Massachusetts's 9th congressional district

Massachusetts's 9th congressional district is located in eastern Massachusetts. It is represented by Democrat Bill Keating. With a Cook Partisan Voting Index rating of D+6, it is the least Democratic district in Massachusetts, a state with an all-Democratic congressional delegation.^[2]

Massachusetts's 9th congressional district
Interactive map of district boundaries since January 3, 2023
Representative	Bill Keating D–Bourne
Population (2023)	787,631
Median household income	$95,667[1]
Ethnicity	83.0% White 6.0% Hispanic 5.3% Two or more races 2.6% Black 1.9% other 1.3% Asian
Cook PVI	D+6[2]

Redistricting after the 2010 census eliminated Massachusetts's 10th congressional district; the 9th covers much of the old 10th's eastern portion. The district also added some Plymouth County communities from the old 4th district, and some Bristol County communities from the old 3rd and 4th districts. It eliminated a few easternmost Norfolk County communities and northernmost Plymouth County communities.

From 1963 to 2013, the 9th covered most of southern Boston, and in its latter years, it included many of Boston's southern suburbs. Most of that territory is now the 8th district.

Recent election results from statewide races

Year	Office	Results[3]
2008	President	Obama 56% - 42%
	Senate	Kerry 61% - 39%
2010	Senate (Spec.)	Brown 59% - 41%
	Governor	Baker 47% - 44%
2012	President	Obama 55% - 45%
	Senate	Brown 53% - 47%
2014	Senate	Markey 55% - 45%
	Governor	Baker 54% - 41%
2016	President	Clinton 51% - 41%
2018	Senate	Warren 51% - 46%
	Governor	Baker 74% - 26%
	Attorney General	Healey 61% - 39%
2020	President	Biden 58% - 40%
	Senate	Markey 58% - 41%
2022	Governor	Healey 56% - 42%
	Secretary of the Commonwealth	Galvin 62% - 36%
	Attorney General	Campbell 54% - 46%
	Auditor	DiZoglio 48% - 44%
2024	President	Harris 54% - 43%
	Senate	Warren 51% - 49%

Cities and towns in the district

For the 118th and successive Congresses (based on redistricting following the 2020 census), the district contains all or portions of six counties and 49 municipalities:^[4]

Barnstable County (15)

All 15 municipalities

Bristol County (6)

Acushnet, Dartmouth, Fairhaven, New Bedford, Raynham (part; also 4th), Westport

Dukes County (7)

All 7 municipalities

Nantucket County (1)

Nantucket

Norfolk County (1)

Cohasset

Plymouth County (19)

Bridgewater, Carver, Duxbury, Halifax, Hanover, Hanson, Kingston, Marion, Marshfield, Mattapoisett, Middleborough, Norwell, Pembroke, Plymouth, Plympton, Rochester, Rockland, Scituate, Wareham

Cities and towns in the district prior to 2013

The district from 2003 to 2013

1840s

1849: "The towns in the County of Plymouth, excepting Abington, Hingham, Hull, North Bridgewater, Rochester, and Wareham; and all the towns in the County of Bristol, excepting Dartmouth, Fairhaven, and New Bedford."^[5]

1860s

1862: "The towns of Ashburnham, Auburn, Barre, Boylston, Brookfield, Charlton, Clinton, Douglas, Dudley, Fitchburg, Gardner, Grafton, Holden, Hubbardston, Lancaster, Leicester, Leominster, Millbury, New Braintree, North Brookfield, Oakham, Oxford, Paxton, Princeton, Rutland, Shrewsbury, Southbridge, Spencer, Sterling, Sturbridge, Sutton, Templeton, Webster, West Boylston, Westminster, and Winchendon, and the city of Worcester, in the county of Worcester."^[6]

1870s–1880s

1890s

Massachusetts's 9th congressional district, 1891

1893: Boston, Wards 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 12, 16, 17, 18, 19 (Precincts 2, 3, 4, 6); Winthrop.^[7]

1900s

Massachusetts's 9th congressional district, 1901

1910s

1916: In Middlesex County: Everett, Malden, Somerville. In Suffolk County: Chelsea, Revere, Winthrop.^[8][9]

1920s–1940s

1950s

1953: "Counties: Barnstable, Dukes, and Nantucket. Bristol County: City of Fall River, ward 6, and city of New Bedford; towns of Acushnet, Dartmouth, Fairhaven, and Westport. Norfolk County: Town of Cohasset. Plymouth County: Towns of Abington, Bridgewater, Carver, Duxbury, East Bridgewater, Halifax, Hanover, Hanson, Hingham, Hull, Kingston, Lakeville, Marion, Marshfield, Mattapoisett, Middleborough, Norwell, Pembroke, Plymouth, Plympton, Rochester, Rockland, Scituate, Wareham, West Bridgewater, and Whitman."^[10]

1960s

1963: Boston (Wards 4- 17, 19, 20).^[11]

1970s

1977: "Norfolk County: Towns of Canton, Dedham, Dover, Needham, Norwood, Walpole, and Westwood. Suffolk County: City of Boston: Wards 3, 4, 6—14, 19, and 20."^[12]

1980s

1985: "Bristol County: City of Taunton. Towns of Dighton, Easton, and Raynham. Norfolk County: Towns of Canton, Dedham, Needham, Norwood, Stoughton, and Westwood. Plymouth County: Towns of Bridgewater, Halifax, Lakeville, and Middleborough. Suffolk County: City of Boston: Wards 3, 6–14, 19, and 20."^[13]

2003–2013

In Bristol County:

Easton.

In Norfolk County:

Avon, Braintree, Canton, Dedham, Holbrook, Medfield, Milton, Needham, Norwood, Randolph, Stoughton, Walpole, Westwood.

In Plymouth County:

Bridgewater, Brockton, East Bridgewater, Hanson, Precincts 1 and 3, West Bridgewater, Whitman.

In Suffolk County:

Boston, Ward 3, Precincts 5 and 6; Ward 5, Precincts 3–5, 11; Ward 6; Ward 7, Precincts 1–9; Ward 13, Precincts 3, 7–10; Ward 15, Precinct 6; Ward 16, Precincts 2, 4–12; Ward 17, Precincts 4, 13, 14; Ward 18, Precincts 9–12, 16–20, 22, 23; Ward 19, Precincts 2, 7, 10–13; Ward 20.

List of members representing the district

Representative	Party	Years	Cong ress	Electoral history	District location
District created March 4, 1795
Joseph B. Varnum (Dracut)	Democratic- Republican	March 4, 1795 – March 3, 1803	4th 5th 6th 7th	Elected in 1795. Re-elected in 1796. Re-elected in 1798. Re-elected in 1800. Redistricted to the 4th district.	1795 – 1803 "2nd Middle district"
Phanuel Bishop (Rehoboth)	Democratic- Republican	March 4, 1803 – March 3, 1807	8th 9th	Redistricted from the 7th district and re-elected in 1802. Re-elected in 1804. Retired.	1803 – 1815 "Bristol district"
Josiah Dean (Raynham)	Democratic- Republican	March 4, 1807 – March 3, 1809	10th	Elected in 1806. Lost re-election.
Laban Wheaton (Easton)	Federalist	March 4, 1809 – March 3, 1815	11th 12th 13th	Elected in 1808. Re-elected in 1810. Re-elected in 1812. Redistricted to the 10th district.
John Reed, Jr. (Yarmouth)	Federalist	March 4, 1815 – March 3, 1817	14th	Redistricted from the 8th district and re-elected in 1814. Lost re-election.	1815 – 1823 "Barnstable district"
Walter Folger, Jr. (Nantucket)	Democratic- Republican	March 4, 1817 – March 3, 1821	15th 16th	Elected May 1, 1817 on the third ballot. Lost re-election.
John Reed Jr. (Yarmouth)	Federalist	March 4, 1821 – March 3, 1823	17th	Elected in 1820. Redistricted to the 13th district.
Henry W. Dwight (Stockbridge)	Adams-Clay Federalist	March 4, 1823 – March 3, 1825	18th 19th 20th 21st	Redistricted from the 7th district and re-elected in 1822. Re-elected in 1824. Re-elected in 1827 on the second ballot. Re-elected in 1828. [data missing]	1823 – 1833 "Berkshire district"
	Anti-Jacksonian	March 4, 1825 – March 3, 1831
George N. Briggs (Lanesboro)	Anti-Jackson	March 4, 1831 – March 3, 1833	22nd	Elected in 1830. Redistricted to the 7th district.
William Jackson (Newton)	Anti-Masonic	March 4, 1833 – March 3, 1837	23rd 24th	Elected in 1833. Re-elected in 1834. Retired.	1833–1843 [data missing]
William S. Hastings (Mendon)	Whig	March 4, 1837 – June 17, 1842	25th 26th 27th	Elected in 1836. Re-elected in 1838. Re-elected in 1840. Died.
Vacant		June 17, 1842 – March 3, 1843	27th
Henry Williams (Taunton)	Democratic	March 4, 1843 – March 3, 1845	28th	Elected in 1842. Retired.	1843–1853 [data missing]
Artemas Hale (Bridgewater)	Whig	March 4, 1845 – March 3, 1849	29th 30th	Elected in 1844. Re-elected in 1846. Retired.
Orin Fowler (Fall River)	Whig	March 4, 1849 – September 3, 1852	31st 32nd	Elected in 1848. Re-elected in 1850. Died.
Vacant		September 3, 1852 – December 13, 1852	32nd
Edward P. Little (Marshfield)	Democratic	December 13, 1852 – March 3, 1853		Elected to finish Fowler's term. Retired.
Alexander Dewitt (Oxford)	Free Soil	March 4, 1853 – March 3, 1855	33rd 34th	Elected in 1852. Re-elected in 1854. Lost re-election.	1853–1863 [data missing]
	Know Nothing	March 4, 1855 – March 3, 1857
Eli Thayer (Worcester)	Republican	March 4, 1857 – March 3, 1861	35th 36th	Elected in 1856. Re-elected in 1858. [data missing]
Goldsmith Bailey[14] (Fitchburg)	Republican	March 4, 1861 – May 8, 1862	37th	Elected in 1860. Died.
Vacant		May 8, 1862 – December 1, 1862
Amasa Walker (North Brookfield)	Republican	December 1, 1862 – March 3, 1863		Elected to finish Bailey's term. [data missing]
William B. Washburn[15] (Greenfield)	Republican	March 4, 1863 – December 5, 1871	38th 39th 40th 41st 42nd	Elected in 1862. Re-elected in 1864. Re-elected in 1866. Re-elected in 1868. Re-elected in 1870. Resigned to become governor of Massachusetts.	1863–1873 [data missing]
Vacant		December 5, 1871 – January 2, 1872	42nd
Alvah Crocker (Fitchburg)	Republican	January 2, 1872 – March 3, 1873		Elected to finish Washburn's term. Redistricted to the 10th district.
George Frisbie Hoar (Worcester)	Republican	March 4, 1873 – March 3, 1877	43rd 44th	Redistricted from the 8th district and re-elected in 1872. Re-elected in 1874. [data missing]	1873–1883 [data missing]
William W. Rice[16] (Worcester)	Republican	March 4, 1877 – March 3, 1883	45th 46th 47th	Elected in 1876. Re-elected in 1878. Re-elected in 1880. [data missing]
Theodore Lyman (Brookline)	Independent Republican	March 4, 1883 – March 3, 1885	48th	Elected in 1882. [data missing]	1883–1893 [data missing]
Frederick D. Ely (Dedham)	Republican	March 4, 1885 – March 3, 1887	49th	Elected in 1884. Lost re-election.
Edward Burnett (Southborough)	Democratic	March 4, 1887 – March 3, 1889	50th	Elected in 1886. [data missing]
John W. Candler (Worcester)	Republican	March 4, 1889 – March 3, 1891	51st	Elected in 1888. [data missing]
George F. Williams (Dedham)	Democratic	March 4, 1891 – March 3, 1893	52nd	Elected in 1890. [data missing]
Joseph H. O'Neil (Boston)	Democratic	March 4, 1893 – March 3, 1895	53rd	Elected in 1892. Lost renomination.	1893–1903 [data missing]
John F. Fitzgerald[17] (Boston)	Democratic	March 4, 1895 – March 3, 1901	54th 55th 56th	Elected in 1894. Re-elected in 1896. Re-elected in 1898. [data missing]
Joseph A. Conry (Boston)	Democratic	March 4, 1901 – March 3, 1903	57th	Elected in 1900. [data missing]
John A. Keliher[18] (Boston)	Democratic	March 4, 1903 – March 3, 1911	58th 59th 60th 61st	Elected in 1902. Re-elected in 1904. Re-elected in 1906. Re-elected in 1908. [data missing]	1903–1913 [data missing]
William F. Murray (Boston)	Democratic	March 4, 1911 – March 3, 1913	62nd	Elected in 1910. [data missing]
Ernest W. Roberts (Chelsea)	Republican	March 3, 1913 – March 3, 1917	63rd 64th	Elected in 1912. Re-elected in 1914. [data missing]	1913–1933 [data missing]
Alvan T. Fuller (Malden)	Republican	March 4, 1917 – January 5, 1921	65th 66th	Elected in 1916. Re-elected in 1918. Resigned after being elected Lieutenant Governor.
Vacant		January 5, 1921 – March 3, 1921	66th
Charles L. Underhill (Somerville)	Republican	March 4, 1921 – March 3, 1933	67th 68th 69th 70th 71st 72nd	Elected in 1920. Re-elected in 1922. Re-elected in 1924. Re-elected in 1926. Re-elected in 1928. Re-elected in 1930. Retired.
Robert Luce (Waltham)	Republican	March 4, 1933 – January 3, 1935	73rd	Elected in 1932. [data missing]	1933–1943 [data missing]
Richard M. Russell (Cambridge)	Democratic	January 3, 1935 – January 3, 1937	74th	Elected in 1934. [data missing]
Robert Luce[19] (Waltham)	Republican	January 3, 1937 – January 3, 1941	75th 76th	Elected in 1936. Re-elected in 1938. [data missing]
Thomas H. Eliot (Cambridge)	Democratic	January 3, 1941 – January 3, 1943	77th	Elected in 1940. Lost renomination.
Charles L. Gifford (Cotuit)	Republican	January 3, 1943 – August 23, 1947	78th 79th 80th	Elected in 1942. Re-elected in 1944. Re-elected in 1946. Died.	1943–1953 [data missing]
Vacant		August 23, 1947 – November 18, 1947	80th
Donald W. Nicholson (Wareham)	Republican	November 18, 1947 – January 3, 1959	80th 81st 82nd 83rd 84th 85th	Elected to finish Gifford's term. Re-elected in 1948. Re-elected in 1950. Re-elected in 1952. Re-elected in 1954. Re-elected in 1956. [data missing]
					1953–1963 [data missing]
Hastings Keith (West Bridgewater)	Republican	January 3, 1959 – January 3, 1963	86th 87th	Elected in 1958. Re-elected in 1960. Redistricted to 12th district.
John W. McCormack[20] (Boston)	Democratic	January 3, 1963 – January 3, 1971	88th 89th 90th 91st	Redistricted from the 12th district and re-elected in 1962. Re-elected in 1964. Re-elected in 1966. Re-elected in 1968. Retired.	1963–1973 [data missing]
Louise Day Hicks (Boston)	Democratic	January 3, 1971 – January 3, 1973	92nd	Elected in 1970. Lost re-election.
Joe Moakley[21] (Boston)	Democratic	January 3, 1973 – May 28, 2001	93rd 94th 95th 96th 97th 98th 99th 100th 101st 102nd 103rd 104th 105th 106th 107th	Elected in 1972 as an Independent, but became a Democrat at beginning of the term Re-elected in 1974. Re-elected in 1976. Re-elected in 1978. Re-elected in 1980. Re-elected in 1982. Re-elected in 1984. Re-elected in 1986. Re-elected in 1988. Re-elected in 1990. Re-elected in 1992. Re-elected in 1994. Re-elected in 1996. Re-elected in 1998. Re-elected in 2000. Announced retirement, then died.	1973–1983 [data missing]
					1983–1993 [data missing]
					1993–2003 [data missing]
Vacant		May 28, 2001 – October 15, 2001	107th
Stephen F. Lynch (Boston)	Democratic	October 16, 2001 – January 3, 2013	107th 108th 109th 110th 111th 112th	Elected to finish Moakley's term. Re-elected in 2002. Re-elected in 2004. Re-elected in 2006. Re-elected in 2008. Re-elected in 2010. Redistricted to the 8th district.
					2003–2013
Bill Keating (Bourne)	Democratic	January 3, 2013 – present	113th 114th 115th 116th 117th 118th 119th	Redistricted from the 10th district and re-elected in 2012. Re-elected in 2014. Re-elected in 2016. Re-elected in 2018. Re-elected in 2020. Re-elected in 2022. Re-elected in 2024.	2013–2023
					2023–present

Election results

2012

Massachusetts's 9th congressional district, 2012^[22][23]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Bill Keating (incumbent)	212,754	58.7
	Republican	Christopher Sheldon	116,531	32.2
	Independent	Daniel Botelho	32,655	9.0
	n/a	Write-ins	465	0.1
Total votes			359,060	100.0
	Democratic hold

2014

Massachusetts's 9th congressional district, 2014^[24]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Bill Keating (incumbent)	140,413	54.9
	Republican	John Chapman	114,971	45.0
	n/a	Write-ins	157	0.1
Total votes			255,541	100.0
	Democratic hold

2016

Massachusetts's 9th congressional district, 2016 ^[25]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Bill Keating (incumbent)	211,790	55.8
	Republican	Mark C. Alliegro	127,803	33.6
	Independent	Paul J. Harrington	26,233	6.9
	Independent	Christopher D. Cataldo	8,338	2.2
	Independent	Anna Grace Raduc	5,320	1.4
	n/a	Write-ins	411	0.1
Total votes			379,895	100.0
	Democratic hold

2018

Massachusetts' 9th congressional district, 2018^[26]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Bill Keating (incumbent)	192,347	59.4
	Republican	Peter Tedeschi	131,463	40.6
	Write-in		118	0.0
Total votes			323,928	100.0
	Democratic hold

2020

Massachusetts's 9th congressional district, 2020^[27]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Bill Keating (incumbent)	260,262	61.3
	Republican	Helen Brady	154,261	36.3
	Independent	Michael Manley	9,717	2.3
	Write-in		361	0.1
Total votes			424,601	100.0
	Democratic hold

2022

Massachusetts's 9th congressional district, 2022^[28]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Bill Keating (incumbent)	197,823	59.1
	Republican	Jesse G. Brown	136,347	40.9
	Write-in		150	0.0
Total votes			424,240	100.0
	Democratic hold

2024

2024 Massachusetts's 9th congressional district election^[29]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Bill Keating (incumbent)	251,931	56.4
	Republican	Dan Sullivan	193,822	43.4
	Write-in		642	0.1
Total votes			446,395	100.0
	Democratic hold