U.S. House district for Massachusetts
Interactive map of district boundaries since January 3, 2023
Representative Population (2023) 798,884 Median household income $95,495[ 1] Ethnicity Cook PVI D+13[ 2]
Massachusetts's 2nd congressional district is located in central Massachusetts , encompassing much of Franklin , Hampshire , and Worcester counties, as well as small portions of Middlesex and Norfolk Counties. The largest municipalities in the district include Worcester (which is the second-largest city in New England after Boston ), Leominster , Amherst , Shrewsbury , and Northampton .
Democrat Jim McGovern has represented the district since 2013; he previously represented the 3rd district since 1997.
Cities and towns represented
As of the 2021 redistricting, the 2nd district includes 68 municipalities:[ 3]
In Franklin County: Ashfield , Bernardston , Buckland , Colrain , Conway , Deerfield , Erving , Gill , Greenfield , Heath , Leverett , Leyden , Montague , New Salem , Northfield , Orange , Shelburne , Shutesbury , Sunderland , Warwick , Wendell , and Whately
In Hampshire County: Amherst , Chesterfield , Goshen , Hadley , Hatfield , Northampton , Pelham , Westhampton , and Williamsburg
In Worcester County: Athol , Auburn , Barre , Boylston , Douglas , Grafton , Hardwick , Holden , Hubbardston , Leicester , Leominster , Millbury , Northborough , Northbridge , Oakham , Paxton , Petersham , Phillipston , Princeton , Royalston , Rutland , Shrewsbury , Southborough , Sterling , Sutton , Templeton , Upton , Uxbridge , Webster (only precincts 1, 3, and 4), West Boylston , Westborough , Westminster (only precinct 2A), and Worcester
In Middlesex County: Ashland , Holliston , and Hopkinton
In Norfolk County: Medway
History of District Boundaries
1795 to 1803
Known as the 2nd Western District.[ 4]
1803 to 1813
Known as the "Essex North" district.[ 4]
1813 to 1833
Tisdale's drawing of the Essex South district, turning the area that the district encompassed into a depiction of a dragon-like creature, building upon Richard Alsop's term, "Gerry-mander."
Known as the "Essex South" district.[ 4] From 1813-1815,[ 5] the district was shaped in such a way that poet and Federalist Richard Alsop described it as a "Gerry-mander" (a portmanteau of Gerry —the governor at the time—and salamander ). Illustrator Elkanah Tisdale subsequently used the term as the basis for a political cartoon, which popularized it and led to "gerrymandering " being used to describe the practice of manipulating electoral district boundaries to gain a political advantage.[ 6]
1843 to 1853
Detail of the district from 1843 to 1853.
The Act of September 16, 1842, established the district on the North Shore and New Hampshire border, with the following municipalities:[ 7]
In Essex County : Beverly , Danvers , Essex , Gloucester , Hamilton , Ipswich , Lynn , Lynnfield , Manchester , Marblehead , Middleton , Rockport , Salem , Saugus , Topsfield , and Wenham
In Middlesex County: Malden , Medford , Reading , South Reading , and Stoneham
In Suffolk County : Chelsea
1860s
"Parts of the counties of Bristol, Norfolk, and Plymouth."[ 8]
1870s–1900s
1903 to 1913
The district from 1903 to 1913.
During this decade, the district contained the following municipalities:[ 9]
In Franklin County: Erving, Leverett, Montague, New Salem, Northfield, Orange, Shutesbury, Sunderland, Warwick, and Wendell
In Hampshire County: Amherst, Belchertown , Easthampton , Enfield , Granby , Hadley, Northampton, Pelham, Prescott , South Hadley , and Ware
In Hampden County : Brimfield , Chicopee , East Longmeadow , Hampden , Holland , Longmeadow , Ludlow , Monson , Palmer , Springfield , Wales , and Wilbraham
In Worcester County: Athol, Barre, Brookfield , Dana , Hardwick, New Braintree , North Brookfield , Oakham, Petersham, Phillipston, Royalston, Warren , and West Brookfield .
1913 to 1923
During this decade, the district contained the following municipalities:[ 10]
In Franklin County: Bernardston, Deerfield, Erving, Gill, Leverett, Montague, Northfield, Shutesbury, Sunderland, Warwick, Wendell, and Whately
In Hampshire County: Amherst, Belchertown, Easthampton, Enfield, Granby, Hadley, Hatfield, Northampton, Pelham, South Hadley, Ware, and Williamsburg
In Hampden County: Agawam , Chicopee, East Longmeadow, Hampden, Longmeadow, Ludlow, Springfield, West Springfield , and Wilbraham
1920s–2002
2003 to 2013
The district from 2003 to 2013
During this decade, the district contained the following municipalities:
In Hampden County: Agawam, Brimfield, Chicopee, East Longmeadow, Hampden, Holland, Longmeadow, Ludlow, Monson, Palmer, Springfield, Wales, Wilbraham
In Hampshire County: Hadley, Northampton, South Hadley
In Norfolk County: Bellingham
In Worcester County: Blackstone , Brookfield, Charlton , Douglas, Dudley , East Brookfield , Grafton, Hopedale , Leicester, Mendon , Milford , Millbury, Millville , North Brookfield, Northbridge, Oxford , Southbridge , Spencer , Sturbridge , Sutton, Upton, Uxbridge, Warren, Webster
2013 to 2023
After the 2010 census, the shape of the district changed for the elections of 2012. The updated district covered central Massachusetts, including much of Worcester County, and was largely the successor to the old 3rd District. Most of the old 2nd district, including Springfield , was moved into the updated 1st district.
During this decade, the district contained the following municipalities:[ 11]
In Franklin County: Deerfield, Erving, Gill, Greenfield, Leverett, Montague, New Salem, Northfield, Orange, Shutesbury, Sunderland, Wendell, Warwick, and Whately
In Hampden County: Precinct 1 in Palmer
In Hampshire County: Amherst, Belchertown, Hadley, Hatfield, Northampton, Pelham, and Ware
In Norfolk County: Precincts 4 and 5 in Bellingham
In Worcester County: Athol, Auburn, Barre, Blackstone, Boylston, Douglas, Grafton, Hardwick, Holden, Hubbardston, Leicester, Leominster, Mendon, Millbury, Millville, Northborough, Northbridge, North Brookfield, Oakham, Oxford, Paxton, Petersham, Phillipston, Princeton, Royalston, Rutland, Shrewsbury, Spencer, Sterling, Sutton, Templeton, Upton, Uxbridge, Webster, West Boylston, Westborough, Precinct 1 in Winchendon , and Worcester.
Recent statewide election results
List of members representing the district
Member
Party
Years
Cong ress
Electoral history
District location
District created March 4, 1789
Benjamin Goodhue (Salem )
Pro-Administration
March 4, 1789 – March 3, 1793
1st 2nd
Elected January 29, 1789, on the second ballot .Re-elected October 4, 1790 .Redistricted to the 1st district .
1789–1793 Essex County
Dwight Foster (Brookfield )
Pro-Administration
General ticket : March 4, 1793 – March 3, 1795
3rd
Elected April 1, 1793, on the third ballot as part of the four-seat general ticket, representing the district at-large.Redistricted to the 4th district .
1793–1795 Berkshire County , Worcester County , and Hampshire County
Theodore Sedgwick (Great Barrington )
Pro-Administration
Redistricted from the 4th district and re-elected November 2, 1792 , as part of the four-seat general ticket, representing the district from Berkshire County .Redistricted to the 1st district .
Artemas Ward (Shrewsbury )
Pro-Administration
Redistricted from the 7th district and re-elected November 2, 1792 , as part of the four-seat general ticket, representing the district from Worcester County .[data missing ]
William Lyman (Northampton )
Anti-Administration
Elected April 1, 1793, on the third ballot as part of the four-seat general ticket, representing the district from Hampshire County .Re-elected November 3, 1794 , as the sole representative from the district. Lost re-election.
Democratic-Republican
March 4, 1795 – March 3, 1797
4th
1795–1803 "2nd Western district"
William Shepard (Westfield )
Federalist
March 4, 1797 – March 3, 1803
5th 6th 7th
Elected January 16, 1797, on the second ballot .Re-elected in 1798 .Re-elected in 1800 . Retired.
Jacob Crowninshield (Salem )
Democratic-Republican
March 4, 1803 – April 15, 1808
8th 9th 10th
Elected in 1802 .Re-elected in 1804 .Re-elected in 1806 . Died.
1803–1823 "Essex South district"
Vacant
April 15, 1808 – May 23, 1808
10th
Joseph Story (Salem )
Democratic-Republican
May 23, 1808 – March 3, 1809
Elected to finish Crowninshield's term . Retired.
Benjamin Pickman Jr. (Salem )
Federalist
March 4, 1809 – March 3, 1811
11th
Elected in 1808 . Retired.
William Reed (Marblehead )
Federalist
March 4, 1811 – March 3, 1815
12th 13th
Elected in 1810 .Re-elected in 1812 . Retired.
Timothy Pickering (Wendham )
Federalist
March 4, 1815 – March 3, 1817
14th
Redistricted from the 3rd district and re-elected in 1814 . Lost re-election.
Nathaniel Silsbee (Salem )
Democratic-Republican
March 4, 1817 – March 3, 1821
15th 16th
Elected in 1816 .Re-elected in 1818 . Retired.
Gideon Barstow (Salem )
Democratic-Republican
March 4, 1821 – March 3, 1823
17th
Elected in 1821 on the third ballot . Retired.
Benjamin W. Crowninshield (Salem )
Democratic-Republican
March 4, 1823 – March 3, 1825
18th 19th 20th 21st
Elected in 1823 on the second ballot .Re-elected in 1824 .Re-elected in 1826 .Re-elected in 1828 . Lost re-election.
1823–1833 "Essex South district"
Anti-Jacksonian
March 4, 1825 – March 3, 1831
Rufus Choate (Salem )
Anti-Jacksonian
March 4, 1831 – June 30, 1834
22nd 23rd
Elected in 1830 .Re-elected in 1833 . Resigned.
1833–1843 [data missing ]
Vacant
June 30, 1834 – December 1, 1834
23rd
Stephen C. Phillips (Salem )
Anti-Jacksonian
December 1, 1834 – March 3, 1837
23rd 24th 25th
Elected to finish Choate's term .Also elected to the full term in 1834 .Re-elected in 1836 . Resigned to become Mayor of Salem.
Whig
March 4, 1837 – September 28, 1838
Vacant
September 28, 1838 – December 5, 1838
25th
Leverett Saltonstall (Salem )
Whig
December 5, 1838 – March 3, 1843
25th 26th 27th
Elected to finish Phillips's term in 1838 and seated December 5, 1838.Also elected to the full term in 1838 .Re-elected in 1840 . Lost re-election.
Daniel P. King (South Danvers )
Whig
March 4, 1843 – July 25, 1850
28th 29th 30th 31st
Elected in 1843 on the fourth ballot .Re-elected in 1844 .Re-elected in 1846 .Re-elected in 1848 . Died.
1843–1853 [data missing ]
Vacant
July 25, 1850 – March 3, 1851
31st
Robert Rantoul Jr. (Beverly )
Democratic
March 4, 1851 – August 7, 1852
32nd
Elected in 1850 . Died.
Vacant
August 7, 1852 – December 13, 1852
Francis B. Fay (Chelsea )
Whig
December 13, 1852 – March 3, 1853
Elected to finish Rantoul's term . Retired.
Samuel L. Crocker (Taunton )
Whig
March 4, 1853 – March 3, 1855
33rd
Elected in 1852 . Lost re-election.
1853–1863 [data missing ]
James Buffington [ 12] (Fall River )
Know Nothing
March 4, 1855 – March 3, 1857
34th 35th 36th 37th
Elected in 1854 .Re-elected in 1856 .Re-elected in 1858 .Re-elected in 1860 . Retired.
Republican
March 4, 1857 – March 3, 1863
Oakes Ames [ 8] (North Easton )
Republican
March 4, 1863 – March 3, 1873
38th 39th 40th 41st 42nd
Elected in 1862 .Re-elected in 1864 .Re-elected in 1866 .Re-elected in 1868 .Re-elected in 1870 . Retired.
1863–1873 [data missing ]
Benjamin W. Harris [ 13] [ 14] (East Bridgewater )
Republican
March 4, 1873 – March 3, 1883
43rd 44th 45th 46th 47th
Elected in 1872 .Re-elected in 1874 .Re-elected in 1876 .Re-elected in 1878 .Re-elected in 1880 . Retired.
1873–1883 [data missing ]
John D. Long (Hingham )
Republican
March 4, 1883 – March 3, 1889
48th 49th 50th
Elected in 1882 .Re-elected in 1884 .Re-elected in 1886 . Retired.
1883–1893 [data missing ]
Elijah A. Morse (Canton )
Republican
March 4, 1889 – March 3, 1893
51st 52nd
Elected in 1888 .Re-elected in 1890 .Redistricted to the 12th district .
Frederick H. Gillett [ 15] [ 16] (Springfield )
Republican
March 4, 1893 – March 3, 1925
53rd 54th 55th 56th 57th 58th 59th 60th 61st 62nd 63rd 64th 65th 66th 67th 68th
Elected in 1892 .Re-elected in 1894 .Re-elected in 1896 .Re-elected in 1898 .Re-elected in 1900 .Re-elected in 1902 .Re-elected in 1904 .Re-elected in 1906 .Re-elected in 1908 .Re-elected in 1910 .Re-elected in 1912 .Re-elected in 1914 .Re-elected in 1916 .Re-elected in 1918 .Re-elected in 1920 .Re-elected in 1922 . Retired to run for U.S. senator .
1893–1903 [data missing ]
1903–1913 [data missing ]
1913–1933 [data missing ]
George B. Churchill (Amherst )
Republican
March 4, 1925 – July 1, 1925
69th
Elected in 1924 . Died.
Vacant
July 1, 1925 – September 29, 1925
Henry L. Bowles (Springfield )
Republican
September 29, 1925 – March 3, 1929
69th 70th
Elected to finish Churchill's term .Re-elected in 1926 . Retired.
Will Kirk Kaynor (Springfield )
Republican
March 4, 1929 – December 20, 1929
71st
Elected in 1928 . Died.
Vacant
December 20, 1929 – February 11, 1930
William J. Granfield (Springfield )
Democratic
February 11, 1930 – January 3, 1937
71st 72nd 73rd 74th
Elected to finish Kaynor's term .Also elected to full term in 1930 .Re-elected in 1932 .Re-elected in 1932 .Re-elected in 1934 . Retired.
1933–1943 [data missing ]
Charles R. Clason [ 17] (Springfield )
Republican
January 3, 1937 – January 3, 1949
75th 76th 77th 78th 79th 80th
Elected in 1936 .Re-elected in 1938 .Re-elected in 1940 .Re-elected in 1942 .Re-elected in 1944 .Re-elected in 1946 . Lost re-election.
1943–1953 [data missing ]
Foster Furcolo (Longmeadow )
Democratic
January 3, 1949 – September 30, 1952
81st 82nd
Elected in 1948 .Re-elected in 1950 . Retired and then resigned early when appointed State Treasurer .
Vacant
September 30, 1952 – January 3, 1953
82nd
Edward Boland [ 18] (Springfield )
Democratic
January 3, 1953 – January 3, 1989
83rd 84th 85th 86th 87th 88th 89th 90th 91st 92nd 93rd 94th 95th 96th 97th 98th 99th 100th
Elected in 1952 .Re-elected in 1954 .Re-elected in 1956 .Re-elected in 1958 .Re-elected in 1960 .Re-elected in 1962 .Re-elected in 1964 .Re-elected in 1966 .Re-elected in 1968 .Re-elected in 1970 .Re-elected in 1972 .Re-elected in 1974 .Re-elected in 1976 .Re-elected in 1978 .Re-elected in 1980 .Re-elected in 1982 .Re-elected in 1984 .Re-elected in 1986 . Retired.
1953–1963 [data missing ]
1963–1973 [data missing ]
1973–1983 [data missing ]
1983–1993 [data missing ]
Richard Neal [ 19] (Springfield )
Democratic
January 3, 1989 – January 3, 2013
101st 102nd 103rd 104th 105th 106th 107th 108th 109th 110th 111th 112th
Elected in 1988 .Re-elected in 1990 .Re-elected in 1992 .Re-elected in 1994 .Re-elected in 1996 .Re-elected in 1998 .Re-elected in 2000 .Re-elected in 2002 .Re-elected in 2004 .Re-elected in 2006 .Re-elected in 2008 .Re-elected in 2010 .Redistricted to the 1st district .
1993–2003 [data missing ]
2003–2013
Jim McGovern (Worcester )
Democratic
January 3, 2013 – present
113th 114th 115th 116th 117th 118th
Redistricted from the 3rd district and re-elected in 2012 .Re-elected in 2014 .Re-elected in 2016 .Re-elected in 2018 .Re-elected in 2020 .Re-elected in 2022 .
2013–2023
2023–present
Recent election results
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
References
^ "My Congressional District" .
^ "2022 Cook PVI: District Map and List" . Cook Political Report . July 12, 2022. Retrieved January 10, 2023 .
^ "Massachusetts Congressional Districts" . Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts .
^ a b c "MA - District 02 - History" . Our Campaigns. September 10, 2013. Retrieved February 11, 2012 .
^ "MA District 2 (Essex South)" . Our Campaigns . April 14, 2011.
^ Trickey, Erick (July 20, 2017). "Where Did the Term "Gerrymander" Come From?" . Smithsonian Magazine .
^ "State Apportionment; districts of the Commonwealth for the choice of one representative to Congress in each district" . Massachusetts Register ... for 1843 . Boston: Loring. 1779.
^ a b Ben. Perley Poore (1869). "Massachusetts" . Congressional Directory for the First Session of the Forty-First Congress (2nd ed.). Washington DC: Government Printing Office. hdl :2027/nyp.33433081796686 .
^ "Massachusetts" . Official Congressional Directory: 59th Congress (2nd ed.). Washington DC: Government Printing Office. 1905.
^ "Massachusetts" . Official Congressional Directory: 64th Congress (2nd ed.). Washington DC: Government Printing Office. 1916. hdl :2027/uc1.l0075858456 .
^ "The Commonwealth of Massachusetts: Congressional Districts, Chapter 177 of the Acts of 2011" .
^ "Massachusetts" . Congressional Directory for the Second Session of the Thirty-Seventh Congress . Washington DC: House of Representatives. 1861.
^ Ben. Perley Poore (1878). "Massachusetts" . Congressional Directory: 45th Congress (3rd ed.). Washington DC: Government Printing Office. ISBN 978-0-16-041176-2 .
^ Ben. Perley Poore (1882). "Massachusetts" . Congressional Directory: 47th Congress (3rd ed.). Washington DC: Government Printing Office.
^ L.A. Coolidge (1897). "Massachusetts" . Official Congressional Directory: Fifty-Fifth Congress . Washington DC: Government Printing Office.
^ A.J. Halford (1909). "Massachusetts" . Congressional Directory: 60th Congress (2nd ed.). Washington DC: Government Printing Office.
^ "Massachusetts" . Official Congressional Directory: 75th Congress (2nd ed.). Washington DC: Government Printing Office. 1938.
^ "Massachusetts" . Official Congressional Directory: 90th Congress . Washington DC: Government Printing Office. 1968.
^ "Massachusetts" . 1991-1992 Official Congressional Directory: 102nd Congress . Washington DC: Government Printing Office. 1991.
^ "Return of Votes for Massachusetts State Elections, November 6, 2013" (PDF) . Secretary of State for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. November 23, 2012. Retrieved June 1, 2013 .
^ The totals do not include Blank/Scatterings Ballots although they were reported.
^ "Massachusetts Secretary of State Election Results 2014" (PDF) . Massachusetts Secretary of State. November 4, 2014. Retrieved December 26, 2014 .
^ "Massachusetts Secretary of State General Election Results 2016" . Massachusetts Secretary of State. November 8, 2016. Retrieved December 15, 2016 .
External links
The at-large and 10th–20th districts are obsolete. The 14th–20th districts moved to Maine in 1820, and the 14th–16th districts were later restored in Massachusetts.
See also
Massachusetts's past and present representatives , senators , and delegations
42°23′06″N 72°07′07″W / 42.38500°N 72.11861°W / 42.38500; -72.11861
This page was last edited on 22 September 2024, at 14:37