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Reported by us | New Bedford

Oliver suspends campaign, but his name stays on Nov. 3 ballot

Massachusetts voters choose governor and lieutenant governor as one ticket. The withdrawal deadline in state law is tied to objection periods that closed before ballots went out.

By South Coast 360 staff | Published Oct. 19, 2026 | Last verified Oct. 19, 2026, 10:50 a.m. ET

NEW BEDFORD Shawn Oliver's name remains on the Nov. 3 ballot as the Republican candidate for lieutenant governor, paired with gubernatorial nominee Mike Minogue, even though Oliver suspended his campaign Sunday. Mail ballots went out weeks ago and in-person early voting started Saturday. The secretary of the commonwealth's candidate list still read "Minogue and Oliver, Republican" on Monday morning.

For a nominee who wants off the ballot, the state's election laws describe a formal withdrawal, filed by a deadline tied to the period for objections to nominations. The sections on withdrawal and vacancies do not use the word "suspend."

Oliver, a New Bedford city councilor, is charged with operating under the influence of liquor and negligent operation of a motor vehicle, along with marked lanes and speeding violations, after a crash late Saturday. On Monday a not guilty plea was entered on his behalf in New Bedford District Court, and he was released on personal recognizance with a next court date of Nov. 16. He is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

One vote, two offices

Article LXXXVI of the Amendments to the state constitution says party candidates for the two offices "shall be grouped on the official ballot" and that a voter "may cast a single vote for any such group" but "may not cast a vote for only one of the candidates in such group."

Chapter 54, Section 41A, says marking the square next to a group "shall constitute a vote for the candidate for governor and a vote for the candidate for lieutenant governor so designated."

Deadlines and ballots

Early voting runs Oct. 17 through Oct. 30. The secretary's office said Oct. 6 that more than 600,000 mail ballots were on their way, with 300,000 more to follow.

Under Chapter 53, Section 13, a nominee may withdraw by "a request signed and duly acknowledged by him before a notary public" and filed within the time set for objections to "certificates of nomination and nomination papers," and "no such requests for withdrawals shall be received after such time has expired." Under Chapter 55B, Section 5, objections to "certificates of nomination and nomination papers" are due within 72 hours after 5 p.m. on the last day for filing nomination papers, June 2 for statewide party candidates, the secretary's office says. Objections to nominations made at a state primary are due within six days after the primary, held this year on Sept. 1. Both periods have passed.

The law on reprinting, Chapter 54, Section 47, covers a vacancy caused "by reason of death or ineligibility." If ballots are already printed, ballots with a new nominee "shall, when practicable, be substituted." That section does not mention withdrawal.

Statements

"After careful reflection, I have made the decision to suspend my campaign for Lieutenant Governor," Oliver said in a statement Sunday. Minogue said he was asking Oliver to suspend his campaign immediately and that "when elected, I will formally ask for his resignation." State Republican Party Chairwoman Amy Carnevale said the party "supports the decision." WBSM and Boston 25 News published the statements, and CBS News Boston and NBC 10 News reported the court details.

Terms and vacancies

Under Article LXXXII of the Amendments, the next terms for governor and lieutenant governor begin at noon Jan. 7, 2027, the Thursday after the first Wednesday in January. The constitution says that when the governor's office is vacant, the lieutenant governor "shall, during such vacancy, perform all the duties incumbent upon the governor." When both offices are vacant, Article LV hands those powers to the secretary of the commonwealth, then the attorney general, the treasurer and the auditor, in that order.

Open questions

The secretary of the commonwealth's website, including its news page, carried no statement on Oliver's status when read Monday morning, and the office has not said which objection period covers a nominee chosen at a primary. Whether Oliver has filed any paper with the office is not public.

Chapter 53, Section 14, lets a party committee fill a vacancy when a nominee "dies before the day of election, or withdraws his name from nomination, or is found ineligible." The statements published Sunday did not say whether it applies or mention a replacement.

The constitution covers a vacancy in the governor's office and a vacancy in both offices at once. The constitution's text has no provision for filling the lieutenant governor's office alone, including after a resignation.

Label: Reported by us, from the town's posted records.

How we verified this

Every rule in this story is quoted from the state constitution and the general laws on malegislature.gov, read Oct. 19, and from the secretary of the commonwealth's own pages, read the same morning. The early voting dates match both the secretary's page and Chapter 54, Section 25B, and we checked Jan. 7, 2027, against a calendar. The withdrawal deadline follows the chain the law sets out, from Chapter 53, Section 13, to Section 11, to Chapter 55B, Section 5, which has one objection period for nomination papers and another for primary nominations; the June 2 and Sept. 1 dates come from the secretary's page, and the office's website carried no word Monday on which period applies to Oliver. The candidate statements are quoted as two newsrooms published them, and the court details are as two other newsrooms reported them Monday morning. Not heard: no one was contacted for this story, including the secretary's Elections Division, the Minogue campaign, Oliver and the state Republican Party.

Corrections

No corrections to this story. If something here is wrong, tell us. Every correction is dated on the story and listed in our public log.

Sources (15)

  1. Constitution of the Commonwealth of MassachusettsMassachusetts Legislature. Amendments Art. LXXXVI (joint vote), Art. LXXXII (terms begin), Art. LV (both offices vacant); Part II, c. 2, s. 2, Art. III (lieutenant governor acts as governor). Read Oct. 19, 2026.
  2. M.G.L. c. 53, s. 13: Withdrawal of nominated candidatesMassachusetts Legislature. Notarized request; filed within the objection period; none received after. Read Oct. 19, 2026.
  3. M.G.L. c. 53, s. 14: Death, withdrawal or ineligibility of nominated candidates; filling vacanciesMassachusetts Legislature. Party committee may fill a vacancy. Read Oct. 19, 2026.
  4. M.G.L. c. 55B, s. 5: Objections to nominationsMassachusetts Legislature. Objections due 72 hours after 5 p.m. on the last day for filing nomination papers (c. 53, s. 11 points here). Read Oct. 19, 2026.
  5. M.G.L. c. 54, s. 41A: Governor and lieutenant governor candidates; grouping party nominees; orderMassachusetts Legislature. One mark counts for both offices. Read Oct. 19, 2026.
  6. M.G.L. c. 54, s. 47: Vacancies; printing ballotsMassachusetts Legislature. Substitute ballots for death or ineligibility, when practicable. Read Oct. 19, 2026.
  7. M.G.L. c. 54, s. 25B: Early votingMassachusetts Legislature. In-person early voting from the 17th through the fourth day before a biennial state election. Read Oct. 19, 2026.
  8. 2026 State Election CandidatesSecretary of the Commonwealth, Elections Division. Governor and Lieutenant Governor groups. Read Oct. 19, 2026.
  9. How to Vote EarlySecretary of the Commonwealth. Early voting Oct. 17 to 30 for the Nov. 3 election. Read Oct. 19, 2026.
  10. Mail-in Ballots En Route to Voters for November Election (Oct. 6, 2026)Secretary of the Commonwealth, press release. More than 600,000 ballots mailed, 300,000 more expected. Read Oct. 19, 2026.
  11. How to Run for Office in 2026Secretary of the Commonwealth. Statewide party candidates filed by 5 p.m. June 2, 2026. Read Oct. 19, 2026.
  12. Shawn Oliver Suspends Campaign After New Bedford OUI CrashWBSM, Oct. 18, 2026. Oliver's and Minogue's statements; arrest after a Saturday night crash. Read Oct. 19, 2026.
  13. Republican candidate for Mass. lieutenant governor suspends campaign following OUI crashBoston 25 News, Oct. 18, 2026. Carnevale's statement; the four charges. Read Oct. 19, 2026.
  14. Shawn Oliver, former Massachusetts Lt. Gov. candidate charged in drunk driving crash, pleads not guiltyCBS News Boston, Oct. 19, 2026. Not guilty plea entered on his behalf in New Bedford District Court; released on personal recognizance; next due in court Nov. 16. Read Oct. 19, 2026.
  15. Oliver gets driver's license suspended as former candidate faces judge in OUI caseNBC 10 News (WJAR), Oct. 19, 2026. Released on personal recognizance; next hearing Nov. 16. Read Oct. 19, 2026.

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