1928 Massachusetts gubernatorial election

The 1928 Massachusetts gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 1928.

Incumbent Republican Lieutenant Governor Frank G. Allen was elected to a two-year term, defeating Democrat Charles H. Cole.

The 1928 election represents a major turning point in Massachusetts political history. Al Smith's victory in the state's presidential contest and the competitive gubernatorial election marked a departure from decades of Republican dominance.

Candidates

 * Frank G. Allen, Lieutenant Governor
 * Frank A. Goodwin, Registrar of Motor Vehicles

Results
Lieutenant Governor Frank Allen was nominated over Frank A. Goodwin.

Candidates

 * George A. Bacon, former Chairman of the Massachusetts Republican Party
 * Charles L. Burrill, former Treasurer and Receiver-General of Massachusetts (1915–1920)
 * Pehr G. Holmes, member of the Massachusetts Executive Council and former Mayor of Worcester (1917–1920)
 * John C. Hull, Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives since 1925
 * Robert M. Leach, former U.S. Representative from Taunton (1924–1925)
 * Wycliffe C. Marshall
 * John H. Sherburne
 * William S. Youngman, Treasurer and Receiver-General of Massachusetts since 1925

Results
Treasurer William S. Youngman won the highly competitive primary election by 21,099 votes over Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives John C. Hull.

Candidates

 * Brig. Gen. Charles H. Cole, former Adjutant General of Massachusetts and Commissioner of the Boston Fire and Police Departments
 * John J. Cummings, candidate for Lieutenant Governor in 1922 and 1924

Results
Brigadier General Charles Cole easily defeated John J. Cummings for the Democratic nomination.

Candidates

 * John F. Malley, resident of Chestnut Hill
 * Charles S. Murphy, resident of Worcester

Candidates

 * Frank G. Allen, incumbent Governor (Republican)
 * Chester W. Bixby, founding member of the Communist Party of the United States of America (Workers)
 * Brig. Gen. Charles H. Cole, former Adjutant General of Massachusetts and Commissioner of the Boston Fire and Police Departments (Democratic)
 * Washington Cook, brother of Alonzo B. Cook and independent candidate for United States Senate in 1922 and 1926 (Vigorous Prohibition Enforcement)
 * Mary Donovan Hapgood, Secretary of the Sacco-Vanzetti Defense Committee (Socialist)
 * Edith Hamilton MacFadden, author (Independent Citizen)
 * Stephen Surridge (Socialist Labor)

MacFadden became the first female candidate for Governor in the history of Massachusetts. She ran on a platform of reducing tax exemptions. She is the mother of actor Hamilton MacFadden. She stated that she found "no opposition to a woman aspiring to the executive position of Governor."