President of the Massachusetts Senate | |
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![]() Seal of the Senate of Massachusetts | |
since July 26, 2018 | |
Government of Massachusetts | |
Status | Presiding Officer |
Member of | General Court |
Residence | None official |
Seat | State House, Boston, Massachusetts |
Nominator | Majority party of the chamber |
Appointer | The Senate |
Term length | Two Years, no term limit |
Constituting instrument | Constitution of Massachusetts |
Inaugural holder | Thomas Cushing |
Formation | October 25, 1780 |
Deputy | President Pro Tempore |
The president of the Massachusetts Senate is the presiding officer. Unlike the United States Congress, in which the vice president of the United States is the ex officio president of the United States Senate, in Massachusetts, the president of the Senate is elected from and by the senators. The president, therefore, typically comes from the majority party, and the president is then the de facto leader of that party.
The current president of the Massachusetts Senate, since July 26, 2018, is Karen Spilka, a Democrat from Ashland. Democrats have had a majority in the Senate since 1959.[1] Notable former presidents of the Massachusetts Senate include U.S. president Calvin Coolidge.