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Sample Scorecards for 2026: |
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Mass Scorecard 2025-2026
I'm a delegate to the Massachusetts Democratic Convention on September 13, 2025, and there's a BIG controversy there.
The Massachusetts Democratic Platform, one of our country's most progressive documents, has been weakened and watered down.
I will vote against it at the Convention, and I join the movement to re-invigorate the Party Platform.
We would like to re-make the "Mass Scorecard" that we made twenty years ago, in a similar fight then.
The Mass Scorecard compares how legislators voted, in comparison with issues in the 2005 Massachusetts Democratic Party platform.
We then score each legislator by how many votes agree with the platofrm, on the usual scale of an "A" for 90% or more, down to an "F" for 60% or lower. The idea is to hold legislators accountable to the party platform. A scorecard means that the party platform MATTERS.
I worked with the Progressive Democrats of Somerville to create the Mass Scorecard and to introduce it at a Convention just like the one on 9/13/2025. We asked the delegates to vote for or against having a scorecard, and our "Party Platform Amendment" passed by a 60%-40% margin.
We need another Mass Scorecard in 2025-2026, for the same reason: to maintain a strongly progressive platform, so that we can hold legislators accountable to our progressive values.
The Platform Committee this year weakened the party platform because they believe that's the way to attract voters. I disagree. I think the way to attract voters is to have strong and clear progressive values, and to ask legislators to vote based on those values. I served on the Platform Committee twenty years ago, and many centrists made the same argument then -- but the progressives won, and we passed a strong and clear progressive platform. This year, the centrists dominated the Platform Committee, and offer us a centrist platform with watered-down centrist values.
Here's what the Massachusetts Democratic Party Charter says about "Adherence to Platform by Democratic Officials" (Article 6, section V, page 20, from Sept. 27, 2023)
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The most recent Democratic platform and/or agenda is the official position of the Democratic Party. Every Democratic committee member, every Democratic nominee, and every official elected as the Democratic nominee shall adhere to the national, state, and any local platform, in that order of priority, in all official statements and actions. Failure to do so shall not result in any removal or loss of rights within the Party, but may be publicized by resolutions or other appropriate action of any Party convention, conference, committee, or caucus.
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I read that statement from the podium at the 2003 Convention (the Charter said the same then!) in support of the Mass Scorecard. I was the last speaker; then the delegates voted, in our favor. Let's do that again!
Our party platform is a "vision statement" of what we want Massachusetts to look like. It's also a guide to legislators for how to vote on issues that matter to their constituents. We want our legislature to pass laws that move towards our "vision statement."
We can hold our legislators accountable to our vision for Massachusetts with a scorecard. We'll look at votes during 2025, and compare them to the "strong" version of the platform, and present the results at next year's convention. Join us!
Sincerely,
Jesse Gordon, delegate to the 2025 Massachusetts Democratic Convention,
State Committeeman for Norfolk-Bristol-Plymouth district,
Co-chair of the Randolph Democratic Town Committee
and elected as a "progressive Democrat" to the Randolph Town Council
Text (617) 320-6989 email jesse@jessegordon.com
Votes in use on the 2025-2026 Mass Scorecard
Democratic Party Platform sections indicated in ALL CAPS; platform recommends voting YES unless "NO" is indicated.
The date indicates passage vote in House chamber, and the final vote tally (Yes-No-Abstain/Absent).
An abstention or absence scores the same as opposing the Party platform.
- EDUCATION: Oct. 29, 2025:Should Education Dept. & unions create literacy curricula?
(H.4672 House rollcall 101 passed 132-22-6)
Platform page 10 clause 2: "Adequate resources, instruction, and support to ensure that all students can read proficiently by the third grade"
- CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE: April 16, 2025:Allocate $828 million from the 'Millionaire's Tax' to transportation projects and MBTA?
(H.4005 House rollcall 29 passed 140-14-6 plus H.4227 Senate rollcall 52 passed 40-0-0)
Platform page 12 clause 10: "Safe, reliable, accessible, equitable transportation solutions... and a sustainable public transit system"
- RACIAL JUSTICE AND EQUAL RIGHTS: Nov 3, 2005:Should transgender care be protected from disclosure?
(S.2538 House rollcall 72 passed 132-24-4 plus S.2543 Senate rollcall 68 passed 37-3-0)
Platform page 14 clause 12: "The protection and promotion of equal rights for all LGBTQ+ people... and advocating for greater protections in the workplace, education, housing, healthcare, and criminal justice"
- ETHICS AND TRANSPARENCY: Feb. 25, 2025:Allow the State Auditor to Audit the Massachusetts House?
(H.2024 House rollcall 21 failed 24-127-7)
Platform page 15 clause 12: "Subjecting the legislative branch to the Massachusetts Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)"
- ETHICS AND TRANSPARENCY: Feb. 12, 2025: Record all Rollcall votes; 2 days to review bills & other previews?
(H.2026 House rollcall 13/14/20/22, all failed 23-128-7; S.15 Senate Amendment #13 and #15 failed 6-32-2; Senate Amendment #22 failed 9-29-2)
Platform page 15 clause 14: "All Committee votes in the Legislature to be made public by providing a list of those legislators voting yes and those legislators voting no"
- HEALTHCARE AND HUMAN SERVICES: June 4, 2025:Should the cannabis industry expand responsibly?
(H.4187 House rollcall 55 passed 153-0-6 plus H.4206 Senate rollcall 116 passed 30-7-3)
Platform page 16 clause 9: "Using the revenue generated by legalized marijuana to help fund proven opioid prevention and recovery services"
- HOUSING: Feb. 6, 2025:Allocate $425 million for the state's family shelter system?
(H.57 House rollcall 11 passed 126-26-8 and Senate H.58 rollcall 25 passed 32-7-1)
Platform page 18 clause 2: "Remaining a right to shelter state, which guarantees emergency shelter for everyone in need, and increased funding for homeless assistance programs"
- IMMIGRATION: April 29, 2025:Should local police authorities detain people for ICE?
(H.4000 Amendment #10, House rollcall 36 failed 25-131-2): Platform recommends voting NO.
Platform page 19 clause 1: "Becoming a sanctuary state, where all immigrants and refugees feel welcome and safe in all communities of the Commonwealth"
- PUBLIC SAFETY AND CRIMINAL LEGAL REFORM: July 18, 2024: Restrict 3D printed guns and ghost guns
(H.4885 House rollcall 135 passed 124-33-3; Senate rollcall 208 passed 35-5-0; 2025 repeal bill S.1509/H.2713 appears on Nov. 2026 ballot)
Platform page 21 clause 2: "Ban on ghost guns and 3D-printed guns"
Sponsorships in use on the 2025-2026 Mass Scorecard
Following are bills which have not yet come to a vote, where legislators are scored on whether or not they co-sponsored the bill.
The Democratic Party Platform recommends SPONSORSHIP but a legislator's score is not reduced for lack of sponsorship unless otherwise indicated.
For sponsorships, the date indicates when the bill introduced.
- CHILDREN AND FAMILIES: Feb. 27, 2025: Expand access to family, friend, and neighbor-provided childcare
(H.542 House: 26 co-sponsors; S.341: 7 co-sponsors)
Platform page 8 clause 1: "High-quality, affordable childcare for all to support early development in historically underserved communities"
- ECONOMIC JUSTICE AND GROWTH: Feb. 27, 2025: Increase minimum wage to $20 per hour in four steps
(H.2107 House: 11 co-sponsors; S.1349 Senate: 11 co-sponsors).
Platform page 9 clause 10: "Access to jobs that provide them with a living wage for all"
- EDUCATION: Feb. 27, 2025: Fix the chapter 70 inflation adjustment to increase state funding of schools
(H.678 House: 33 co-sponsors; S.388 Senate: 22 co-sponsors)
Platform page 10 clause 1: "Public education that is fully funded and free to all"
- CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE : Feb. 27, 2025: Funds for improving and conserving natural and working lands
(H.901 House: 53 co-sponsors; S.597 Senate: 15 co-sponsors)
Platform page 12 clause 2: "necessary steps to protect our air, water, forests, farmland, and food, and expanding our access to open space"
- HEALTHCARE AND HUMAN SERVICES: Feb. 27, 2025:Single-payer health care financing system
(H.1405 House: 62 co-sponsors; S.860 Senate: 24 co-sponsors).
This bill counts as a positive score for sponsors, AND a negative score for legislators who choose not to sponsor it.
Platform page 16 clause 2: "accessible healthcare for all through a single-payer government-sponsored program, like Medicare"
- HEALTHCARE AND HUMAN SERVICES: Feb. 27, 2025: End of life option including request for medical aid in dying medication
(H.2505 House: 63 co-sponsors; S.1486 Senate: 24 co-sponsors)
Platform page 17 clause 23: "Securing broad and compassionate options for the end of life"
- IMMIGRATION: Jan. 29, 2026: Regulate state and local participation in federal immigration enforcement
(H.5158 House: 91 co-sponsors; S.1681 Senate: 25 co-sponsors; H.2580
House: 71 co-sponsors; S.1122 Senate: 23 co-sponsors; H.1588 House: 74 co-sponsors).
Platform page 19 clause 2: "Regulate state and local participation in federal immigration enforcement"
- LABOR AND WORKFORCE: Feb. 27, 2025: Maximizing access to the collective and individual protections afforded by federal and state labor laws
(H.2086 House: 33 cosponsors; S.1327 Senate: 16 co-sponsors)
Platform page 20 clause 2: "Strong enforcement of laws guaranteeing all workers the right to organize, bargain collectively, and strike"
- PUBLIC SAFETY AND CRIMINAL LEGAL REFORM: Feb. 27, 2025: Penalize as harassment if approaching police within 25 feet
(H.2057 HALO Act, House & Senate: 23 co-sponsors). Sponsoring this bill scores in the negative (but lack of sponsorship has no score).
Platform page 22 clause 25: "The elimination of qualified immunity protections for police officers"
- REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH, FREEDOM, AND JUSTICE: Feb. 27, 2025: Reducing disparities in health outcomes in marginalized groups
(H.1416 House: 34 co-sponsors; S.901 Senate: 19 co-sponsors).
Platform page 23 clause 2: "An end to racial disparities in reproductive health and pregnancy care"
- VOTING AND DEMOCRACY: Feb. 27, 2025: Same-day voter registration and automatic voter registration
(H.834 House: 24 co-sponsors; S.505 Senate: 20 co-sponsors).
Platform page 26 clause 3: "Same-day voter registration and automatic voter registration"
- ANTI-NOMINEE SUPPORT: Party Charter Article 2 Section 5 prohibits supporting opponents of the Democratic Party in general elections;
we look at FEC records and report whether the legislator has donated to Democrats (positive score), Republicans (negative score), or none (negative score).
(FEC.gov search by donor name and town
Party Charter Article 2, section VII, clause (b), : prohibits supporting "any candidate whose announced intention is to oppose the nominee of the Democratic Party."
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