ELECTORAL VOTES 12

2008 ELECTION Strong Obama

ABOUT
MASSACHUSETTS

Massachusetts, one of the original 13 colonies, joined the Union in February 1788, and has participated in all 55 presidential elections. The state has been reliably Democratic since 1928, but has voted Republican four times since then – twice each for Dwight Eisenhower and Ronald Reagan. Massachusetts was the only state to vote for George McGovern in his huge 1972 electoral loss to Richard Nixon. Like many northeastern states, Massachusetts slowly lost its electoral clout over the course of the 20th century. The state has lost 1/3 of its electoral votes since the 1920s, falling from 18 to 12. That number may drop to 11 in 2012, depending on the outcome of the 2010 census. In 2004, home-state Senator John Kerry beat George Bush 62% to 37%, the widest margin of victory for Kerry in any of the 50 states.