Council 93 Endorsement Profile: Secretary of State Bill Galvin

If there is any elected official in Massachusetts who embodies the expression, “It ain’t broke, so don’t fix it,” it is Secretary of State Bill Galvin.  Bill Galvin has been the Secretary of State in Massachusetts since 1994.  Indeed, he’s held the office longer than any other politician in state history, and he is probably the most knowledgeable and effective Secretary of State in the country.  While longevity can sometimes lead to stagnation and a resistance to new ideas, Bill Galvin has remained current and nimble in his approach to the job.  Over 20 years ago, even before Florida’s notorious “hanging chads” disrupted the Presidential election of 2000, Bill Galvin identified the type of ballots being used at that time as problematic for democracy and got rid of them in Massachusetts.  He demonstrated that same responsive and nimble thinking during the pandemic, adjusting to an early voting and vote-by-mail environment while insuring that the election process was fair and secure.  He is a virtual encyclopedia of knowledge on election law and the legislative process and has demonstrated time and again his commitment to transparency and democracy.

He’s also been a fair employer for our members.  AFSCME represents about 125 members who work at various Registries of Deeds Offices in the Commonwealth, so we have been negotiating contracts with Bill Galvin for many years.  He is a reasonable employer, committed to a fair collective bargaining process.  He is also readily accessible whenever we call and we frequently use him as an informal resource on legislative and political matters.  

Incredibly, and despite his experience and skills, he is being challenged from the left during this year’s primary election.  We would like to see him continue in office, and we respectfully urge our members to support Secretary of State Bill Galvin in the primary election on September 6, 2022. Click here to find out more.