Barnstable County, Massachusetts

District Attorney, Cape and Islands District

What this office does

District attorney or prosecutor. The district attorney is the chief prosecutor for the county or judicial district. The office decides which criminal charges to file, negotiates pleas, tries cases and, in many states, advises county government or handles child support and juvenile matters. The office sets local charging and diversion policies within state law.

This race. The sitting officeholder, Robert Joseph Galibois, is on the ballot.

Massachusetts › Barnstable County › District Attorney, Cape and Islands District

Decided at the 2026 primary: Robert Joseph Galibois won the seat

DECIDED at the September 1, 2026 primary. Robert Joseph Galibois won the Democratic contest that decided the office, since no Republican was running. Michael Giardino conceded shortly after 10 p.m.; on Martha's Vineyard Galibois took 2,081 votes to Giardino's 847 and he carried Barnstable, the district's largest town, by a wide margin, per the Vineyard Gazette. The Associated Press did not call this race and no districtwide totals have been published. The district covers Barnstable, Dukes, and Nantucket counties. Results are unofficial until certified by the Secretary of the Commonwealth.

Winner

Robert Joseph Galibois

Democratic Incumbent

Top priorities

An elder fraud initiative, including funding for three forensic examiners
Expanding recovery court while aggressively prosecuting fentanyl dealers
Community and immigrant outreach, including tripling U visa certifications for crime victims

Per the Provincetown Independent.

Biography

Robert Joseph Galibois is the Cape and Islands District Attorney seeking a second term, elected in 2022 after five years as a prosecutor and 20 years as a defense attorney, per the Provincetown Independent. His first term included forming a human trafficking unit and supporting a new mental health court in Barnstable, while facing criticism from former employees over staff turnover, which he says reflected resistance to standardizing office management, per the Provincetown Independent.

Also ran in the primary

Michael Giardino

Democratic

Top priorities

Stability and staff retention in the office
Rebuilding the victim witness advocate unit
Continuing the mental health court, elder fraud, and human trafficking initiatives

Per the Provincetown Independent.

Biography

Michael Giardino is a superior court prosecutor in the Plymouth County District Attorney's Office and a Cape Cod native who previously rose to chief prosecutor of the district courts in the Cape and Islands office, leaving in October 2024, per the Provincetown Independent. He is running on restoring stability after what he says were 35 staff departures in two years, per the Provincetown Independent.

Next on your ballotBarnstable County Commissioner

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Questions about this race

Who is running for District Attorney, Cape and Islands District in 2026?

The District Attorney, Cape and Islands District race was decided at the 2026 primary - Robert Joseph Galibois won the seat - and does not appear on the November 3, 2026 ballot. 2 candidates were on the primary ballot: Robert Joseph Galibois and Michael Giardino. Candidate information follows official Barnstable County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

When is the District Attorney, Cape and Islands District election in Massachusetts?

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for Massachusetts are on the Massachusetts election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact Barnstable County ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official Barnstable County and state election office filings, last verified September 29, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

Cross-check with the official Massachusetts election office, or see the full Barnstable County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Barnstable County ballot

10 tracked races in Barnstable County, Massachusetts. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.

Also on your ballot

Register of Probate, Barnstable County Massachusetts Senate, Cape and Islands District Massachusetts Senate, Plymouth and Barnstable District See all 10 Barnstable County races

Candidate profiles

Robert Joseph Galibois, full profile Michael Giardino, full profile Official Massachusetts election office