The Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth is the principal public information officer of the government of the U.S. state of Massachusetts. It is the equivalent of what most other states call the Secretary of State.
Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts | |
---|---|
Government of Massachusetts | |
Style | His Honor/Her honor |
Status | Chief administrator Registrar of deeds Records officer Constitutional officer |
Residence | None official |
Seat | State House, Boston, Massachusetts |
Nominator | Nominating petition, Political parties |
Appointer | Popular vote |
Term length | Four years, no limit |
Constituting instrument | Constitution of Massachusetts |
Formation | Original post: August 23, 1629[1] Current form: October 25, 1780 |
Unofficial names | Secretary of State |
Website | www |
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.
William F. Galvin has held the office since 1995.
Any person seeking to become Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts must meet the following requirements:[2]
No. | Secretary of the Commonwealth | Party | Years | Electoral/appointed history | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | |
John Avery, Jr. | Pro-Administration/Federalist | January 1, 1780 – June 7, 1806[3] |
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.[3] |
2 | Jonathan L. Austin | Democratic-Republican | 1806 – 1808 |
[data missing] | |
3 | |
William Tudor | Federalist | 1808 – 1810 |
[data missing] |
4 | Benjamin Homans | Democratic-Republican | 1810 – 1812 |
[data missing] | |
5 | |
Alden Bradford | Federalist/National Republican | 1812 – 1824 |
[data missing] |
6 | |
Edward D. Bangs | National Republican/Whig | 1824 – 1836 |
[data missing] |
7 | |
John P. Bigelow | Whig | 1836 – 1843 |
[data missing] |
8 | John A. Bolles | Whig | 1843 – 1844 |
[data missing] | |
9 | |
John G. Palfrey | Whig | 1844 – 1848 |
[data missing] |
10 | |
William B. Calhoun | Whig[4] | January 1848[5] – 1851 |
[data missing] |
11 | |
Amasa Walker | Whig | 1851 – 1853 |
[data missing] |
12 | Ephraim M. Wright | Whig | 1853 – 1856 |
[data missing] | |
13 | Francis De Witt | Know Nothing | 1856 – 1858 |
[data missing] | |
14 | Oliver Warner | Republican | 1858 – 1876 |
[data missing] | |
15 | |
Henry B. Pierce | Republican | 1876 – 1891 |
[data missing] |
16 | |
William M. Olin | Republican | 1891 – April 15, 1911 |
Died in office April 15, 1911. |
Acting | Isaac H. Edgett | Republican | April 15, 1911 – April 28, 1911.[6] |
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 Olin's death. Edgett served as the acting Secretary of the Commonwealth[7] until Albert P. Langtry was elected by the Massachusetts legislature to serve out the remainder of Olin's term. | |
17 | |
Albert P. Langtry | Republican[8] | April 28, 1911[6] | Elected by the Legislature, on April 26, 1911, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of William M. Olin. Langtry assumed the office of Secretary of the Commonwealth on April 28, 1911.[6] |
18 | |
Frank J. Donahue | Democratic[8] | January 15, 1913 – 1915 |
[data missing] |
19 | |
Albert P. Langtry | Republican | 1915 – 1921 |
[data missing] |
20 | |
Frederic W. Cook | Republican[9] | 1921 – 1949 |
[data missing] |
21 | Edward J. Cronin | Democratic | 1949 – November 24, 1958 |
Died in office on November 24, 1958. | |
Acting | J. Henry Goguen | Democratic | December 1, 1958 – January 20, 1959 |
[data missing] | |
22 | Joseph D. Ward |
Democratic[10] | January 20, 1959 – 1961 |
[data missing] | |
23 | |
Kevin H. White | Democratic | 1961 – December 20, 1967 |
First elected in 1960. Re-elected in 1962. Re-elected in 1964 to a four-year term after the length of terms was extended. Resigned to become Mayor of Boston. |
24 | |
Jack Davoren | Democratic | 1967 – 1974 |
[data missing] |
25 | |
Paul H. Guzzi | Democratic | 1975 – 1978 |
[data missing] |
26 | |
Michael J. Connolly | Democratic | 1979 – 1994 |
[data missing] |
27 | |
William F. Galvin | Democratic | January 1, 1995 – present |
[data missing] |