The Ballot Brief
Suffolk County, Massachusetts

District Attorney, Suffolk 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, Kevin R. Hayden, is on the ballot.

Massachusetts › Suffolk County › District Attorney, Suffolk District

Decided at the 2026 primary: Kevin R. Hayden won the seat

DECIDED at the September 1, 2026 primary. Kevin R. Hayden won the Democratic contest that decided the office, since no Republican was on the ballot. The Associated Press called it at 11:52 p.m.; unofficial figures put Hayden at 50.8 percent, Linda G. Champion 26.5 and Rachael Rollins 22.7, per GBH and WBUR. Results are unofficial until certified by the Secretary of the Commonwealth.

Winner

Kevin R. Hayden

Democratic Incumbent

Top priorities
  • Experience and independent application of the law
  • A Public Integrity Unit for police misconduct allegations
  • Direct engagement with communities across Suffolk County

Per the Dorchester Reporter via WBUR.

Biography

Kevin R. Hayden serves as Suffolk County District Attorney, per his campaign site. During his tenure he has added civil rights prosecutors to address hate-based crimes and emphasized community engagement and restorative justice initiatives, per his campaign site.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Also ran in the primary

Linda G. Champion

Linda G. Champion

Democratic

Top priorities
  • Integrity and temperament in the office's leadership
  • Transparency in police accountability cases, including releasing body camera footage in the Stephenson King shooting
  • Investigating unlawful releases of records

Per the Dorchester Reporter via WBUR.

Biography

Champion is an experienced prosecutor who has worked as an Assistant District Attorney and a law professor, per the campaign site. Champion's biography notes overcoming homelessness as a teenager, per the campaign site.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Rachael Rollins

Democratic

Top priorities
  • A more active response to gun violence
  • Independent investigations of police shootings, citing the Discharge Integrity Team she created in the office
  • Responsiveness to victims' families seeking answers from the office

Per the Dorchester Reporter via WBUR.

Biography

Rachael Rollins served as Suffolk District Attorney from 2019 to 2022 and then as U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts, resigning the federal post in May 2023, per WBUR.

Next on your ballotRegister of Probate, Suffolk County

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Voting info and more

Voting info and more
Questions about this race

Who is running for District Attorney, Suffolk District in 2026?

The District Attorney, Suffolk District race was decided at the 2026 primary - Kevin R. Hayden won the seat - and does not appear on the November 3, 2026 ballot. 3 candidates were on the primary ballot: Kevin R. Hayden, Linda G. Champion and Rachael Rollins. Candidate information follows official Suffolk County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

When is the District Attorney, Suffolk 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 Suffolk 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 Suffolk 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 Suffolk County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Suffolk County ballot

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

Also on your ballot
Massachusetts Senate, First Suffolk DistrictMassachusetts Senate, Middlesex and Suffolk DistrictMassachusetts Senate, Norfolk and Suffolk DistrictSee all 26 Suffolk County races
Candidate profiles
Kevin R. Hayden, full profileLinda G. Champion, full profileRachael Rollins, full profileOfficial Massachusetts election office