1956 Massachusetts elections

A Massachusetts general election was held on November 6, 1956 in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

The election included:

• statewide elections for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, Secretary of the Commonwealth, treasurer, and auditor;
• district elections for U.S. Representatives, state representatives, state senators, and Governor's Councillors; and
• ballot questions at the state and local levels.

Democratic and Republican candidates were selected in party primaries held on September 18, 1956.

Statewide elections

Governor

Further information: Massachusetts gubernatorial election, 1956

Democrat Foster Furcolo was elected over Republican Sumner G. Whittier, Socialist Labor candidate Henning A. Blomen, and Prohibition candidate Mark R. Shaw.

Lieutenant governor

Further information: Massachusetts gubernatorial election, 1956

Democrat Robert F. Murphy was elected Lieutenant Governor over Republican Charles Gibbons, Socialist Labor candidate Francis A. Votano, and Prohibition candidate Harold E. Bassett.

Attorney general

Republican Attorney General George Fingold was re-elected over Democrat Edward J. McCormack Jr., Socialist Workers candidate Fred M. Ingersol, and Prohibition candidate Howard Rand in the general election.

Massachusetts Attorney General Democratic Primary, 1956

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Edward J. McCormack Jr.	250,916	55.17%
	Democratic	Joseph D. Ward	203,923	44.83%
	Write-in		7	0.00%

Massachusetts Attorney General Election, 1956

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	George Fingold (incumbent)	1,152,348	50.58%
	Democratic	Edward J. McCormack Jr.	1,113,105	48.86%
	Socialist Workers	Fred M. Ingersoll	7,983	0.35%
	Prohibition	Howard Rand	4,779	0.20%
	Write-in		7	0.00%

Secretary of the Commonwealth

Incumbent Secretary of the Commonwealth Edward J. Cronin defeated Republican Senate President Richard I. Furbush, Prohibition candidate Earl Dodge, and Socialist Labor candidate Lawrence Gilfedder in the general election.

Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth Democratic Primary, 1956

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Edward J. Cronin (incumbent)	366,019	83.79%
	Democratic	Robert Emmet Dinsmore	70,813	16.21%
	Write-in		1	0.00%

Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth Election, 1956

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Edward J. Cronin (incumbent)	1,196,746	53.40%
	Republican	Richard I. Furbush	1,025,295	45.75%
	Prohibition	Earl Dodge	10,030	0.45%
	Socialist Workers	Lawrence Gilfedder	9,181	0.41%
	Write-in		5	0.00%

Treasurer and Receiver-General

Incumbent Treasurer and Receiver-General John Francis Kennedy defeated Norwood Selectman Clement A. Riley, John F. Buckley, John M. Kennedy, and Henry Joseph Hurley in the Democratic primary and Republican Robert H. Beaudreau, Socialist Labor candidate Willy N. Hogseth, and Prohibition candidate Isaac Goddard in the general election.

Massachusetts Treasurer and Receiver-General Democratic Primary, 1956

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	John Francis Kennedy (incumbent)	186,382	40.83%
	Democratic	Clement A. Riley	127,242	27.87%
	Democratic	John F. Buckley	72,019	15.79%
	Democratic	John M. Kennedy	43,925	9.62%
	Democratic	Henry Joseph Hurley	26,881	5.89%
	Write-in		1	0.00%

Massachusetts Treasurer and Receiver-General Election, 1956

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	John Francis Kennedy (incumbent)	1,196,626	53.04%
	Republican	Robert H. Beaudreau	1,043,812	46.26%
	Socialist Workers	Willy N. Hogseth	7,970	0.35%
	Prohibition	Issac Goddard	7,887	0.35%
	Write-in		5	0.00%

Auditor

Incumbent Auditor Thomas J. Buckley defeated Republican Joseph A. Nobile, Socialist Labor candidate Anthony Martin, and Prohibition candidate John B. Lauder in the general election.

Massachusetts Auditor Election, 1956

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Thomas J. Buckley (incumbent)	1,278,635	57.19%
	Republican	Joseph A. Nobile	937,570	41.94%
	Socialist Workers	Anthony Martin	13,353	0.60%
	Prohibition	John B. Lauder	6,153	0.28%
	Write-in		4	0.00%