Every voter eats, and the local food system relies on wise public policy to function well. Laws and regulations about land, natural resources, health and safety, and other issues all impact how sustainable and equitable our food system is, as do public investments in programs.
Across the food chain, policy impacts how our food is produced and who is producing it, what food is available, at what prices, and who that food is available to. Much of that policy occurs at the state level, and food and agricultural policy is at the intersection of many other issues in our communities, including racial equity, economics, and health.
There are many ways for state representatives and senators to use their office to support the fight to make Massachusetts’ food system more sustainable, equitable and resilient. Voters need to know how elected officials will stand up for these issues and work with partners in their districts to further their shared goals.
Food insecurity remains high, and investments like the Healthy Incentives Program, Food Security Infrastructure Grant, and APR need continuing support. According to data from the USDA, farmland in the Commonwealth is the third most expensive in the country at $15,000 per acre, making farming out of reach for many young and aspiring armers. Farmers earn $0.95 for every $1 they invest into their business, deeply impacting farm’s economic sustainability. And climate change is having increasing effects, from flooding one season to drought the next, impact our farmers’ ability to plan and harvest their crops. These are just some of the issues facing our local food system that demand legislative attention and action.
The Collaborative has shared a briefing paper and survey for candidates for state representative and senator to complete about issues facing the local food system during the 2026 election cycle. As a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, the Collaborative will not endorse any candidates for election. We will update this page once we receive responses.
For more information, please contact rebecca@mafoodsystem.org
Voter Information
Check your voter registration status here. Important Dates –
- Saturday, August 22: Last day to register to vote before Primary
- Tuesday, August 25: Vote by mail application deadline for Primary
- Saturday, August 22 – Friday, August 28: Primary Early Voting
- Tuesday, September 1: Primary Elections
- November 3, 2026: General Election Day
Candidate Questionnaires
The Massachusetts Food System Collaborative invited candidates in contested state legislative races to respond to a set of questions about food system issues. Incumbents are marked with an asterisk (*). Responses are shared as submitted. As a 501(c)(3) organization, the Massachusetts Food System Collaborative cannot and does not endorse candidates.
Massachusetts State Senate Candidates
First Suffolk
The District: Boston: Downtown / Chinatown (Ward 3 Pcts 8, 14; Ward 5 Pct 1); Back Bay / South End / Bay Village (Ward 3 Pcts 7, 15, 16; Ward 4 Pcts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; Ward 5 Pcts 13, 14; Ward 8 Pcts 1, 2; Ward 9 Pcts 1, 2); South Boston (Wards 6 & 7); Dorchester (Ward 8 Pct 6; Ward 13 Pcts 3, 5-10; Wards 15-17); Harbor Islands (Ward 1 Pct 15)
Candidates: Nick Collins (D*), Latoya Gayle (D), Juwan Skeens (D)
Second Middlesex
The District: Cambridge (Agassiz-Baldwin, Neighborhood Nine, Porter Square, North Cambridge: Ward 7 Pct 1, Ward 8 Pct 1, Ward 10, Ward 11), Medford, Somerville, Winchester (Pcts 4-7)
Candidates: Burhan Azeem (D), Christine Barber (D), Matt McLaughlin (D), Erika Uyterhoeven (D)
Second Essex & Middlesex
The District: city of Amesbury, the city of Haverhill, Ward 1 Precincts 2A, 3A, Ward 2, Precincts 1, 2, Ward 3 Precinct 2A, Ward 4 Precincts 1, 2, 3, Ward 5 Precincts 1, 2, 3, 3A, Ward 6 Precincts 1, 2, 3, Ward 7 Precincts 1, 2, 3, 3A, the towns of Andover and Merrimac and the town of North Andover, Precincts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, in the county of Essex; and the towns of Tewksbury and Wilmington in the county of Middlesex.
Candidates: Barry Finegold (D*), Theodore T. Semesnyei (R)
Worcester & Hampshire
The District: the city of Gardner, the city of Worcester, Ward 7 Precincts 2, 4, 5, 6, Ward 9 Precincts 3, and 4, and the towns of Barre, Brookfield, East Brookfield, Hardwick, Holden, Hubbardston, Leicester, New Braintree, North Brookfield, Oakham, Paxton, Phillipston, Princeton, Rutland, Spencer, Sterling, Templeton, West Brookfield and Westminster in the county of Worcester; and the town of Ware in the county of Hampshire.
Candidates: Peter Durant (R*), Shannon Teabo (D)
Massachusetts State Representative Candidates
Suffolk
Middlesex
10th Middlesex
The District: Ward 1 Precincts 1, 2A, 4, Ward 2 Precinct 1A, Ward 3 Precincts 1A, and 4, all of the city of Newton, Ward 1 Precinct 2A, Ward 3 Precinct 2A, Ward 4 Precincts 1A, 2, Ward 5 Precincts 1, 2A, Ward 6 Precinct 2, Ward 8 Precinct 2, and Ward 9, all of the city of Waltham, and Precincts 9, 10, 11, and 12, of the city known as the town of Watertown.
Candidates: John Lawn (D*), Alison Leary (D)
13th Middlesex
The District: Precincts 3, and 4, in the town of Concord, Precinct 1, of the town of Lincoln, Ward 1 Precincts 1, 2, Ward 2 Precinct 2A, and Ward 7 Precinct 2A of the city of Marlborough, the town of Sudbury, and Precincts 1, and 4, of the town of Wayland
Candidate: Ravi Simon (D)
18th Middlesex
The District: Ward 1 Precinct 1A, Ward 4 Precincts 3, 4A, Ward 5 Precinct 1A, Ward 6, Precincts 1, 2, 3A, 4, Ward 7 Precincts 1, 2, 3, 4, Ward 8 Precincts 1, 2, 3, and 4, of the city of Lowell.
Candidates: Tara Hong (D*), Sokhary Chau (D)
25th Middlesex
The District: Ward 3 Precinct 3A, Ward 4 Precincts 2, 2A, 3, Ward 6 Precincts 2, 3, Ward 7, Ward 8, Ward 10 Precinct 1A, and 2, of the city of Cambridge.
Candidates: Marjorie Decker (D*), Evan Mckay (D)
26th Middlesex
The District: Ward 1 Precinct 3, Ward 2 Precincts 1, 2, 3A, Ward 3 Precincts 1, 2, 3, Ward 4 Precinct 1, Ward 5 Precincts 1, 3, Ward 6 Precincts 1, and 1A, all of the city of Cambridge, Ward 1 Precincts 1, 2, 3, 4, and Ward 2 Precinct 1A of the city of Somerville.
Candidates: Mike Connolly (D*), Neil Miller (D)
27th Middlesex
The District: Ward 1 Precinct 4A, Ward 2 Precincts 1, 2, 3, 4, Ward 3, Ward 4 Precinct 2A Ward 5, Ward 6 Precincts 1, 2, 3, and 4, of the city of Somerville.
Candidates: Ben Ewen Campen (D), Olivia Gilligan Corsetti (D)
31st Middlesex
The District: town of Stoneham and Precincts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, and 8, of the town of Winchester.
Candidates: Michael Day (D*), Stephen J. Ternullo (R)
34th Middlesex
The District: Ward 4, Ward 5, Ward 7 Precincts 1, 2A, and Ward 8 Precinct 2, of the city of Medford, Ward 4 Precincts 1, 2, 3, 4, Ward 6 Precinct 3A, and Ward 7, of the city of Somerville.
Candidates: Will Mbah (D), Chris Oates (D), Paul Ruseau (D)
Essex
2nd Essex
The District: towns of Georgetown, Hamilton, Ipswich, Newbury, and Rowley, and Precinct 1, of the town of Topsfield.
Candidates: Kristin Kassner (D)*, Daniel James Kelly (R)
9th Essex
The District: Ward 1 Precincts 1 and 2, of the city of Lynn, and Precincts 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, of the town of Saugus, both in the county of Essex; and Precincts 1, 2, 3, and 7, of the town of Wakefield.
Candidates: Donald Wong (R*), Peter Meaney (D), Zosia VanMeter (D)
18th Essex
The District: Precincts 1, 4A, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10, of the town of Andover, Precinct 1, of the town of Boxford, Precincts 7 and 8, of the town of North Andover, all in the county of Essex; and Precincts 3, 5A, and 7 of the town Tewksbury.
Candidates: Connor Murray (D), Chris Shepley (R)
Plymouth
1st Plymouth
The District: Precincts 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18, of the town of Plymouth.
Candidates:Michelle Badger (D*), David Michael Golden (R)
5th Plymouth
The District: Hanover and Rockland, Precinct 1, of the town of Hanson, and Precincts 1, and 2, and the town of Norwell.
Candidates: David DeCoste (R*), Lori Childs (D)
7th Plymouth
The District: the towns of Abington and Whitman, Precincts 1, 2, and 3, of the town of East Bridgewater
Candidates: Alyson Sullivan-Almeida (R*), Rosemary Aahanna-Hill (D)
8th Plymouth
The District: Raynham, Bridgewater
Candidates: Dennis Gallagher (D*), John Norris (R)
10th Plymouth
The District:Ward 4, Ward 5, and Ward 6, of the city of Brockton.
Candidates: Michelle DuBois (D*), Tony Rodrigues (D)
12th Plymouth
The District: Precincts 1, and 2A, of the town of Halifax, the town of Kingston, Precincts 1, and 5A, of the town of Middleborough, Precinct 3, of the town of Pembroke, Precincts 1, 2, 3, 5, and 13, all of the town of Plymouth, and the town of Plympton
Candidates: Kathleen LaNatra (D*), Eric Meschino (R)
Hampden
3rd Hampden
The District: Precincts 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8, of the city known as the town of Agawam and the towns of Blandford, Chester, Granville, Montgomery, Russell, Southwick and Tolland, in the county of Hampden; and the towns of Huntington and Middlefield.
Candidates: Nicholas Boldyga (R*), Tom Hendrickson (D)
5th Hampden
The District: Ward 3 Precincts A1, and B, of the city of Chicopee, and the city of Holyoke.
Candidates: Patricia Duffy (D*), Dori Dean (D)
12th Hampden
The District: Precincts 1, 2A, 3A, and 4A, of the town of East Longmeadow, Precinct A of the town of Monson, Ward 5 Precincts D, G, Ward 7 Precincts B, C, D, E, F, G, H1, Ward 8 Precincts B1, and G, of the city of Springfield, and the town of Wilbraham.
Candidates: Angelo Puppolo (D*), Michael Lachenmeyer (D)
Worcester
4th Worcester
The District: Leominster
Candidates: Natalie Higgins (D*), Josh Bowridge (R)
12th Worcester
The District: Berlin, Boylston, Clinton, and Lancaster, Precinct 4, of the town of Northborough, and the town of Sterling.
Candidates: Meghan Kilcoyne (D*), Lisa Mair (R)