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Portrait of Pavel PayanoPhoto: malegislature.gov

MA · Officeholder

Pavel Payano

DState Senator · District First Essex

On the ballot Nov 3, 2026: Massachusetts Senate First Essex

Biography

Pavel Payano is a Democratic state senator from Massachusetts who has represented the 1st Essex District since January 2023 and is seeking re-election on November 3, 2026.[1][2] A former school committee member in Lawrence, he worked in nonprofit and Democratic Party roles before entering the Senate.[1]

Payano earned a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2006, a master's degree in public affairs from the University of Massachusetts Boston in 2011, and a law degree from Suffolk University in 2015.[1] His career experience includes working as director of community mobilization at The Social Innovation Forum, as an SEIS teacher with the Collaborative for Educational Services, as outreach director of the Massachusetts Democratic Party, and as a special assistant and immigration specialist for former U.S. Representative Niki Tsongas.[1] He also served as New Hampshire Latino campaign co-director and a field director for Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign.[1]

Payano served on the Lawrence Public Schools school board, District C, from 2011 to 2017.[1] He assumed office in the Senate on January 4, 2023.[1] For the 2025-2026 session he chairs the Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure, is vice chair of the Joint Committee on Advanced Information Technology, the Internet, and Cybersecurity, and sits on the Senate Ways and Means Committee.[1]

  1. 1.Pavel Payano · Ballotpedia Reference
  2. 2.Massachusetts State Senate elections, 2026 · Ballotpedia Reference

Researched from the cited sources on 2026-10-21. Not yet independently fact-checked.

Massachusetts Senate First Essex

Pavel Payano is on the Nov 3, 2026 ballot for Massachusetts Senate First Essex as D. Not researched in depth — candidate list only.

Ballotpedia ↗

Votes by issue

Their recorded votes on bills that divided the chamber (unanimous votes left out), grouped by topic. A bill can sit under more than one topic. "With" and "against" compare each vote with how most Democrats voted. How topics are assigned

Where they stood out

Voted with most of their party on all 86 party-divided votes on file.

How this is counted

Their votes on the most contested roll calls

The votes in their chamber that came out closest and most divided by party, among those they voted on. How we rank

See all their split votes

Substantive votes concern legislation or nominations; procedural votes concern how the chamber considers them. A Yes vote applies to the motion shown, which may not be final passage.

S3188 · MA SENATE

An Act authorizing the Buzzards Bay Water District to convey non-exclusive easements over a certain parcel of land

YesVOTED

Motion: Question on passing the bill to be enacted (2/3) Senate

Passed 38–1·Substantive·Jul 31, 2026Roll call ↗
H5469 · MA SENATE

An Act promoting transparency and public access in state government

YesVOTED

Motion: Question on passing the bill to be engrossed

On the version voted Jun 3, 2026: Lets the State Auditor audit administrative functions of the House, Senate and joint legislative operations, sets a public-records process for legislative records, covers the governor's office under the public records law, and appropriates $250,000 each for implementation.

AI summary — read the bill text ↗
Passed 34–6·Substantive·Jul 30, 2026Roll call ↗
S3200 · MA SENATE

An Act promoting transparency and public access in state government

NoVOTED

Motion: Question on adoption of the amendment

Failed 6–33·Substantive·Jul 30, 2026Roll call ↗
S3178 · MA SENATE

An Act relative to economic development in the commonwealth

NoVOTED

Motion: Question on adoption of the amendment 343

Failed 5–34·Substantive·Jul 23, 2026Roll call ↗
S3178 · MA SENATE

An Act relative to economic development in the commonwealth

YesVOTED

Motion: Question on adoption of the amendment 14

Amends the bill to bar the chapter 62F tax credit in any fiscal year when net state tax revenues are below 7.5 percent of total statewide personal income, as determined by the Department of Revenue. (AI-written)

Passed 31–8·Substantive·Jul 23, 2026Roll call ↗
S3178 · MA SENATE

An Act relative to economic development in the commonwealth

NoVOTED

Motion: Question on adoption of the amendment 235

Failed 7–32·Substantive·Jul 23, 2026Roll call ↗
S3178 · MA SENATE

An Act relative to economic development in the commonwealth

NoVOTED

Motion: Question on adoption of the amendment 41

Failed 5–34·Substantive·Jul 23, 2026Roll call ↗
S3178 · MA SENATE

An Act relative to economic development in the commonwealth

NoVOTED

Motion: Question on adoption of the amendment 418

Failed 7–32·Substantive·Jul 23, 2026Roll call ↗
S3175 · MA SENATE

An Act protecting children from addictive social media feeds

YesVOTED

Motion: Question on passing the bill to be engrossed

Passed 38–2·Substantive·Jul 9, 2026Roll call ↗
H5175 · MA SENATE

An Act relative to energy affordability, clean power and economic competitiveness

YesVOTED

Motion: Question on passing the bill to be engrossed

Restructures energy-efficiency programs into a statewide building decarbonization and energy efficiency investment plan, mandates discounted rates for low- and moderate-income customers, and sets management and operations audits of gas and electric distribution companies.

AI summary — read the bill text ↗
Passed 32–8·Substantive·Jul 1, 2026Roll call ↗

Showing 10 of 102 votes in this collection. Coverage may be incomplete; each entry links to the official record.