Spilka.jpg
incumbent	Karen Spilka
incumbentsince	July 26, 2018
department	Government of Massachusetts
status	Presiding Officer
member_of	General Court
residence	None official
seat	State House, Boston, Massachusetts
nominator	Majority party of the chamber
appointer	The Senate
termlength	Two Years, no term limit
constituting_instrument	Constitution of Massachusetts
inaugural	Thomas Cushing
formation	October 25, 1780
deputy	President Pro Tempore

The president of the Massachusetts Senate is the presiding officer. Unlike the United States Congress, in which the vice president of the United States is the ex officio president of the United States Senate, in Massachusetts, the president of the Senate is elected from and by the senators. The president, therefore, typically comes from the majority party, and the president is then the de facto leader of that party.

The current president of the Massachusetts Senate, since July 26, 2018, is Karen Spilka, a Democrat from Ashland. Democrats have had a majority in the Senate since 1959. Notable former presidents of the Massachusetts Senate include U.S. president Calvin Coolidge.

List of presidents of the Massachusetts Senate

#	President	Picture	Term	Party	Notes
1st		Thomas Cushing	[[Image:Thomas Cushing.jpg	100px]]	last=Massachusetts General Court - Senate	title = The Journal of the Senate for the year 1879	page = 5	publisher =Massachusetts General Court - Senate	location = Boston, Massachusetts	date = January 1, 1879}}	Cushing was elected as the first president of the Massachusetts Senate, he resigned on November 4, 1780 because he was elected the lieutenant governor of Massachusetts.
2nd		Jeremiah Powell		November 4, 1780 – 1782
3rd		Samuel Adams	[[File:Samuel Adams by John Singleton Copley.jpg	100px]]	1782–1785
4th	Samuel Phillips	[[Image:SamuelPhillips.jpeg	100px]]	1785–87
1788–1801
1801–02	F
5th		Samuel Adams	[[File:Samuel Adams by John Singleton Copley.jpg	100px]]	1787–1788
6th		David Cobb	[[File:Gilbert Stuart - General David Cobb (page 229 crop).jpg	100px]]	1801–02
1802–05	F	Served as a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts's at-large congressional seat from March 4, 1793 – March 4, 1795.
7th		Harrison Gray Otis	[[File:Harrison Gray Otis by Chester Harding, 1833, oil on canvas, from the National Portrait Gallery - NPG-7700056A 2.jpg	100px]]	1805–06	F
8th	John Bacon		1806–1807	DR
9th		Samuel Dana		1807–1808	DR
10th	Harrison Gray Otis	[[File:Harrison Gray Otis by Chester Harding, 1833, oil on canvas, from the National Portrait Gallery - NPG-7700056A 2.jpg	100px]]	1808–1811	F
11th	Samuel Dana		1811–1813	DR
12th	John Phillips	[[Image:John Phillips First Mayor of Boston.png	100px]]	1813–1823		Served as the first Mayor of Boston, Massachusetts.
13th		Nathaniel Silsbee	[[Image:Nathaniel Silsbee.png	100px]]	1823–1826	F
14th	John Mills		1826–1828
15th		Sherman Leland	[[Image:Sherman Leland Massachusetts Senate President.png	100px]]	1828–1829
16th		Samuel Lathrop		1829–1831	F
17th		James Fowler		1830–1831
18th		Leverett Saltonstall	[[File:Leverett Saltonstall 1783-1845 - Chester Harding.jpg	100px]]	1831	W
19th		William Thorndike		1832
20th		Benjamin T. Pickman		1833–1835
21st		George Bliss		1835
22nd		Horace Mann	[[File:Southworth and Hawes - Horace Mann (Zeno Fotografie) (cropped).jpg	100px]]	1836–1837	W
23rd		Myron Lawrence		1838–1839	W
24th		Daniel P. King	[[Image:Daniel_Putnam_King_(1801-1850).jpg	100px]]	1840–1841	W
25th		Josiah Quincy Jr.	[[Image:Josiah Quincy Jr.png	100px]]	1842	W
26th		Phineas W. Leland	[[Image:Phineas W. Leland.png	100px]]	1843	D
27th		Frederick Robinson		1843	D
28th		Josiah Quincy Jr.	[[Image:Josiah Quincy Jr.png	100px]]	1844	W
29th		Levi Lincoln Jr.	[[Image:LLincolnJr.jpg	100px]]	1845	DR
30th		William B. Calhoun	[[Image:William Barron Calhoun.png	100px]]	1846–1847	W
31st		Zeno Scudder	[[File:ZenoScudder.jpg	100px]]	1848	W
32nd		Joseph M. Bell		1849	W
33rd		Marshall Pinckney Wilder	[[Image:Marshall Pinckney Wilder (politician).png	100px]]	1850	W
34th		Henry Wilson	[[Image:Henry Wilson, VP of the United States.jpg	100px]]	1851–1852	FS	Was the 18th Vice President of the United States (1873–1875) and a Senator from Massachusetts (1855–1873).
35th		Charles Henry Warren		1853	Whig
36th		Charles Edward Cook		1854
37th		Henry W. Benchley	[[Image:Henry Wetherby Benchley.png	100px]]	1855	A
38th		Elihu C. Baker		1856	A
39th		Charles W. Upham	[[Image:Charles Wentworth Upham.png	100px]]	1857–1858	W	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts's 6th district from March 4, 1853 to March 3, 1855.
40th	Charles Abner Phelps		1859–1860	R	Also served as the Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 1856.
41st		William Claflin	[[Image:William Claflin - Brady-Handy.jpg	100px]]	1861	R	Also served as the 27th Governor of Massachusetts from 1869–1872, and as a member of the United States Congress from 1877–1881.
42nd		John Henry Clifford	[[Image:JohnHClifford Photograph.jpg	100px]]	1862	R	Also served as the Massachusetts Attorney General and, from 1853 to 1854, as the 21st Governor of Massachusetts.
43rd		Jonathan E. Field		1863–1865	R
44th	Joseph Adams Pond		1866 – October 28, 1867		Died in office at age 40.
45th		George O. Brastow	[[Image:George Oliver Brastow.png	100px]]	1868–1869		Also served as a member of the Massachusetts Governor's Council, and as the first Mayor of Somerville, Massachusetts.
46th		Robert Carter Pitman	[[Image:Robert Carter Pitman.png	100px]]	1869		Resigned
47th		George O. Brastow	[[Image:George Oliver Brastow.png	100px]]	1869		Also served as a member of the Massachusetts Governor's Council, and as the first Mayor of Somerville, Massachusetts.
48th		Horace Hopkins Coolidge	[[Image:Horace Hopkins Coolidge.png	100px]]	1870–1872
49th		George B. Loring	[[Image:George B. Loring - Brady-Handy.jpg	100px]]	1873–1876	R
50th		John B. D. Cogswell	[[Image:John Bear Doane Cogswell.png	100px]]	1877–1879	R
51st		Robert R. Bishop	[[Image:Robert Roberts Bishop.png	100px]]	1880–1882	R
52nd	George Glover Crocker	[[Image:George Glover Crocker.png	100px]]	1883	R
53rd		George A. Bruce	[[Image:George Anson Bruce.png	100px]]	1884	R	Also served as the fourth Mayor of Somerville, Massachusetts.
54th		Albert E. Pillsbury	[[Image:Albert E. Pillsbury.png	100px]]	1885–1886	R	Served as the Attorney General of Massachusetts from 1891 to 1894. Drafted original bylaws of the NAACP.
55th		Halsey J. Boardman	[[Image:Halsey J. Boardman.png	100px]]	1887–1888	R
56th		Harris C. Hartwell	[[Image:Harris C. Hartwell.png	100px]]	1889	R
57th	Henry H. Sprague	[[Image:Henry Harrison Sprague.png	100px]]	1890–1891	R
58th		Alfred S. Pinkerton	[[File:1890 Alfred Stamm Pinkerton senator Massachusetts.jpg	100px]]	1892–1893	R
59th		William M. Butler	[[File:Senator Wm. M. Butler of Mass., (11-28-24) LCCN2016849799 (cropped).jpg	100px]]	1894–1895	R	Also served as United States Senator from Massachusetts from November 13, 1924 to December 6, 1926 and was chairman of the Republican National Committee from 1924 to 1928.
60th		George P. Lawrence	[[Image:George P Lawrence Massachusetts Congressman circa 1908.png	100px]]	1896–1897	R
61st		George E. Smith	[[Image:George Edwin Smith.png	100px]]	1898–1900	R
62nd		Rufus A. Soule	[[Image:Rufus A. Soule.png	100px]]	1901–1902	R
63rd		George R. Jones	[[Image:George R. Jones Massachusetts Senate President.png	100px]]	1903–1904	R
64th		William F. Dana	[[Image:William F. Dana (President of the Mass. Senate).png	100px]]	1905–1906	R
65th		William D. Chapple	[[Image:William D. Chapple.png	100px]]	1907–1908	R
66th	Allen T. Treadway	[[Image:Allen Towner Treadway.png	100px]]	1909–1911	R	Served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from March 4, 1913 until January 3, 1945.
67th	Levi H. Greenwood	[[Image:Levi H Greeenwood Massachusetts Senate President 1912-1913.png	100px]]	1912–1913	R
68th		Calvin Coolidge	[[Image:Calvin Coolidge cph.3g10777 (cropped).jpg	100px]]	1914–1915	R	Later served as the 30th President of the United States (1923–1929).
69th		Henry Gordon Wells	[[Image:Henry Gordon Wells.png	100px]]	1916–1918	R
70th	Edwin T. McKnight	[[Image:Edwin T. McKnight.png	100px]]	1919–1920	R
71st		Frank G. Allen	[[Image:Frank G Allen.png	100px]]	1921–1924	R	Also was the 51st Governor of Massachusetts.
72nd		Wellington Wells	[[Image:Wellington Wells.png	100px]]	1925–1928	R
73rd		Gaspar G. Bacon	[[File:Gaspar Griswold Bacon, Sr in his passport application.jpg	100px]]	1929–1932	R
74th		Erland F. Fish	[[Image:Erland F. Fish.png	100px]]	1933–1934	R
75th		James G. Moran	[[Image:James G. Moran.png	100px]]	1935–1936	R	Elected by 19 Democrats and 1 Republican.
76th		Samuel H. Wragg	[[File:1923 Samuel Wragg Massachusetts House of Representatives.png	100px]]	1937–1938	R
77th		Joseph R. Cotton	[[File:1923 Joseph Russell Cotton Massachusetts House of Representatives.png	100px]]	1939–1940	R
78th	Angier L. Goodwin	[[File:1935 Angier Goodwin senator Massachusetts.png	100px]]	1941	R
79th		Jarvis Hunt	[[File:1943 Jarvis Hunt senator Massachusetts.png	100px]]	1942–1944	R
80th		Arthur W. Coolidge	[[File:1945 Arthur Coolidge senator Massachusetts.jpg	100px]]	1945–1946	R
81st		Donald W. Nicholson	[[File:Donald W. Nicholson (Massachusetts Congressman).jpg	100px]]	1947	R
82nd		Harris S. Richardson	[[File:1945 Harris Sawyer Richardson senator Massachusetts.jpg	100px]]	1948	R
83rd		Chester A. Dolan Jr.	[[File:Chesteradolan.jpg	100px]]	1949	D
		Harris S. Richardson	[[File:1945 Harris Sawyer Richardson senator Massachusetts.jpg	100px]]	1950	R
84th		Richard I. Furbush	[[File:1953 Richard Furbush senator Massachusetts.jpg	100px]]	1951–1956	R
85th		Newland H. Holmes	[[File:1953 Newland Holmes senator Massachusetts.jpg	100px]]	1957–1958	R
86th		John E. Powers	[[File:John E. Powers official portrait photograph, circa 1957.jpeg	100px]]	1959–1964	D
87th		Maurice A. Donahue		[[Image:Maurice_Donahue_1960s_Massachsuetts_11191699173.png	100px]]	1964–1971	D
88th		Kevin B. Harrington	[[File:1967 Kevin Brian Harrington senator Massachusetts.jpg	100px]]	1971–1978	D
89th		William Bulger	[[File:Senate President William M. Bulger (9519685196).jpg	100px]]	1978–1996	D
90th		Tom Birmingham	[[File:Tom birmingham (1).jpg	100px]]	1996–2003	D
91st		Robert Travaglini		[[Image:Robert_Travaglini_1980s_Massachusetts_USA_9501943933.png	100px]]	2003–2007	D
92nd		Therese Murray		[[File:2005 Therese Murray.png	100px]]	2007–2015	D
93rd		Stan Rosenberg		[[Image:Senator_Stan_Rosenberg.JPG	100px]]	2015–2017	D
94th		Harriette L. Chandler	[[File:Harriette L. Chandler.jpg	left	100px]]	2017–2018	D
95th	Karen Spilka	[[File:Karen E. Spilka.jpg	left	100px]]	2018–	D

A = American, D = Democratic, R = Republican, W = Whig

Notes

Bibliography

The Massachusetts State House, p. 141-42. Commonwealth of Massachusetts: Boston, 1953.

References

[http://www.boston.com/news/packages/whitey/globe_stories/1988_the_bulger_mystique_part_4_sidebar_b.htm ''Boston Globe'', September 21, 1988]
Massachusetts General Court - Senate. (January 1, 1879). "The Journal of the Senate for the year 1879". Massachusetts General Court - Senate.
Brown, Edgar M.. (1859). "Annual Register of the Executive and Legislative Department of the Government of Massachusetts, 1859". Alfred Mudge & Son Printers.
(1922). "William Franklin Dana". New England Historical and Genealogical Register.
Merrill, John. (January 11, 1935). "Moran Wins in Senate, Faints". The Boston Daily Globe.

Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

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