Have you ever gone to the polls on election day and felt like you didn’t really know much about the people — or positions — on the ballot? 

The Governor’s Council might be the most important local elected office you’ve never heard of. Also known as the Executive Council, the group consists of the lieutenant governor and eight representatives from across the state who advise the governor on a range of issues. Perhaps most importantly, they have the power to approve or veto the governor’s judicial nominees. Most states elect their judges, but here in Massachusetts they are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Governor’s Council. If you care about issues like criminal justice, civil liberties, reproductive rights and school funding, you should make sure you know about the candidates for this position. 

Mara Dolan

On Tuesday, Public Defender Mara Dolan announced that she is running for election to the Governor’s Council representing the 3rd district, which includes Lexington and other surrounding towns. Dolan, who lives in Concord, also ran in the 2022 election, but lost by a narrow margin to long-term incumbent Marilyn Devaney. Dolan is again going up against Devaney, who has held the seat for more than two decades. 

As part of her campaign, Dolan has pledged to only support judges who are pro-choice, understand the science of substance addiction and recovery, and prioritize addressing racial disparities in the state’s court systems. 

“Voters want to know how our court system is treating the most vulnerable,” Dolan said. “These issues are so important, and what the Governor’s Council does is something that really needs to be taken seriously.”

Dolan has worked as a public defender for 17 years, and said she wants to leverage her professional background to advocate for equitable legal reforms to support vulnerable residents, a need she has witnessed firsthand. 

“I see the court system through the eyes of my clients,” Dolan said of her decision to re-run in an interview with LexObserver. “But I also see the ways in which we’re falling short and the incredible power that judges have … and how important it is to have the perspective of a public defender as part of that process.”

To tout her candidacy, Dolan said she will be traveling throughout the district to educate voters about the work and importance of the council, including meeting with Lexington residents. “I have a lot of support in Lexington. I’m really grateful to the voters of Lexington for that,” she said.

State Senator Mike Barrett, who represents the Third Middlesex district and is a Lexington resident, endorsed Dolan for the council during the 2022 Democratic primary, according to Dolan’s website. His endorsement was an indicator of a broader movement of support for Dolan at the time. She earned large numbers of votes in several communities and clinched a victory in Lexington by hundreds of votes. Dolan also beat her opponent Devaney in her hometown of Watertown. 

Dolan said her previous community engagement with voters, including those in Lexington, has guided her understanding of what voters want to see from a member of the council.

One of these wants is a council member who is pro-choice, Dolan said. It is equally significant for the council to look for judges who prioritize treatment over punishment for people suffering from substance use disorders and recognize the drastic racial inequalities in the state’s criminal justice system, she said. 

“I do not believe that people who relapse should be punished for it. And yet, it happens all the time,” Dolan said. There is a bill underway that would change the long-standing treatment of people on probation who fail drug or alcohol tests, but until the bill becomes a law, Dolan said, decisions are “really up to judges.”

Join the Conversation

5 Comments

  1. Thank you for bring the importance of the Governor’s Council to your readers. Those of us working for justice within our Criminal Injustice System understand the power they have.
    Thank you informing us about Mara Dolan. What a wonderful contribution she will make to the Council.

  2. I strongly disagree with Joelle Gunther and asked Attorney Judge Mara Dolan to please REMOVE her name from the GC’s campaign. In the past, Attorney Dolan was going to provide counsel to me. She then learned about the officials and judges criminally involved in my political corruption case and now staying silent.

  3. Pingback: Letter to the editor: Mara Dolan for Governor’s Council - The Lexington Observer
  4. Pingback: Massachusetts’ September 3 primaries are just around the corner. Do you know who you’re voting for?  - The Lexington Observer
  5. Pingback: Massachusetts state primary election results are in, but few Lexington residents actually voted - The Lexington Observer
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