# 1956 Massachusetts elections

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1793
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1800 (S)
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1805
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1811 (S)
1816
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1826 (S)
1828
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2020: pending :
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Massachusetts portal :
vte :
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.

## Governor

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

## Lieutenant governor

Incumbent lieutenant governor Sumner Whitter ran for governor.
Democrat Robert F. Murphy was elected lieutenant governor over Republican Charles Gibbons, Socialist Labor candidate Francis A. Votano, and Prohibition candidate Harold E. Bassett.

### Republican primary
#### Candidates

* Charles Gibbons, former Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives

#### Results

Gibbons was unopposed for the Republican nomination.

### Democratic primary
#### Candidates

* James A. Burke, former state representative from Milton and candidate for lieutenant Gtovernor in 1954
* Robert F. Murphy, former House Minority Leader and nominee for governor in 1954
* George A. Wells, executive councilor

#### Results

1956 Democratic lieutenant gubernatorial primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Robert F. Murphy | 280,781 | 62.06% |
| | Democratic | James A. Burke | 95,111 | 21.02% |
| | Democratic | George A. Wells | 76,514 | 16.92% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 452,406 | 100.00% |

### General election
#### Results

Massachusetts gubernatorial election, 1956 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Robert F. Murphy | 1,158,704 | 51.23% | 4.00 |
| | Republican | Charles Gibbons | 1,082,113 | 47.84% | 4.17 |
| | Socialist Labor | Francis A. Votano | 13,286 | 0.59% | 0.10 |
| | Prohibition | Harold E. Bassett | 7,894 | 0.39% | 0.12 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 2,261,997 | 100.00% |

## 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.

### Democratic primary
#### Candidates

* Edward J. McCormack Jr., president of the Boston City Council
* Joseph D. Ward, State Representative from Fitchburg

#### Results

Massachusetts Attorney General Democratic Primary, 1956 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Edward J. McCormack Jr. | 250,916 | 55.17% |
| | Democratic | Joseph D. Ward | 203,923 | 44.83% |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 7 | 0.00% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 454,839 | 100.00% |

### General election
#### Candidates

* George Fingold, incumbent attorney general (Republican)
* Fred M. Ingersoll (Socialist Workers)
* Edward J. McCormack Jr., president of the Boston City Council (Democratic)
* Howard Rand (Prohibition)

#### Results

Massachusetts Attorney General Election, 1956 :
| Party | 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 | Write-in | 7 | 0.00% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 2,278,222 | 100.00% |

## 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.

### Democratic primary
#### Candidates

* Edward J. Cronin, incumbent Secretary of the Commonwealth
* Robert Emmet Dinsmore

#### Results

1956 Secretary of the Commonwealth Democratic primary :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Democratic | Edward J. Cronin (incumbent) | 366,019 | 83.79% |
| Democratic | Robert Emmet Dinsmore | 70,813 | 16.21% |
| Write-in | Write-in | 1 | 0.00% |

### General election
#### Candidates

* Edward J. Cronin, incumbent Secretary of the Commonwealth (Democratic)
* Earl Dodge, executive secretary of the Massachusetts Prohibition Party (Prohibition)
* Richard I. Furbush, president of the Massachusetts Senate (Republican)
* Lawrence Gilfedder (Socialist Workers)

#### Results

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 | 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.

### Democratic primary
#### Candidates

* John F. Buckley
* Henry Joseph Hurley
* John Francis Kennedy, incumbent treasurer and receiver-general
* John M. Kennedy
* Clement A. Riley, Norwood selectman and candidate for treasurer in 1954

#### Results

1956 Treasurer and Receiver-General Democratic primary :
| 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 | Write-in | 1 | 0.00% |

### General election
#### Candidates

* Robert H. Beaudreau, U.S. Marshal for the District of Massachusetts (Republican)
* Isaac Goddard (Prohibition)
* Willy N. Hogseth (Socialist Workers)
* John Francis Kennedy, incumbent treasurer and receiver-general (Democratic)

#### Results

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 | 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.

### General election

1946 Auditor election :
| 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 | Write-in | 4 | 0.00% |