The Massachusetts Senate is the upper house of the Massachusetts General Court, the bicameral state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Senate comprises 40 elected members from 40 single-member senatorial districts in the state. Descended from the colonial legislature, the current Massachusetts Senate was established in June 1780 upon the adoption of the Massachusetts Constitution. The first General Court met in October 1780 and consisted of one-year elected terms for both houses. This was expanded to two-year terms starting with the 142nd General Court in January 1921. The current delegation is the 191st General Court (2019–2020), consisting of 34 Democrats (D) and 6 Republicans (R).
171st to 175th General Courts (1979–1988) In 1977 the Massachusetts Senate districts were redrawn, taking effect with the 171st General Court.Mass. St. 1977, Ch. 180, §1. General Court Berkshire First Bristol Second Bristol Bristol and Plymouth Cape and Islands First Essex Second Essex Third Essex First Essex and Middlesex Second Essex and Middlesex Franklin and Hampshire Hampden First Hampden and Hampshire Second Hampden and Hampshire First Middlesex Second Middlesex Third Middlesex Fourth Middlesex Fifth Middlesex First Middlesex and Norfolk Second Middlesex and Norfolk Middlesex and Suffolk Middlesex and Worcester Norfolk Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex Norfolk and Plymouth Norfolk and Suffolk First Plymouth Second Plymouth First Suffolk Second Suffolk Suffolk, Essex and Middlesex Suffolk and Middlesex First Suffolk and Norfolk Second Suffolk and Norfolk Worcester Worcester, Franklin, Hampden and Hampshire First Worcester and Middlesex Second Worcester and Middlesex Worcester and Norfolk 171stA Manual for the Use of the General Court (1979–1980). Massachusetts General Court, p. 245 John Fitzpatrick(R) John F. Parker(R) Mary L. Fonseca(D) Robert M. Hunt(D) John F. Aylmer(R) Walter J. Boverini(D) John G. King(D) Sharon M. Pollard(D) Robert C. Buell(R) William X. Wall(D) John Olver(D) Stanley J. Zarod(D) John P. Burke(D) Alan D. Sisitsky(D) B. Joseph Tully(D) Denis L. McKenna(D) John A. Brennan Jr.(D) Samuel Rotondi(D) Carol C. Amick(D) Edward L. Burke(D) Jack H. Backman(D) Francis X. McCann(D) Chester G. Atkins(D) Paul D. Harold(D) David H. Locke(R) Allan R. McKinnon(D) Joseph F. Timilty(D) Anna Buckley(D) Robert E. McCarthy(D) William M. Bulger(D) Bill Owens(D) Francis D. Doris(D) Michael LoPresti Jr.(D) Arthur J. Lewis Jr.(D) Joseph B. Walsh(D) Gerard D'Amico(D) Robert D. Wetmore(D) Daniel J. Foley(D) Robert A. Hall(R) Louis P. Bertonazzi(D) 172ndA Manual for the Use of the General Court (1981–1982). Massachusetts General Court. Peter C. Webber(R) William Q. MacLean Jr.(D) Patricia McGovern(D) Martin T. Reilly(D) Philip L. Shea(D) George A. Bachrach(D) Edward P. Kirby(R) 173rdA Manual for the Use of the General Court (1983–1984). Massachusetts General Court. Paul V. Doane(R) Frederick E. Berry(D) Linda J. Melconian(D) Richard A. Kraus(D) Royal L. Bolling Sr.(D) Mary L. Padula(R) 174thA Manual for the Use of the General Court (1985–1986). Massachusetts General Court. Thomas C. Norton(D) Nicholas J. Costello(D) Paul J. Sheehy(D) Salvatore R. Albano(D) A. Paul Cellucci(R) William B. Golden(D) William R. Keating(D) John P. Houston(D) 175thA Manual for the Use of the General Court (1987–1988). Massachusetts General Court. Lois G. Pines(D) Michael J. Barrett(D) Thomas P. White(D)
176th to 178th General Courts (1989–1994) In 1987 the Massachusetts Senate districts were redrawn, taking effect with the 176th General Court.Mass. St. 1987, Ch. 305, §3. (Per Chapter 305, Section 3, Acts of 1987. Based on 1985 census) General Court Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden and Hampshire First Bristol Second Bristol Bristol and Plymouth Cape and Islands First Essex Second Essex Third Essex First Essex and Middlesex Second Essex and Middlesex Franklin and Hampshire First Hampden Second Hampden Hampden and Hampshire First Middlesex Second Middlesex Third Middlesex Fourth Middlesex Fifth Middlesex Middlesex and Norfolk Middlesex, Norfolk and Worcester Middlesex and Suffolk Middlesex and Worcester Norfolk Norfolk and Bristol Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex Norfolk and Plymouth Plymouth Plymouth and Barnstable First Suffolk Second Suffolk Suffolk, Essex and Middlesex Suffolk and Middlesex First Suffolk and Norfolk Second Suffolk and Norfolk Worcester Worcester, Franklin, Hampden and Hampshire First Worcester and Middlesex Second Worcester and Middlesex Worcester and Norfolk 176thA Manual for the Use of the General Court (1989–1990). Massachusetts General Court. Peter C. Webber(R) Thomas C. Norton(D) William Q. MacLean Jr.(D) Theodore J. Aleixo Jr.(D) Henri S. Rauschenbach(R) Walter J. Boverini(D) Frederick E. Berry(D) Nicholas J. Costello(D) Robert C. Buell(R) Patricia McGovern(D) John Olver(D) Linda J. Melconian(D) Brian Lees(R) John P. Burke(D) Paul J. Sheehy(D) Salvatore R. Albano(D) John A. Brennan Jr.(D) Richard A. Kraus(D) Carol C. Amick(D) Lois G. Pines(D) Edward L. Burke(D) Michael J. Barrett(D) A. Paul Cellucci(R) Paul D. Harold(D) William R. Keating(D) David H. Locke(R) William B. Golden(D) Michael C. Creedon(D) Edward P. Kirby(R) William M. Bulger(D) Bill Owens(D) Francis D. Doris(D) Michael LoPresti Jr.(D) Arthur J. Lewis Jr.(D) W. Paul White(D) Thomas P. White(D) Robert D. Wetmore(D) John P. Houston(D) Mary L. Padula(R) Louis P. Bertonazzi(D) 177thA Manual for the Use of the General Court (1991–1992). Massachusetts General Court. Jane Swift(R) Erving H. Wall Jr.(R) James P. Jajuga(D) Martin J. Dunn(D) Nancy A. Sullivan(R) Charles E. Shannon Jr.(R) Richard R. Tisei(R) Robert Havern III(D) Lucille Hicks(R) Robert Durand(D) Robert L. Hedlund(R) Tom Birmingham(D) Christoper Lane(R) Arthur E. Chase(R) Matthew J. Amorello(R) 178thA Manual for the Use of the General Court (1993–1994). Massachusetts General Court. Mark C. Montigny(D) Marc R. Pacheco(D) John C. O'Brien(D) Stanley Rosenberg(D) Shannon O'Brien(D) Daniel Leahy(D) David Magnani(D) Michael W. Morrissey(D) Cheryl Jacques(D) Bryan MacDonald(D) Therese Murray(D) Dianne Wilkerson(D) Robert Travaglini(D) Marian Walsh(D) Robert A. Antonioni(D)
179th to 182nd General Courts (1994–2002) In 1993 the Massachusetts Senate districts were redrawn, taking effect with the 179th General Court.Mass. St. 1993, Ch. 274, §3. General Court Berkshire, Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin First Bristol Second Bristol Cape and Islands First Essex Second Essex Third Essex First Essex and Middlesex Second Essex and Middlesex Hampden First Hampden and Hampshire Second Hampden and Hampshire Hampshire and Franklin First Middlesex Second Middlesex Third Middlesex Fourth Middlesex Fifth Middlesex First Middlesex and Norfolk Middlesex, Norfolk and Worcester Middlesex and Suffolk Middlesex, Suffolk and Essex Middlesex and Worcester Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex Norfolk, Bristol and Plymouth Norfolk and Plymouth Norfolk and Suffolk Plymouth and Barnstable First Plymouth and Bristol Second Plymouth and Bristol Plymouth and Norfolk First Suffolk Second Suffolk Suffolk and Middlesex Suffolk and Norfolk First Worcester Second Worcester Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin Worcester and Middlesex Worcester and Norfolk 179thA Manual for the Use of the General Court (1995–1996). Massachusetts General Court. Jane Swift(R) Thomas C. Norton(D) Mark C. Montigny(D) Henri S. Rauschenbach(R) Edward J. Clancy Jr.(D) Frederick E. Berry(D) James P. Jajuga(D) Bruce Tarr(R) John C. O'Brien(D) Linda J. Melconian(D) Brian Lees(R) Michael Knapik(R) Stanley Rosenberg(D) Daniel Leahy(D) Charles E. Shannon Jr.(R) Richard R. Tisei(R) Robert Havern III(D) Lucille Hicks(R) Lois G. Pines(D) David Magnani(D) Warren Tolman(D) Tom Birmingham(D) Robert Durand(D) Cheryl Jacques(D) William R. Keating(D) Michael W. Morrissey(D) Marian Walsh(D) Therese Murray(D) Marc R. Pacheco(D) Michael C. Creedon(D) Robert L. Hedlund(R) William M. Bulger(D) Dianne Wilkerson(D) Robert Travaglini(D) W. Paul White(D) Robert A. Bernstein(D) Matthew J. Amorello(R) Robert D. Wetmore(D) Robert A. Antonioni(D) Louis P. Bertonazzi(D) 180thA Manual for the Use of the General Court (1997–1998). Massachusetts General Court. Andrea F. Nuciforo Jr.(D) Steven C. Panagiotakos(D) Charles E. Shannon Jr.(D) Susan C. Fargo(D) Robert S. Creedon Jr.(D) Stephen Lynch(D) Stephen Brewer(D) Richard T. Moore(D) 181stA Manual for the Use of the General Court (1999–2000). Massachusetts General Court. Susan Tucker(D) Cynthia Stone Creem(D) Steven A. Tolman(D) Pam Resor(D) Jo Ann Sprague(R) Brian A. Joyce(D) Guy Glodis(D) 182ndA Manual for the Use of the General Court (2001–2002). Massachusetts General Court. Joan Menard(D) Robert A. O'Leary(D) Harriette L. Chandler(D)
183rd to 187th General Courts (2003–2012) In 2001 the Massachusetts Senate districts were redrawn, taking effect with the 183rd General Court.Mass. St. 2001, Ch. 126, §3. General Court Berkshire, Hampshire and Franklin Bristol and Norfolk First Bristol and Plymouth Second Bristol and Plymouth Cape and Islands First Essex Second Essex First Essex and Middlesex Second Essex and Middlesex Third Essex and Middlesex Hampden First Hampden and Hampshire Second Hampden and Hampshire Hampshire and Franklin First Middlesex Second Middlesex Third Middlesex Fourth Middlesex Middlesex and Essex First Middlesex and Norfolk Second Middlesex and Norfolk Middlesex, Suffolk and Essex Middlesex and Worcester Norfolk, Bristol and Plymouth Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex Norfolk and Plymouth Plymouth and Barnstable First Plymouth and Bristol Second Plymouth and Bristol Plymouth and Norfolk First Suffolk Second Suffolk First Suffolk and Middlesex Second Suffolk and Middlesex Suffolk and Norfolk First Worcester Second Worcester Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin Worcester and Middlesex Worcester and Norfolk 183rdA Manual for the Use of the General Court (2003–2004). Massachusetts General Court. Andrea F. Nuciforo Jr.(D) Jo Ann Sprague(R) Joan Menard(D) Mark C. Montigny(D) Robert A. O'Leary(D) Steven A. Baddour(D) Frederick E. Berry(D) Bruce Tarr(R) Susan Tucker(D) Thomas M. McGee(D) Linda J. Melconian(D) Brian Lees(R) Michael Knapik(R) Stanley Rosenberg(D) Steven C. Panagiotakos(D) Charles E. Shannon Jr.(D) Susan C. Fargo(D) Robert Havern III(D) Richard R. Tisei(R) Cynthia Stone Creem(D) David Magnani(D) Jarrett Barrios(D) Pam Resor(D) Brian A. Joyce(D) Cheryl Jacques(D) Michael W. Morrissey(D) Therese Murray(D) Marc R. Pacheco(D) Robert S. Creedon Jr.(D) Robert L. Hedlund(R) John A. Hart Jr.(D) Dianne Wilkerson(D) Robert Travaglini(D) Steven A. Tolman(D) Marian Walsh(D) Harriette L. Chandler(D) Guy Glodis(D) Stephen Brewer(D) Robert A. Antonioni(D) Richard T. Moore(D) 184thA Manual for the Use of the General Court (2005–2006). Massachusetts General Court. James E. Timilty(D) Stephen J. Buoniconti(D) Karen E. Spilka(D) Scott BrownResigned in February 2010 to join the United States Senate.(R) Edward M. Augustus Jr.(D) 185th Benjamin Downing(D) Gale D. Candaras(D) Patricia D. Jehlen(D) J. James Marzilli Jr.(D) Anthony D. GalluccioResigned in January 2010.(D) Anthony Petruccelli(D) 186th Ken Donnelly(D) James Eldridge(D) Thomas P. Kennedy(D) Sonia Chang-Diaz(D) Michael O. Moore(D) Jennifer Flanagan(D) 187th"State Senate – Campaign 2010." The Boston Globe. Michael Rodrigues(D) Dan Wolf(D) Barry Finegold(D) James T. Welch(D) Eileen Donoghue(D) Katherine Clark(D) Sal DiDomenicoWon a special election to succeed Galluccio, and was sworn in May 2010. Re-elected to a full term in the 187th General Court.(D) Richard RossWon a special election to succeed Brown, and was sworn in May 2010. Re-elected to a full term in the 187th General Court.(R) John Keenan(D) Michael F. Rush(D)
188th to 192nd General Courts (2013–2023) In 2011 the Massachusetts Senate districts were redrawn, taking effect with the 188th General Court.