Shaunna O'Connell


Shaunna O'Connell is a court reporter, 50th Mayor of Taunton and former member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives of the Republican Party. She represented the Third Bristol District, which includes the town of Easton: Precinct 6; and the city of Taunton: Wards 1, 2, Ward 3: Precinct A, Wards 5, 7, 8. She is the current mayor of Taunton, Massachusetts.
O'Connell supports Capital punishment.

Early life and education

O'Connell grew up in Taunton, Massachusetts to divorced parents who ended up on housing assistance to meet family expenses. She worked her way through college by working two jobs. O'Connell worked in the food service department of the Morton Hospital and Medical Center, working her way up to a supervisory position.
O'Connell attended the Massachusetts Bay Community College in Wellesley, Massachusetts and Massasoit Community College in Brockton, Massachusetts.

Political career

O'Connell launched her first State Representative campaign against incumbent Democratic State Representative James Fagan in June 2009, citing comments Fagan made in 2008 during a debate on a child sexual assault bill as her inspiration to run. O'Connell went on to beat Fagan in the 2010 General Election by 44 votes on election day, prompting a recount. O'Connell held on in the recount, with her margin of victory shrinking to 31 votes.
O'Connell won re-election in 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2018, facing a Democratic opponent in each election.
In 2019 O'Connell ran for Mayor of Taunton and won, becoming the 50th Mayor and first female Mayor in Taunton's history. O'Connell faced controversy at the start of her mayoral campaign, with Commonwealth Magazine reporting that Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito gave O'Connell notice that incumbent Taunton Mayor Thomas Hoye would not run for re-election.