Democrat Dan Koh will win the Sixth Congressional District over Republican Micah Quinney Jones, the Associated Press projected at 10:25 p.m. Tuesday, November 3, 2026, the Boston Globe reported. It was the only open U.S. House seat in Massachusetts this year, WCVB reported. Koh had declared victory about an hour earlier, before the AP’s call.
Koh, a 41-year-old Andover native and a former White House and Boston City Hall aide, spoke to supporters at Olio in Peabody shortly after 9:30 p.m. “I’m forever grateful to everyone who made tonight a reality,” he said, according to the Globe. Koh will be the first Asian American elected to represent Massachusetts in Congress, the Globe reported.
The call is a projection, not the official result
The AP calls races when its analysis shows a winner, but a projection is not the legal result. Cities and towns finish counting, including mail ballots postmarked by Election Day that arrive by 5 p.m. Friday, November 6, and the results are then certified. A losing candidate can petition for a recount if the margin is close enough. Our guide to counting, certification and recounts.
Why the seat is open
Rep. Seth Moulton, who has held the seat since 2015, gave it up to challenge Sen. Ed Markey in the September Democratic primary and lost. Koh won the six-way Democratic primary for the open seat by 13,335 votes. Our primary results story. The other eight Massachusetts House members, all Democrats, ran for reelection, and Reps. Katherine Clark, James McGovern and Ayanna Pressley were unopposed, WCVB reported.
When the winner takes office
Article I, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution provides that House members are “chosen every second year.” The 20th Amendment sets the start date: the terms of senators and representatives end, and their successors’ terms begin, “at noon on the 3d day of January.” We read both at Cornell’s Legal Information Institute.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Mail ballots postmarked by Election Day must arrive | 5 p.m., Friday, November 6, 2026 |
| New House term begins | Noon, January 3, 2027 |
| Term ends | Noon, January 3, 2029 |
Frequently asked questions
Who won the Massachusetts Sixth Congressional District race in 2026?
Democrat Dan Koh, over Republican Micah Quinney Jones, according to an Associated Press projection on November 3, 2026, reported by the Boston Globe.
Why was the Sixth District seat open?
Rep. Seth Moulton ran for the U.S. Senate against Ed Markey instead of seeking reelection.
When does the new representative take office?
At noon on January 3, 2027, under the 20th Amendment. House terms are two years.
Sources: Boston Globe live election coverage, November 3, 2026 (AP projection and time of call, Koh’s remarks); WCVB, November 3, 2026 (open seat and candidates). U.S. Constitution, Article I, Section 2, and the 20th Amendment, read at Cornell’s Legal Information Institute. General information, not legal advice.