John Thomas Saunders
Democratic · MA · Bristol County Commissioner
Bristol County commissioner and a former New Bedford city councilor who served 28 years on the council. He has pointed to lowering county health-insurance costs and expanding Bristol County Agricultural High School as priorities.
Where John Thomas Saunders stands, based on their records
Supports
Public Infrastructure (2 records)
Mixed record
Government Spending Reduction (3 support · 6 oppose)
Track record
Track record — Government Spending Reduction
Government Spending Reduction · 3 support · 6 oppose
Made the motion raising County Treasurer Christopher Saunders' base pay by $12,000, to $122,544, for fiscal 2026. It passed.
June 24, 2025Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: cms5.revize.com
Made the motions adopting the county's fiscal 2026 department budgets, including $3.85 million for county buildings and $418,201 for the commissioners' office. Each passed.
June 24, 2025Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: cms5.revize.com
Made the motion to pay $526,333 for emergency masonry repairs at the Taunton Superior Court, using about $286,333 in returned COVID relief money (ARPA). It passed 3-0.
May 13, 2025Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: cms5.revize.com
Voted against New Bedford's request to use county COVID relief money (ARPA) to repay the city's administrative costs. He said the city went long stretches with no one overseeing its ARPA money. The request failed 1-2.
December 27, 2024Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: cms5.revize.com
Made the motion approving Easton's $574,955 COVID relief (ARPA) request for premium pay to 438 school employees, after town officials warned of layoffs. It passed.
December 27, 2024Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: cms5.revize.com
Made the motion recommending a 4% raise for the county's elected Registers of Deeds and the County Treasurer in the fiscal 2025 budget. Commissioner Mitchell abstained.
May 28, 2024Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: cms5.revize.com
Voted against a one-year union contract for Registry of Deeds workers that gave a 3% raise and a $400 stipend. The contract passed 2-1.
September 26, 2023Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: cms5.revize.com
Made the motion letting the county borrow another $4.75 million in short-term notes to keep building the Bristol County Agricultural High School expansion. It passed 3-0.
October 28, 2021Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: cms5.revize.com
Voted against 3% raises in the fiscal 2020 budget for the county's three elected Registers of Deeds and their non-union staff. The registers' raise passed 2-1. The staff raise failed 1-2.
July 10, 2019Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: cms5.revize.com
Track record — Public Infrastructure
Public Infrastructure · 2 support
Made the motion to pay $526,333 for emergency masonry repairs at the Taunton Superior Court, using about $286,333 in returned COVID relief money (ARPA). It passed 3-0.
May 13, 2025Supports Public Infrastructure
Source: cms5.revize.com
Made the motion letting the county borrow another $4.75 million in short-term notes to keep building the Bristol County Agricultural High School expansion. It passed 3-0.
October 28, 2021Supports Public Infrastructure
Source: cms5.revize.com
Track record — General
General · 9 records
Voted against changing Registry of Deeds hours to 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., as the workers' union proposed. The motion failed 0-3.
June 24, 2025
Source: cms5.revize.com
Won a third term as Bristol County Commissioner with no opponent on the ballot, receiving 122,428 votes.
November 8, 2022
Source: electionstats.state.ma.us
Made the motion to split the county's federal COVID relief money (ARPA) among its cities and towns by 2020 Census population, after the county kept 10%. It passed.
November 30, 2021
Source: cms5.revize.com
Won re-election as Bristol County Commissioner, beating Republican D. Rosa 111,374 votes to 64,496.
November 6, 2018
Source: electionstats.state.ma.us
Voted against the county's first retiree health insurance policy, which set who could keep county health coverage after retiring. The policy failed 1-2.
March 20, 2018
Source: cms5.revize.com
Abstained on the vote adopting the $21.7 million Bristol County budget for fiscal 2018. He also abstained on a $5,000 raise for the County Treasurer. Both passed 2-0.
July 10, 2017
Source: cms5.revize.com
Was elected Bristol County Commissioner with no opponent on the ballot, receiving 96,745 votes.
November 4, 2014
Source: electionstats.state.ma.us
Lost his at-large seat on the New Bedford City Council in the city election. Former councilor Naomi Carney edged him for the fifth and last at-large seat.
November 5, 2013
Source: wbsm.com
Lost the 1994 general election for Bristol County Southern District Register of Deeds to James L. Henry, 18,590 votes to 18,457.
November 8, 1994
Source: electionstats.state.ma.us
Past races John Thomas Saunders ran in:
- County Commissioner, Bristol County · November 3, 2026 · Bristol County, Massachusetts · incumbent
- County Commissioner, Bristol County · September 1, 2026 · Bristol County, Massachusetts · incumbent