A Massachusetts general election was held on November 4, 1986 in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

The election included:

• statewide elections for Governor
  Governor of Massachusetts
  The Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is the executive magistrate of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States. The current governor is Democrat Deval Patrick.-Constitutional role:...
  
  , Lieutenant Governor
  Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts
  The Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts is the first in the line to discharge the powers and duties of the office of governor following the incapacitation of the Governor of Massachusetts...
  
  , Attorney General
  Massachusetts Attorney General
  The Massachusetts Attorney General is an elected executive officer of the Massachusetts Government. The office of Attorney-General was abolished in 1843 and re-established in 1849. The current Attorney General is Martha Coakley....
  
  , Secretary of the Commonwealth
  Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth
  The Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth is the principal public information officer of the state government of the U.S...
  
  , Treasurer, and Auditor
  Massachusetts Auditor
  The Massachusetts State Auditor is a statewide elected office in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The current auditor is Suzanne Bump.-List of state auditors of Massachusetts:-External links:*...
  
  ;
• district elections for U.S. Representatives, State Representatives
  Massachusetts House of Representatives
  The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from single-member electoral districts across the Commonwealth. Representatives serve two-year terms...
  
  , State Senators, and Governor's Councillors
  Massachusetts Governor's Council
  The Massachusetts Governor's Council is a governmental body that provides advice and consent in certain matters such as judicial nominations, pardons, and commutations to the Governor of Massachusetts...
  
  ; and
• ballot questions at the state and local levels.

Democratic and Republican candidates were selected in party primaries held September 16, 1986.

Governor & Lieutenant Governor

Democrats

Democratic Party (United States)

The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...

 Michael Dukakis

Michael Dukakis

Michael Stanley Dukakis served as the 65th and 67th Governor of Massachusetts from 1975–1979 and from 1983–1991, and was the Democratic presidential nominee in 1988. He was born to Greek immigrants in Brookline, Massachusetts, also the birthplace of John F. Kennedy, and was the longest serving...

 and Evelyn Murphy

Evelyn Murphy

Evelyn Murphy was the Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts from 1987 to 1991, being the first woman in the history of the state to hold a constitutional office...

 were elected Governor and Lieutenant Governor, respectively, over Republican

Republican Party (United States)

The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...

 candidates George Kariotis

George Kariotis

George S. Kariotis is a businessman who was the Republican Party nominee for Governor of Massachusetts in 1986.Kariotis is the son of Greek immigrants. He graduated from Northeastern University in 1940, and then served in the United States Navy during World War II. In 1962, he founded Alpha...

 and Nicholas Nikitas. Dukakis' victory made him the longest serving governor in the history of Massachusetts.

Attorney General

Democrat James Shannon

James Shannon

James Michael Shannon , also known as Jim Shannon, is a Democratic politician from Massachusetts. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1979 to 1985, and later as the Massachusetts Attorney General....

 was elected Attorney General

Massachusetts Attorney General

The Massachusetts Attorney General is an elected executive officer of the Massachusetts Government. The office of Attorney-General was abolished in 1843 and re-established in 1849. The current Attorney General is Martha Coakley....

. He defeated former assistant attorney general Joann Shotwell in the Democratic primary and US Attorney Edward Francis Harrington

Edward Francis Harrington

Edward Francis Harrington is a United States federal judge.-Early life:Born in Fall River, Massachusetts, Harrington received an A.B. from College of the Holy Cross in 1955 and a J.D. from Boston College Law School in 1960. He was in the United States Navy Lieutenant, JAG Corps from 1955 to 1957....

 in the general election.

Secretary of the Commonwealth

Incumbent Secretary of the Commonwealth

Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth

The Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth is the principal public information officer of the state government of the U.S...

 Michael J. Connolly

Michael J. Connolly (American politician)

Michael Joseph Connolly is a former politician who served as Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth from 1979–1994....

 defeated former State Representative Deborah R. Cochran in the general election.

Treasurer and Receiver-General

Incumbent Treasurer and Receiver-General

Treasurer and Receiver-General of Massachusetts

The Treasurer and Receiver-General of Massachusetts is an executive officer, elected state-wide every four years....

 Robert Q. Crane

Robert Q. Crane

Robert Quentin Crane is an American politician who served as Treasurer and Receiver-General of Massachusetts from 1965–1991. He is credited with starting the Massachusetts Lottery.- Early life :...

 defeated Republican L. Joyce Hampers in the general election.

Auditor

Incumbent Auditor

Massachusetts Auditor

The Massachusetts State Auditor is a statewide elected office in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The current auditor is Suzanne Bump.-List of state auditors of Massachusetts:-External links:*...

 John J. Finnegan

John J. Finnegan

John J. Finnegan John J. Finnegan John J. Finnegan (born July 21, 1938 in Boston, Massachusetts is a former American politician who served as Massachusetts State Auditor from 1981-1987....

 did not run for reelection. Democrat A. Joseph DeNucci

A. Joseph DeNucci

A. Joseph "Joe" DeNucci is a former middle-weight boxer and former Auditor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.-Early Life and career:...

 defeated Boston City Council

Boston City Council

The Boston City Council is the legislative branch of government for the city of Boston. It is made up of 13 members: 9 district representatives and 4 at-large members. Councilors are elected to two-year terms and there is no limit on the number of terms an individual can serve...

ors Maura Hennigan

Maura Hennigan

Maura A. Hennigan is an American politician who currently serves as the Clerk Magistrate of the Suffolk County, Massachusetts Superior Court Criminal/Business Division...

 and Charles Yancey

Charles Yancey

Charles Calvin Yancey is a member of the Boston City Council in Boston, Massachusetts. He represents Mattapan and parts of Dorchester. He served as City Council president in 2001.-Further reading:* Patrick Rosso. . Boston Globe, October 5, 201...

 in the Democratic primary and House Minority Leader William G. Robinson in the general election.

Question 1

Proposed Legislative Amendment to the Constitution - The proposed constitutional amendment would allow the legislature to prohibit or regulate abortions to the extent permitted by the United States Constitution. It would also provide that the state constitution does not require public or private funding of abortions, or the provision of services of facilities for performing abortions, beyond what is required by the United States Constitution. The provisions of this amendment would not apply to abortions required to prevent the death of the mother.

Question 2

Proposed Legislative Amendment to the Constitution - The proposed constitutional amendment would allow the expenditure of public funds for private schools and private school students.

Question 3

Law Proposed by Initiative Petition - The proposed law would reduced then repeal the 7 1/2% surtax on Massachusetts state income taxes and would limit state tax revenue growth to the level of growth in the total wages and salaries of the citizens of the state.

Question 4

Law Proposed by Initiative Petition - The proposed law would require that the State Department of Environmental Quality Engineering (DEQE) to search for sites in the Commonwealth where oil or hazardous materials have been disposed of and take all steps necessary to clean up those sites within specified time limits. Provisions are made for informing the public about sites in their communities.

Question 5

Referendum on an Existing Law - The law requires all drivers and passengers to wear properly adjusted and fastened safety belts while traveling in motor vehicles on public ways.

Question 6

Law Proposed by Initiative Petition - The proposed law would provide a system of voter registration by mail applicable to all qualified voters and would eliminate statutory provisions permitting certain persons to vote only for presidential electors.