State

State Representative, 2nd Essex District

Vote for: 1
Term: 2 years
Candidates: 2
Election: Nov 3, 2026

What this office does: A state representative votes on Massachusetts laws and the state budget in the General Court.

Candidates Compare by issue

Daniel James Kelly

Republican

Retired lawyer · Ipswich

The gist

Opposes top-down state housing mandates on towns
Supports ADUs, tiny homes and commercial conversions
Supports all-of-the-above energy including gas and nuclear
Opposed Ipswich adopting the Specialized Stretch Code
Supports stronger review of proposed insurance mandates
Supports enforcement against dangerous offenders, protection for refugees

More about Daniel

View sources (1)

Opposes top-down state housing mandates on towns
VOTE411 Voter Guide: 2026 State House Second Essex District
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Massachusetts (VOTE411) · onyourballot.vote411.org
“Beacon Hill should not become the planning board for every town.”
Supports ADUs, tiny homes and commercial conversions
VOTE411 Voter Guide: 2026 State House Second Essex District
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Massachusetts (VOTE411) · onyourballot.vote411.org
“expand ADUs, tiny homes, and commercial conversions, and provide incentives, infrastructure assistance, and financing tools that help towns create the housing they actually need”
Supports all-of-the-above energy including gas and nuclear
VOTE411 Voter Guide: 2026 State House Second Essex District
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Massachusetts (VOTE411) · onyourballot.vote411.org
“I support an all-of-the-above approach that includes natural gas, nuclear, hydro, wind, solar, storage, and energy efficiency.”
Opposed Ipswich adopting the Specialized Stretch Code
VOTE411 Voter Guide: 2026 State House Second Essex District
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Massachusetts (VOTE411) · onyourballot.vote411.org
“In Ipswich, I fought adoption of the Specialized Stretch Code and led an effort to repeal the existing Stretch Code”
Supports stronger review of proposed insurance mandates
VOTE411 Voter Guide: 2026 State House Second Essex District
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Massachusetts (VOTE411) · onyourballot.vote411.org
“I support the approach behind S.916 to strengthen review of proposed insurance mandates”
Supports enforcement against dangerous offenders, protection for refugees
VOTE411 Voter Guide: 2026 State House Second Essex District
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Massachusetts (VOTE411) · onyourballot.vote411.org
“Dangerous offenders should face lawful enforcement, while people with legitimate claims to asylum or refugee protection, such as Afghans fleeing persecution, deserve protection.”

Kristin Elena Kassner

DemocraticIncumbent

Hamilton

The gist

Supports grid upgrades and more wind, solar, geothermal
Supports higher reimbursement rates for personal care attendants
Supports updating Chapter 70 and reimbursing regional transportation
Supports state-funded legal representation for immigrants
Supported the 2024 Affordable Homes ActIn office
Voted for disclosure of synthetic media in political adsIn office

In office = from the candidate's own official statements or legislation as an officeholder, not their campaign.

More about Kristin

View sources (1)

Supports grid upgrades and more wind, solar, geothermal
VOTE411 Voter Guide: 2026 State House Second Essex District
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Massachusetts (VOTE411) · onyourballot.vote411.org
“The true path to lowering costs is strengthening our grid, expanding clean energy generation, like wind, solar, and geothermal energy”
Supports higher reimbursement rates for personal care attendants
VOTE411 Voter Guide: 2026 State House Second Essex District
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Massachusetts (VOTE411) · onyourballot.vote411.org
“Support an increase in reimbursement rates for Personal Care Attendants (PCAs), to retain experienced workers.”
Supports updating Chapter 70 and reimbursing regional transportation
VOTE411 Voter Guide: 2026 State House Second Essex District
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Massachusetts (VOTE411) · onyourballot.vote411.org
“Update Chapter 70 so all communities see increased education funding, fully reimburse regional transportation”
Supports state-funded legal representation for immigrants
VOTE411 Voter Guide: 2026 State House Second Essex District
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Massachusetts (VOTE411) · onyourballot.vote411.org
“I support the Access to Counsel Initiative, including $5M for free legal representation.”
Supported the 2024 Affordable Homes Act
VOTE411 Voter Guide: 2026 State House Second Essex District
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Massachusetts (VOTE411) · onyourballot.vote411.org
“I advanced key housing initiatives, including the 2024 Affordable Homes Act”
Voted for disclosure of synthetic media in political ads
VOTE411 Voter Guide: 2026 State House Second Essex District
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Massachusetts (VOTE411) · onyourballot.vote411.org
“I proudly voted for H5093 to counter election misinformation, H5094 to require disclosure for synthetic media in political ads”

Challengers are listed first and incumbents last; otherwise candidates appear in ballot order. The Gist does not rank, rate or endorse candidates. Only positions backed by a cited source are shown; 7 issues covered in this race.