Below is a chronological listing of the United States senators from Massachusetts. According to the Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution adopted in 1913, U.S. senators are popularly elected for a six-year term. Elections are held the first Tuesday after November 1, and terms begin on January 3, about two months after the vote. Before 1914, and the enforcement of the Seventeenth Amendment, the state's U.S. senators were chosen by the Massachusetts General Court, and before 1935, their terms began March 4.
The current senators are Democrats Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey. Ted Kennedy was Massachusetts's longest-serving senator, serving from 1962 until his death in 2009. Massachusetts is one of eighteen states alongside California, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah and West Virginia to have a younger senior senator and an older junior senator.
Mid-term vacancy appointment processes Through the 20th century, mid-term vacancies were filled with the governor's appointee, with the appointment expiring at the next biennial state election. In 2004, the Democratic-controlled state legislature changed the vacancy-filling process, mandating that a special election occur, which removed the governor's appointment power. This statute was enacted over the veto by the governor, Mitt Romney. The leadership of the Massachusetts legislature at the time was concerned that the Republican Governor Mitt Romney would appoint a Republican if Democratic Senator John Kerry were elected president of the United States in the 2004 election. Generally, the law requires a special election within 145 to 160 days from the date of the filing of a Senate resignation. The law contemplates resignations that become effective some period of time after the filing of the resignation, so long as the election occurs after effective date of the resignation.
While terminally ill with brain cancer, Ted Kennedy requested that the Massachusetts legislature change the law to allow an interim appointment. Kennedy died shortly thereafter, and the legislature quickly passed a bill providing for an interim appointment. On September 24, 2009, Governor Deval Patrick signed the bill, and appointed Paul G. Kirk, who had previously served as one of Kennedy's congressional aides and as chairman of the Democratic National Committee.
List of senators
|- style="height:2em" ! 1 | align=left | Tristram Dalton | | Pro-Admin. | Mar 4, 1789 –Mar 3, 1791 | Elected in 1788.Lost re-election. | 1 | | rowspan=2 | 1 | rowspan=2 | Elected in 1788. | rowspan=4 nowrap | Mar 4, 1789 –Jun 1, 1796 | rowspan=3 | Pro-Admin. | rowspan=4 align=right | Caleb Strong ! rowspan=4 | 1
|- style="height:2em" ! rowspan=3 | 2 | rowspan=3 align=left | George Cabot | rowspan=2 | Pro-Admin. | rowspan=3 nowrap | Mar 4, 1791 –Jun 9, 1796 | rowspan=3 | Elected in 1790.Resigned. | rowspan=5 | 2
|- style="height:2em" | | rowspan=5 | 2 | rowspan=2 | Re-elected in 1793.Resigned.
|- style="height:2em" | | Federalist | rowspan=3 | | Federalist
|- style="height:2em" | colspan=3 | Vacant | Jun 9, 1796 –Jun 11, 1796 | Vacant | Vacant | Jun 1, 1796 –Jun 11, 1796 | colspan=3 | Vacant
|- style="height:2em" ! rowspan=5 | 3 | rowspan=5 align=left | Benjamin Goodhue | rowspan=5 | Federalist | rowspan=5 nowrap | Jun 11, 1796 –Nov 8, 1800 | Elected to finish Cabot's term. | rowspan=2 | Elected to finish Strong's term.Retired to run for the U.S. House of Representatives. | rowspan=2 nowrap | Jun 11, 1796 –Mar 3, 1799 | rowspan=2 | Federalist | rowspan=2 align=right | Theodore Sedgwick ! rowspan=2 | 2
|- style="height:2em" | rowspan=4 | Also elected to full term in 1796.Resigned. | rowspan=8 | 3
|- style="height:2em" | rowspan=5 | rowspan=8 | 3 | Elected in 1798., citing Connecticut Gazette (New London, CT). June 20, 1798.Resigned to become U.S. Secretary of War. | Mar 4, 1799 –May 30, 1800 | | Federalist | align=right | Samuel Dexter ! 3
|- style="height:2em" | Vacant | May 31, 1800 –Jun 5, 1800 | colspan=3 | Vacant
|- style="height:2em" | rowspan=4 | Elected to finish Dexter's term., citing Hampshire Gazette (Northhampton). June 11, 1800. The Kentucky Gazette (Lexington, KY). Jul 3, 1800.Resigned. | rowspan=4 nowrap | Jun 6, 1800 –Mar 3, 1803 | rowspan=4 | Federalist | rowspan=4 align=right | Dwight Foster ! rowspan=4 | 4
|- style="height:2em" | colspan=3 | Vacant | Nov 8, 1800 –Nov 14, 1800 | Vacant
|- style="height:2em" ! rowspan=3 | 4 | rowspan=3 align=left | Jonathan Mason | rowspan=3 | Federalist | rowspan=3 nowrap | Nov 14, 1800 –Mar 3, 1803 | rowspan=3 | Elected to finish Goodhue's term.
|- style="height:2em" | rowspan=2
|- style="height:2em" | Vacant | Mar 2, 1803 –Mar 3, 1803 | colspan=3 | Vacant
|- style="height:2em" ! rowspan=3 | 5 | rowspan=3 align=left | John Quincy Adams | rowspan=3 | Federalist | rowspan=3 nowrap | Mar 4, 1803 –Jun 8, 1808 | rowspan=3 | Elected in 1803., citing Columbian Centinel. Massachusetts Federalist (Boston, MA). Feb 5, 1803. The Independent Chronicle (Boston, MA). Feb 7, 1803. Columbian Centinel. Massachusetts Federalist (Boston, MA). Feb 9, 1803. Hampshire Gazette (Northampton, MA). Feb 9, 1803. Boston Gazette (Boston, MA). Feb 10, 1803. Republican Star or Eastern Shore General Advertiser (Easton, MD). Mar 1, 1803. Frederick-Town Herald (Fredericktown, MD). Mar 5, 1803.Resigned, having lost re-election to the next term. | rowspan=4 | 4 | | Elected to finish Dexter's term. | rowspan=5 nowrap | Mar 4, 1803 –Mar 3, 1811 | rowspan=5 | Federalist | rowspan=5 align=right | Timothy Pickering ! rowspan=5 | 5
|- style="height:2em" | | rowspan=4 | 4 | rowspan=4 | Re-elected in 1805., citing The Providence Phoenix (Providence, RI). Feb 9, 1805.Lost re-election.
|- style="height:2em" | rowspan=2
|- style="height:2em" ! rowspan=5 | 6 | rowspan=5 align=left | James Lloyd | rowspan=5 | Federalist | rowspan=5 nowrap | Jun 9, 1808 –May 1, 1813 | Elected to finish Adams's term, having already been elected to the next term.
|- style="height:2em" | rowspan=4 | Elected in 1808., citing The Pittsfield Sun (Pittsfield, MA). Jun 11, 1808.Resigned. | rowspan=6 | 5
|- style="height:2em" | rowspan=2 | rowspan=8 | 5 | State Senate failed to elect. | nowrap | Mar 4, 1811 –Jun 28, 1811 | colspan=3 | Vacant
|- style="height:2em" | rowspan=7 | Elected in 1811, to finish the vacant term.Retired or lost re-election. | rowspan=7 nowrap | Jun 29, 1811 –Mar 3, 1817 | rowspan=7 | Democratic-Republican | rowspan=7 align=right | Joseph Bradley Varnum ! rowspan=7 | 6
|- style="height:2em" | rowspan=3
|- style="height:2em" | colspan=3 | Vacant | May 1, 1813 –May 5, 1813 | Vacant
|- style="height:2em" ! rowspan=2 | 7 | rowspan=2 align=left | Christopher Gore | rowspan=2 | Federalist | rowspan=2 nowrap | May 5, 1813 –May 30, 1816 | Appointed to finish Lloyd's term.
|- style="height:2em" | Elected to full term in 1815.Resigned. | rowspan=9 | 6 | rowspan=3
|- style="height:2em" | colspan=3 | Vacant | May 31, 1816 –Jun 11, 1816 | Vacant
|- style="height:2em" ! rowspan=2 | 8 | rowspan=2 align=left | Eli P. Ashmun | rowspan=2 | Federalist | rowspan=2 nowrap | Jun 12, 1816 –May 10, 1818 | rowspan=2 | Elected to finish Gore's term.Resigned.
|- style="height:2em" | rowspan=3 | rowspan=9 | 6 | rowspan=7 | Elected in 1816.Resigned to run for Mayor of Boston. | rowspan=7 nowrap | Mar 4, 1817 –May 30, 1822 | rowspan=7 | Federalist | rowspan=7 align=right | Harrison Gray Otis ! rowspan=7 | 7
|- style="height:2em" | colspan=3 | Vacant | nowrap | May 11, 1818 –Jun 4, 1818 | Vacant
|- style="height:2em" ! rowspan=2 | 9 | rowspan=2 align=left | Prentiss Mellen | rowspan=2 | Federalist | rowspan=2 nowrap | Jun 5, 1818 –May 15, 1820 | rowspan=2 | Elected to finish Gore's term.Resigned to become Chief Justice of Maine.
|- style="height:2em" | rowspan=3
|- style="height:2em" | colspan=3 | Vacant | nowrap | May 16, 1820 –Jun 12, 1820 | Vacant
|- style="height:2em" ! rowspan=8 | 10 | rowspan=8 align=left | Elijah H. Mills | rowspan=5 | Federalist | rowspan=8 nowrap | Jun 12, 1820 –Mar 3, 1827 | Elected to finish Gore's term.
|- style="height:2em" | rowspan=7 | Re-elected in 1820.Lost re-election in 1826. | rowspan=7 | 7 | rowspan=3
|- style="height:2em" | Vacant | nowrap | May 30, 1822 –Jun 5, 1822 | colspan=3 | Vacant
|- style="height:2em" | Elected to finish Otis's term. | rowspan=3 nowrap | Jun 5, 1822 –May 23, 1826 | rowspan=2 | Federalist | rowspan=3 align=right | James Lloyd ! rowspan=3 | 8
|- style="height:2em" | | rowspan=6 | 7 | rowspan=2 | Re-elected in 1822.Resigned.
|- style="height:2em" | rowspan=3 | NationalRepublican | rowspan=3 | | NationalRepublican
|- style="height:2em" | Vacant | nowrap | May 23, 1826 –May 31, 1826 | colspan=3 | Vacant
|- style="height:2em" | rowspan=3 | Elected to finish Lloyd's term. | rowspan=6 nowrap | May 31, 1826 –Mar 3, 1835 | rowspan=6 | NationalRepublican | rowspan=6 align=right| Nathaniel Silsbee ! rowspan=6 | 9
|- style="height:2em" | colspan=3 | Vacant | nowrap | Mar 4, 1827 – Jun 8, 1827 | Vacant | rowspan=4 | 8 | rowspan=2
|- style="height:2em" ! rowspan=9 | 11 | rowspan=9 align=left | Daniel Webster | rowspan=5 | NationalRepublican | rowspan=9 nowrap | Jun 8, 1827 –Feb 22, 1841 | rowspan=3 | Elected late in 1827.
|- style="height:2em" | | rowspan=3 | 8 | rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 1828.Retired.
|- style="height:2em"
|- style="height:2em" | rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 1833. | rowspan=3 | 9
|- style="height:2em" | | rowspan=6 | 9 | rowspan=3 | Elected in 1835.Resigned to become Governor of Massachusetts. | rowspan=3 nowrap | Mar 4, 1835 –Jan 5, 1841 | | NationalRepublican | rowspan=3 align=right | John Davis ! rowspan=3 | 10
|- style="height:2em" | rowspan=4 | Whig | | rowspan=2 | Whig
|- style="height:2em" | rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 1839.Resigned to become U.S. Secretary of State. | rowspan=6 | 10 | rowspan=4
|- style="height:2em" | Vacant | nowrap | Jan 5, 1841 –Jan 13, 1841 | colspan=3 | Vacant
|- style="height:2em" | rowspan=2 | Elected to finish Davis's term. | rowspan=5 nowrap | Jan 13, 1841 –Mar 16, 1845 | rowspan=5 | Whig | rowspan=5 align=right | Isaac C. Bates ! rowspan=5 | 11
|- style="height:2em" ! rowspan=3 | 12 | rowspan=3 align=left | Rufus Choate | rowspan=3 | Whig | rowspan=3 nowrap | Feb 23, 1841 –Mar 3, 1845 | rowspan=3 | Elected to finish Webster's term.Retired.
|- style="height:2em" | | rowspan=5 | 10 | rowspan=3 | Elected to full term in 1841.Died.
|- style="height:2em"
|- style="height:2em" ! rowspan=5 | 13 | rowspan=5 align=left | Daniel Webster | rowspan=5 | Whig | rowspan=5 nowrap | Mar 4, 1845 –Jul 22, 1850 | rowspan=5 | Elected in 1845.Resigned to become U.S. Secretary of State again. | rowspan=8 | 11 | rowspan=3
|- style="height:2em" | Vacant | nowrap | Mar 16, 1845 –Mar 24, 1845 | colspan=3 | Vacant
|- style="height:2em" | Elected to finish Bates's term. | rowspan=8 nowrap | Mar 24, 1845 –Mar 3, 1853 | rowspan=8 | Whig | rowspan=8 align=right | John Davis ! rowspan=8 | 12
|- style="height:2em" | | rowspan=7 | 11 | rowspan=7 | Re-elected in 1847.Retired.
|- style="height:2em" | rowspan=4
|- style="height:2em" | colspan=3 | Vacant | nowrap | Jul 23, 1850 –Jul 30, 1850 | Vacant
|- style="height:2em" ! 14 | align=left | Robert C. Winthrop | | Whig | nowrap | Jul 30, 1850 –Feb 1, 1851 | Appointed to continue Webster's term.Lost election to finish Webster's term.
|- style="height:2em" ! 15 | align=left | Robert Rantoul Jr. | | Democratic | nowrap | Feb 1, 1851 –Mar 3, 1851 | Elected to finish Webster's term.Retired.
|- style="height:2em" | colspan=3 | Vacant | nowrap | Mar 4, 1851 –Apr 24, 1851 | rowspan=7 scope=row class=small | Elected late after the state legislature deadlocked on Daniel Webster's successor | rowspan=7 | 12 | rowspan=2
|- style="height:2em" ! rowspan=16 | 16