Neal began his career in elected office after winning election in 1977 to the city council of Springfield, Massachusetts. After twice winning reelection to the city council (in 1979 and 1981), Neal was elected mayor of the city in 1983. He was twice reelected mayor, in 1985 and 1987.
In 1988, Neal was elected as a Democrat to represent Massachusetts 2nd district in the United States House of Representatives. He was subsequently reelected to this district eleven times. In 2012, he was redistricted to Massachusetts 1st district, to which he was elected. He has subsequently been reelected to this district five times, with his latest re-election occurring in 2022.
City council elections
1977
1977 Springfield city councilors at-large election
^"1977 Primary". Springfield, Massachusetts. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
^"November 8, 1977". Springfield, Massachusetts. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
^"November 6, 1979". Springfield, Massachusetts. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
^"10/6/1981 12:00:00 AM". Springfield, Massachusetts. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
^"City Election November 3, 1981". Springfield, Massachusetts. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
^"Primary Election Sept. 20,1983". Springfield, Massachusetts. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
^"Election November 3, 1983". Springfield, Massachusetts. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
^"11/5/1985 12:00:00 AM". Springfield, Massachusetts. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
^"11/3/1987 12:00:00 AM". Springfield, Massachusetts. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
^ ab"STATISTICS OF THE PRESIDENTIAL AND CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION OF NOVEMBER 8, 1988". United States House of Representatives. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
^ ab"STATISTICS OF THE CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION OF NOVEMBER 6, 1990". United States House of Representatives. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
^ ab"STATISTICS OF THE PRESIDENTIAL AND CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION OF NOVEMBER 3, 1992". United States House of Representatives. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
^ ab"STATISTICS OF THE CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION OF NOVEMBER 8, 1994". United States House of Representatives. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
^ ab"STATISTICS OF THE PRESIDENTIAL AND CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION OF NOVEMBER 5, 1996". United States House of Representatives. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
^ ab"STATISTICS OF THE CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION OF NOVEMBER 3, 1998". United States House of Representatives. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
^ ab"STATISTICS OF THE PRESIDENTIAL AND CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION OF NOVEMBER 7, 2000". United States House of Representatives. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
^ ab"STATISTICS OF THE PRESIDENTIAL AND CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION OF NOVEMBER 7, 2000". clerk.house.gov. Clerk of the House of Representatives. June 21, 2001. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
^ ab"STATISTICS OF THE CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION OF NOVEMBER 5, 2002". United States House of Representatives. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
^ ab"STATISTICS OF THE PRESIDENTIAL AND CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION OF NOVEMBER 5, 2002". clerk.house.gov. Clerk of the House of Representatives. May 1, 2003. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
^ ab"STATISTICS OF THE PRESIDENTIAL CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION OF NOVEMBER 2, 2004". United States House of Representatives. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
^ ab"STATISTICS OF THE PRESIDENTIAL AND CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION OF NOVEMBER 2, 2004". clerk.house.gov. Clerk of the House of Representatives. June 7, 2005. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
^ ab"STATISTICS OF THE CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION OF NOVEMBER 7, 2006". United States House of Representatives. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
^ ab"STATISTICS CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION OF NOVEMBER 7, 2006". clerk.house.gov. Clerk of the House of Representatives. June 7, 2005. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
^ ab"STATISTICS OF THE PRESIDENTIAL CONGRESSIONAL ELECTIONS OF NOVEMBER 4, 2008". United States House of Representatives. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
^ ab"STATISTICS OF THE PRESIDENTIAL AND CONGRESSIONAL ELECTIONS OF NOVEMBER 4, 2008". clerk.house.gov. Clerk of the House of Representatives. June 7, 2005. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
^ ab"STATISTICS OF THE CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION OF NOVEMBER 2, 2010". United States House of Representatives. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
^ ab"STATISTICS OF THE PRESIDENTIAL AND CONGRESSIONAL ELECTIONS OF NOVEMBER 6, 2012". United States House of Representatives. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
^ ab"STATISTICS OF THE CONGRESSIONAL ELECTIONS OF NOVEMBER 4, 2014". United States House of Representatives. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
^ ab"STATISTICS OF THE PRESIDENTIAL AND CONGRESSIONAL ELECTIONS OF NOVEMBER 8, 2016". United States House of Representatives. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
^ ab"STATISTICS OF THE PRESIDENTIAL AND CONGRESSIONAL ELECTIONS OF NOVEMBER 6, 2018". United States House of Representatives. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
^ abc"2020 U.S. House General Election 1st Congressional District". PD43+. Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 2020. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
^"1988 U.S. House Democratic Primary 2nd Congressional District". PD43+. Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
^"1990 U.S. House Democratic Primary 2nd Congressional District". PD43+. Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
^"1992 U.S. House Democratic Primary 2nd Congressional District". PD43+. Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
^"1994 U.S. House Democratic Primary 2nd Congressional District". PD43+. Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
^"1996 U.S. House Democratic Primary 2nd Congressional District". PD43+. Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
^"1998 U.S. House Democratic Primary 2nd Congressional District". PD43+. Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
^"2000 U.S. House Democratic Primary 2nd Congressional District". PD43+. Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
^"2002 U.S. House Democratic Primary 2nd Congressional District". PD43+. Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
^"2004 U.S. House Democratic Primary 2nd Congressional District". PD43+. Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
^"2006 U.S. House Democratic Primary 2nd Congressional District". PD43+. Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
^"2008 U.S. House Democratic Primary 2nd Congressional District". PD43+. Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
^"2010 U.S. House Democratic Primary 2nd Congressional District". PD43+. Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
^"2012 U.S. House Democratic Primary 1st Congressional District". PD43+. Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
^"2016 U.S. House Democratic Primary 1st Congressional District". PD43+. Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
^"2016 U.S. House Democratic Primary 1st Congressional District". PD43+. Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
^"2018 U.S. House Democratic Primary 1st Congressional District". PD43+. Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
^"2020 U.S. House Democratic Primary 1st Congressional District". PD43+. Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
^"2022 U.S. House Democratic Primary 1st Congressional District". PD43+. Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved November 10, 2022.