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{{Short description|Government office in Massachusetts}}{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2015}}
{{Infobox
| post = Secretary of the Commonwealth
| body = Massachusetts
|
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| insigniasize = 110px
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| image = WFGalvin Official Portrait.png
| imagesize = 150px
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| incumbentsince = January 1, 1995
| department = [[Government of Massachusetts]]
| style = [[His Honor|His Honor/Her honor]]
| status = [[Chief administrative officer|Chief administrator]]<br>[[Recorder of deeds|Registrar of deeds]]<br>[[Public records|Records officer]]<br>[[Government of Massachusetts#Constitutional officers|Constitutional officer]]
| residence = None official
| seat = [[Massachusetts State House|State House]], [[Boston, Massachusetts]]
| nominator = [[Nominating petition]],<br>[[Political parties and political designations in Massachusetts|Political parties]]
| appointer = [[Direct election|Popular vote]]
| termlength = Four years, no limit
| constituting_instrument = [[Constitution of Massachusetts]]
| formation = Original post:<br>August 23, 1629<ref>{{cite web | url=https://archive.org/details/recordsofgoverno01mass/page/73/mode/2up | title=Records of the governor and company of the Massachusetts bay in New England. Printed by order of the legislature | year=1853 | publisher=Boston, W. White, printer to the commonwealth }}</ref><br>Current form:<br>October 25, 1780
| first =
| unofficial_names = Secretary of State
| deputy =
| salary =
| website = {{URL|http://www.sec.state.ma.us/}}
| footnotes =
}}
The '''secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts''' is a constitutional officer in the [[executive branch]] of the [[U.S. state]] of [[Massachusetts]]. Originally appointed under authority of the [[Monarchy of the United Kingdom|English Crown]] pursuant to the [[Charter of the Massachusetts Bay Company]], the office of secretary of the Commonwealth (equivalent to "[[Secretary of State (U.S. state government)|secretaries of state]]" in other U.S. jurisdictions) became an [[Direct election|elective]] one in 1780.{{Efn|Massachusett's Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth is therefore the oldest operating secretary of state's office in the United States.}} Twenty-seven individuals have occupied the office of secretary of the Commonwealth over the ensuing centuries. The incumbent is [[William F. Galvin]], a [[Massachusetts Democratic Party|Democrat]] who has held the office since 1995.
==Election==
===Term of office===
The secretary of the Commonwealth is [[Direct election|elected]] by the people on [[Election Day]] in November to four-year terms, and takes office on the third Wednesday of the January following a general election. There is no [[term limit|limit]] to the number of terms a secretary may hold.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://malegislature.gov/Laws/Constitution|title=Article LXIV, Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts|publisher=General Court of Massachusetts|access-date=April 8, 2024}}</ref> Institutionally speaking, the secretary of the Commonwealth is thus completely [[Plural executive|independent]] of both the [[Governor of Massachusetts|governor]] and [[General Court of Massachusetts|General Court]] for the purpose of performing their official duties. These constitutional protections notwithstanding, the secretary may still be [[Impeachment|impeached]] for misconduct or maladministration by the [[Massachusetts House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] and, if found guilty, removed from office by the [[Massachusetts Senate|Senate]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://malegislature.gov/Laws/Constitution|title=Article VIII, Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts|publisher=General Court of Massachusetts|access-date=April 8, 2024}}</ref>
===Qualifications===
Any person seeking election to the office of secretary of the Commonwealth must meet the following requirements:
#Be at least eighteen years of age;
#Be a registered voter in Massachusetts;
#Be a Massachusetts resident for at least five years when elected; and
#Receive 5,000 signatures from registered voters on nomination papers.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/elepdf/Candidates-Guide-generic.pdf |title=How to Run for Office in Massachusetts |date=March 2017 |website=Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth |access-date=December 26, 2022}}</ref>
===Vacancies===
In the event of a vacancy in the office of secretary of the Commonwealth, the [[General Court of Massachusetts|General Court]] is charged, if in session, with electing from among the eligible citizens of the Commonwealth a successor to serve the balance of the prior secretary's term in office.{{Efn|Citizens of the Commonwealth of the Massachusetts are officially designated as "Bay Staters". Being a Bay Stater implies concurrent U.S. citizenship, which is required in order to vote in Massachusetts and to run for any public office, including that of secretary of the Commonwealth.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleI/Chapter2/Section35|title=Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 2, Section 35: Designation of citizens of commonwealth|publisher=General Court of Massachusetts|access-date=April 8, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sec.state.ma.us/divisions/elections/voter-resources/registering-to-vote.htm|title=Registering to Vote|publisher=Elections Division, Massachusetts Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth|access-date=April 8, 2024}}</ref>}} If, however, the vacancy occurs while the General Court is not in session, then responsibility for appointing a successor falls to the [[Governor of Massachusetts|governor]]. The appointment is not valid without the [[advice and consent]] of the [[Massachusetts Governor's Council|Governor's Council]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://malegislature.gov/Laws/Constitution|title=Article XVII, Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts|publisher=General Court of Massachusetts|access-date=April 8, 2024}}</ref>
==Powers and duties==
The Secretary of the Commonwealth oversees the Corporations Division, the Elections Division, the [[Massachusetts Archives]], the [[Massachusetts Historical Commission]], the Public Records Division, the Securities Division, as well as the State Records Center.
{| class=wikitable style="text-align:left"
! No.
! colspan="2" | Secretary of the Commonwealth
! Party
! Years
! Electoral/appointed history
|-
! 1
| nowrap align=left | [[File:John Avery, Jr..png|100px]]<br/>
|[[John Avery, Jr.]] | {{party shading/Federalist}} | Pro-Administration/[[Federalist Party|Federalist]]
| nowrap="" | January 1, 1780 –<br/>June 7, 1806<ref name="Robertsp196">{{Citation | last= Roberts|first=Oliver Ayer| title=History of the Military company of the Massachusetts, now called the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts 1637-1888. Vol. II - 1738-1821| page = 196 | publisher = Alfred Mudge & Son, Printers | location = Boston, MA | year = 1901}}</ref>
| Succeeded [[Samuel Adams]], who had been Secretary of the [[Province of Massachusetts Bay]] from August 15, 1776, until January 1, 1780. Avery died in office, June 7, 1806.<ref name="Robertsp196"/>
|-
! 2
| nowrap align=left |
|[[Jonathan L. Austin]] | {{party shading/Democratic-Republican}} | [[Democratic-Republican Party|Democratic-Republican]]
| nowrap="" | 1806 –<br/>1808
| {{dm|date=February 2020}}
|-
! 3
| nowrap align=left |[[File:William Tudor TJAG.jpeg|100px]]<br/>
|[[William Tudor]] | {{party shading/Federalist}} | [[Federalist Party|Federalist]]
| 1808 –<br/>1810
| {{dm|date=February 2020}}
|-
! 4
| nowrap align=left |
|[[Benjamin Homans]] | {{party shading/Democratic-Republican}} | [[Democratic-Republican Party|Democratic-Republican]]
| 1810 –<br/>1812
| {{dm|date=February 2020}}
|-
! 5
| nowrap align=left | [[File:Chester Harding - Alden Bradford.jpg|100px]]<br/>
|[[Alden Bradford]]
| {{party shading/Federalist}} | [[Federalist Party|Federalist]]/[[National Republican Party|National Republican]]
| 1812 –<br/>1824
| {{dm|date=February 2020}}
|-
! 6
| nowrap align=left | [[File:EDWARD DILLINGHAM BANGS (1790-1838).jpg|100px]]<br/>
|[[Edward D. Bangs]] | {{party shading/Whig}} | [[National Republican Party|National Republican]]/[[Whig Party (United States)|Whig]]
| 1824 –<br/>1836
| {{dm|date=February 2020}}
|-
! 7
| nowrap align=left | [[File:Mayor JP Bigelow.png|100px]]<br/>
|[[John P. Bigelow]] | {{party shading/Whig}} | [[Whig Party (United States)|Whig]]
| 1836 –<br/>1843
| {{dm|date=February 2020}}
|-
! 8
| nowrap align=left |
|[[John A. Bolles]] | {{party shading/Whig}} | [[Whig Party (United States)|Whig]]
| 1843 –<br/>1844
| {{dm|date=February 2020}}
|-
! 9
| nowrap align=left | [[File:John Gorham Palfrey.jpg|100px]]<br/>
|[[John G. Palfrey]] | {{party shading/Whig}} | [[Whig Party (United States)|Whig]]
| 1844 –<br/>1848
| {{dm|date=February 2020}}
|-
! 10
| nowrap align=left | [[File:William Barron Calhoun.png|100px]]<br/>
|[[William B. Calhoun]] | {{party shading/Whig}} | [[Whig Party (United States)|Whig]]<ref>[http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=C000046 William B. Calhoun] at the ''[[Biographical Directory of the United States Congress]]''. Retrieved on October 6, 2007.</ref>
| January 1848<ref name="Yale">{{Citation|last= Dexter|first= Franklin Bowditch| title =Biographical Sketches of the Graduates of Yale College With Annals of the College History, Vol. VI September; 1805 - September; 1815| page = 629 | publisher = Yale University Press| location = New Haven, Ct| year = 1912}}</ref> –<br/>1851
| {{dm|date=February 2020}}
|-
! 11
| nowrap align=left | [[File:Amasa Walker.png|100px]]<br/>
|[[Amasa Walker]] | {{party shading/Whig}} | [[Whig Party (United States)|Whig]]
| 1851 –<br/>1853
| {{dm|date=February 2020}}
|-
! 12
| nowrap align=left |
|[[Ephraim M. Wright]] | {{party shading/Whig}} | [[Whig Party (United States)|Whig]]
| 1853 –<br/>1856
| {{dm|date=February 2020}}
|-
! 13
| nowrap align=left |
|[[Francis De Witt (Massachusetts)|Francis De Witt]] | {{Party shading/Know Nothing}} | [[Know Nothing]]
| 1856 –<br/>1858
| {{dm|date=February 2020}}
|-
! 14
| nowrap align=left |
|[[Oliver Warner ( | {{party shading/Republican}} | [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| 1858 –<br/>1876
| {{dm|date=February 2020}}
|-
! 15
| nowrap align=left | [[File:Henry Bailey Pierce.png|100px]]<br/>
|[[Henry B. Pierce]] | {{party shading/Republican}} | [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| 1876 –<br/>1891
| {{dm|date=February 2020}}
|-
! 16
| nowrap align=left | [[File:William Milo Olin.png|100px]]<br/>
|[[William M. Olin]] | {{party shading/Republican}} | [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| 1891 –<br/>April 15, 1911
| Died in office April 15, 1911.
|-
| Acting
| nowrap align=left |
|[[Isaac H. Edgett]]
| {{party shading/Republican}} | [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| April 15, 1911 –<br/>April 28, 1911.<ref name="BosDGloApril271911p9">{{Citation |last = Boston Daily Globe | title =LANGTRY IN NEW OFFICE. The Netherlands Club Pays Him a Visit and Presents Him a Bunch of Roses.| page = 9 | publisher = Boston Daily Globe | location = Boston, Mass | date = April 29, 1911}}</ref>
| Edgett, was the First Deputy Secretary of the Commonwealth under [[William M. Olin]].
As the First Deputy Secretary of the Commonwealth Edgett became the acting Secretary of the Commonwealth upon [[William M. Olin|Olin's]] death. Edgett served as the acting Secretary of the Commonwealth<ref name="BosGlobe April 18, 1911">{{Citation |last = Boston Daily Globe| title = HOUSE RECORDED FOR INCOME TAX Walker Asks Reconsideration--- Senate Adopts 54-Hour Bill. Insane Hospital Inquiry Killed--- Anti-Lorimer Resolution. IMPORTANT EVENTS AT STATE HOUSE YESTERDAY.|page =1 | publisher = The Boston Daily Globe | location = Boston, MA | date =April 18, 1911}}</ref> until [[Albert P. Langtry]] was elected by the [[Massachusetts General Court|Massachusetts legislature]] to serve out the remainder of [[William M. Olin|Olin's]] term.
Line 152 ⟶ 198:
|-
! 17
| nowrap align=left | [[File:Albert P. Langtry 1920.png|100px]]<br/>
|[[Albert P. Langtry]] | {{party shading/Republican}} | [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]<ref name="Foss">{{Cite news|title=FOSS AND FROTHINGHAM WIN.|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=September 27, 1911|pages=2|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1911/09/27/104876433.pdf|access-date=October 6, 2007}}</ref>
| April 28, 1911<ref name="BosDGloApril271911p9"/>
| Elected by the Legislature, on April 26, 1911, to fill the vacancy caused by<br> the death of [[William M. Olin]]. Langtry assumed the office of Secretary of the Commonwealth on April 28, 1911.<ref name="BosDGloApril271911p9"/>
|-
! 18
| nowrap align=left | [[File:Frank J. Donahue.png|100px]]<br/>
|[[Frank J. Donahue]] | {{party shading/Democratic}} | [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]<ref name="Foss" />
| January 15, 1913 –<br/>1915
| {{dm|date=February 2020}}
|-
! 19
| nowrap align=left | [[File:Albert P. Langtry 1920.png|100px]]<br/>
|[[Albert P. Langtry]] | {{party shading/Republican}} | [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| 1915 –<br/>1921
| {{dm|date=February 2020}}
|-
! 20
| nowrap align=left | [[File:Frederic W. Cook.png|100px]]<br/>
|[[Frederic W. Cook]] | {{party shading/Republican}} | [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]<ref>{{Cite news|title=MANY SEEK OFFICE IN MASSACHUSETTS|work=The New York Times|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9F07E0DC1339EF3ABC4153DFBE668389639EDE|date=August 9, 1922|pages=6|access-date=October 6, 2007}}</ref>
| 1921 –<br/>1949
| {{dm|date=February 2020}}
|-
! 21
| nowrap align=left | <br/>
|[[Edward J. Cronin]] | {{party shading/Democratic}} | [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| 1949 –<br/>November 24, 1958
| Died in office on November 24, 1958.
|-
| Acting
| nowrap align=left |<br/>
|[[J. Henry Goguen]] | {{party shading/Democratic}} | [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| nowrap="" | December 1, 1958 –<br/>January 20, 1959
| {{dm|date=February 2020}}
|-
! 22
| nowrap align=left |
|<br />[[Joseph D. Ward]] | {{party shading/Democratic}} | [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://holycross.edu/departments/publicaffairs/hcm/summer03/in_memoriam/1927.html|title=In Memoriam|work=Holy Cross Magazine|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040905095533/http://www.holycross.edu/departments/publicaffairs/hcm/summer03/in_memoriam/1927.html|archive-date=September 5, 2004}} Summer 2003. Retrieved on October 6, 2007.</ref>
| January 20, 1959 –<br/>1961
| {{dm|date=February 2020}}
|-
! 23
| nowrap align=left | [[File:Kevin Hagan White.png|100px]]<br/>
|[[Kevin White (politician)|Kevin H. White]] | {{party shading/Democratic}} | [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| 1961 –<br/> December 20, 1967
| First elected in 1960.<br/>Re-elected in 1962.<br/>Re-elected in 1964 to a four-year term after the length of terms was extended.<br/>Resigned to become [[Mayor of Boston]].
|-
! 24
| nowrap align=left |
|[[John Davoren|Jack Davoren]] | {{party shading/Democratic}} | [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| 1967 –<br/>1974
| {{dm|date=February 2020}}
|-
! 25
| nowrap align=left | [[
|[[Paul Guzzi|Paul H. Guzzi]]
| {{party shading/Democratic}} | [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| 1975 –<br/>1978
| {{dm|date=February 2020}}
|-
! 26
| nowrap align=left | [[File:Michael J. Connolly.png|100px]]<br/>
|[[Michael J. Connolly]]
| {{party shading/Democratic}} | [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| 1979 –<br/>1994
| {{dm|date=February 2020}}
|-
! 27
| nowrap align=left | [[File:William Francis Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (cropped).png|100px]]<br/>
|[[William F. Galvin]] | {{party shading/Democratic}} | [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| nowrap="" | January 1, 1995 –<br/>present
| {{dm|date=February 2020}}
Line 237 ⟶ 295:
== See also ==
* [[
* [[Political party strength in Massachusetts]]
==Notes==
{{notelist}}
== References ==
{{Commons category|
{{Reflist}}
{{Refbegin}}
<!-- *{{CongBio|C000046|William B. Calhoun}}. Retrieved on 2007-10-06. -->
*{{Cite web|url=http://nass.org/index.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_download&gid=4|title=
*{{Cite web|url=http://www.mass.gov/lib/collections/sc/burrill.htm|title=Special Collections - Burrill File|publisher=State Library of Massachusetts|
{{Refend}}
== External links ==
* [http://www.sec.state.ma.us Official site]
* {{citation |title= Office of the Secretary of State
{{Massachusetts}}
{{Current Massachusetts statewide political officials}}
{{Massachusetts government}}
{{U.S. State Secretaries of State}}
[[Category:Secretaries of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts|*]]
[[Category:Lists of Massachusetts
|