1956 Massachusetts elections

A Massachusetts general election was held on November 6, 1956, in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

The election included:
 * statewide elections for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, Secretary of the Commonwealth, treasurer, and auditor;
 * district elections for U.S. Representatives, state representatives, state senators, and Governor's Councillors; and
 * ballot questions at the state and local levels.

Democratic and Republican candidates were selected in party primaries held on September 18, 1956.

Governor
Democrat Foster Furcolo was elected over Republican Sumner G. Whittier, Socialist Labor candidate Henning A. Blomen, and Prohibition candidate Mark R. Shaw.

Lieutenant governor
Incumbent lieutenant governor Sumner Whitter ran for governor.

Democrat Robert F. Murphy was elected lieutenant governor over Republican Charles Gibbons, Socialist Labor candidate Francis A. Votano, and Prohibition candidate Harold E. Bassett.

Candidates

 * Charles Gibbons, former Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives

Results
Gibbons was unopposed for the Republican nomination.

Candidates

 * James A. Burke, former state representative from Milton and candidate for lieutenant Gtovernor in 1954
 * Robert F. Murphy, former House Minority Leader and nominee for governor in 1954
 * George A. Wells, executive councilor

Attorney general
Republican attorney general George Fingold was re-elected over Democrat Edward J. McCormack Jr., Socialist Workers candidate Fred M. Ingersol, and Prohibition candidate Howard Rand in the general election.

Candidates

 * Edward J. McCormack Jr., president of the Boston City Council
 * Joseph D. Ward, State Representative from Fitchburg

Candidates

 * George Fingold, incumbent attorney general (Republican)
 * Fred M. Ingersoll (Socialist Workers)
 * Edward J. McCormack Jr., president of the Boston City Council (Democratic)
 * Howard Rand (Prohibition)

Secretary of the Commonwealth
Incumbent Secretary of the Commonwealth Edward J. Cronin defeated Republican Senate President Richard I. Furbush, Prohibition candidate Earl Dodge, and Socialist Labor candidate Lawrence Gilfedder in the general election.

Candidates

 * Edward J. Cronin, incumbent Secretary of the Commonwealth
 * Robert Emmet Dinsmore

Candidates

 * Edward J. Cronin, incumbent Secretary of the Commonwealth (Democratic)
 * Earl Dodge, executive secretary of the Massachusetts Prohibition Party (Prohibition)
 * Richard I. Furbush, president of the Massachusetts Senate (Republican)
 * Lawrence Gilfedder (Socialist Workers)

Treasurer and receiver-general
Incumbent treasurer and receiver-general John Francis Kennedy defeated Norwood Selectman Clement A. Riley, John F. Buckley, John M. Kennedy, and Henry Joseph Hurley in the Democratic primary and Republican Robert H. Beaudreau, Socialist Labor candidate Willy N. Hogseth, and Prohibition candidate Isaac Goddard in the general election.

Candidates

 * John F. Buckley
 * Henry Joseph Hurley
 * John Francis Kennedy, incumbent treasurer and receiver-general
 * John M. Kennedy
 * Clement A. Riley, Norwood selectman and candidate for treasurer in 1954

Candidates

 * Robert H. Beaudreau, U.S. Marshal for the District of Massachusetts (Republican)
 * Isaac Goddard (Prohibition)
 * Willy N. Hogseth (Socialist Workers)
 * John Francis Kennedy, incumbent treasurer and receiver-general (Democratic)

Auditor
Incumbent auditor Thomas J. Buckley defeated Republican Joseph A. Nobile, Socialist Labor candidate Anthony Martin, and Prohibition candidate John B. Lauder in the general election.