Massachusetts Civics: How Your State Government Works

by bam

A practical, non-partisan guide to how the Commonwealth of Massachusetts governs itself, and how you take part where you live. You'll learn Massachusetts's Constitution of 1780, the oldest functioning written constitution in the world, drafted by John Adams; a Legislature officially named the 'General Court' of 160 representatives and 40 senators; the elected Governor's Council, a colonial holdover that must approve judicial appointments; a judiciary whose judges are APPOINTED (not elected) and serve to age 70; the state's indirect initiative process; and its unusual local map, where several county governments were abolished. It also covers elections (the 2022 VOTES Act) and flags time-sensitive rules, pointing to sec.state.ma.us. Cited to Massachusetts's own official sources (malegislature.gov, sec.state.ma.us, mass.gov/courts).