Margaret R. Scarsdale
Democratic · MA · Massachusetts State Representative, 1st Middlesex District
Margaret Scarsdale has represented Ashby, Dunstable, Groton, Lunenburg, Pepperell, and Townsend in the Massachusetts House since 2023 and is a former small business owner and middle school teacher. Her priorities are fixing the state school funding formula and restoring local emergency care.
Where Margaret R. Scarsdale stands, based on their records
Supports
Healthcare Affordability (2 records), Environment and Public Health (1 record), Labor Rights (2 records),
Mixed record
Government Spending Reduction (1 support · 3 oppose)
Track record
Track record — Healthcare Affordability
Healthcare Affordability · 2 support
Filed a bill (H.2534) to let the state take over, through receivership, a hospital or clinic that closes essential services without proper notice. It was sent to study in March 2026.
February 27, 2025Supports Healthcare Affordability
Source: malegislature.gov
Was chosen by Governor Healey's office to lead a working group subcommittee studying how to restore hospital and emergency care after Nashoba Valley Medical Center closed.
January 10, 2025Supports Healthcare Affordability
Source: grotonherald.com
Track record — Environment and Public Health
Environment and Public Health · 1 support
Voted for the "Save Mass Save" amendment to strike the House energy bill's cut to the Mass Save energy efficiency program. It failed 17-138.
February 26, 2026Supports Environment and Public Health
Source: malegislature.gov
Track record — Labor Rights
Labor Rights · 2 support
Voted for a budget amendment giving police, firefighters and other essential public workers extra retirement credit for their service during the COVID-19 emergency. It failed 34-119.
April 28, 2026Supports Labor Rights
Source: malegislature.gov
Voted for a bill requiring employers with 25 or more workers to list pay ranges in job postings. It passed the House 148-8.
October 4, 2023Supports Labor Rights
Source: malegislature.gov
Track record — Immigration
Immigration · 1 support
Voted for the final PROTECT Act, which limits federal civil immigration arrests at courthouses, schools and hospitals and keeps state and local police out of immigration enforcement. It passed the House 137-21.
July 30, 2026Supports Immigration
Source: malegislature.gov
Track record — Government Spending Reduction
Government Spending Reduction · 1 support · 3 oppose
Voted for the final $63.4 billion state budget for fiscal year 2027. It passed the House 142-6.
July 1, 2026Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: malegislature.gov
Voted for a $425 million emergency spending bill for the family shelter system that also tightened shelter eligibility. It passed the House 126-26.
February 6, 2025Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: malegislature.gov
Voted for the final Affordable Homes Act, a $5.16 billion housing bond and tax credit law that also allowed backyard in-law apartments statewide. It passed the House 128-24.
August 1, 2024Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: malegislature.gov
Voted against the final $251 million emergency shelter funding bill, which also set a nine-month limit on family shelter stays. It passed 123-35.
April 25, 2024Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: malegislature.gov
Track record — Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties
Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties · 2 support
Voted for the final bill protecting school and public libraries from book bans and protecting librarians from retaliation. It passed the House 156-1.
July 31, 2026Supports Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties
Source: malegislature.gov
Voted to re-enact the law making phone and video calls free for people in Massachusetts prisons and jails. It passed the House 132-26.
November 8, 2023Supports Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties
Source: malegislature.gov
Track record — Housing Affordability
Housing Affordability · 2 support
Sponsored a local bill letting Lunenburg create a property tax break for lower-income seniors. It became law as Chapter 333 of the Acts of 2024.
January 6, 2025Supports Housing Affordability
Source: malegislature.gov
Voted for the final Affordable Homes Act, a $5.16 billion housing bond and tax credit law that also allowed backyard in-law apartments statewide. It passed the House 128-24.
August 1, 2024Supports Housing Affordability
Source: malegislature.gov
Track record — Social Programs and Welfare
Social Programs and Welfare · 1 support
Voted for a $425 million emergency spending bill for the family shelter system that also tightened shelter eligibility. It passed the House 126-26.
February 6, 2025Supports Social Programs and Welfare
Source: malegislature.gov
Track record — Public Education Quality
Public Education Quality · 1 support
Filed a bill (H.697) requiring the state to request full funding each year for regional school district transportation costs it owes.
February 27, 2025Supports Public Education Quality
Source: malegislature.gov
Track record — Gun Control
Gun Control · 1 support
Voted for the final state gun law that cracked down on untraceable ghost guns, banned guns in more public places and widened the red flag law. It passed the House 124-33.
July 18, 2024Supports Gun Control
Source: malegislature.gov
Track record — Women's Reproductive Rights
Women's Reproductive Rights · 2 support
Voted for a law letting doctors perform abortions after 24 weeks based on their professional judgment, removing the list of allowed reasons. It passed the House 121-35.
July 31, 2026Supports Women's Reproductive Rights
Source: malegislature.gov
Voted for the final law expanding legal protections for people who provide or receive abortion and gender-affirming care in Massachusetts. It passed the House 132-24.
July 31, 2025Supports Women's Reproductive Rights
Source: malegislature.gov
Track record — Personal Income Tax Reduction
Personal Income Tax Reduction · 1 support
Voted for the final tax relief law worth about $1 billion a year, which more than doubled the state child and dependent tax credit. It passed the House 155-1.
September 27, 2023Supports Personal Income Tax Reduction
Source: malegislature.gov
Track record — Civil Rights
Civil Rights · 1 support
Voted for the final law expanding legal protections for people who provide or receive abortion and gender-affirming care in Massachusetts. It passed the House 132-24.
July 31, 2025Supports Civil Rights
Source: malegislature.gov
Track record — Public Infrastructure
Public Infrastructure · 1 support
Voted for a House bill to upgrade the electric grid and protect ratepayers. It passed the House 131-25.
July 17, 2024Supports Public Infrastructure
Source: malegislature.gov
Track record — General
General · 7 records
Voted for a House bill that opened some Legislature and governor's office records to the public and set limits on the state auditor's review of the Legislature. It passed 125-28.
June 3, 2026
Source: malegislature.gov
Voted for a bill banning student cellphone use during the school day and barring social media accounts for children under 14. It passed the House 129-25.
April 8, 2026
Source: malegislature.gov
Voted for the House energy bill that cut about $1 billion from the Mass Save program, returned some clean-energy payments to ratepayers, and eased limits on nuclear power. It passed 128-27.
February 26, 2026
Source: malegislature.gov
Won re-election as state representative for the 1st Middlesex District with 51.3% of the vote over Republican Lynne Archambault.
November 5, 2024
Source: electionstats.state.ma.us
Was endorsed by the Environmental League of Massachusetts Action Fund in her 2024 re-election race.
July 25, 2024
Source: grotonherald.com
Won her first election as state representative for the 1st Middlesex District by 7 votes, 9,409 to 9,402, over Republican Andrew Shepherd.
November 8, 2022
Source: electionstats.state.ma.us
As Pepperell Select Board chair, voted against a COVID-19 vaccination-or-weekly-testing requirement for town employees, saying she backed mask rules instead. The motion failed 1-2.
October 25, 2021
Source: town.pepperell.ma.us
Past race Margaret R. Scarsdale ran in:
- State Representative 1st Middlesex District · November 3, 2026 · 1st Middlesex District; Massachusetts · incumbent