William F. Galvin
Encyclopedia
William Francis Galvin (born September 17, 1950) is the 27th and current Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth
(U.S. state of Massachusetts
' Secretary of State
).
and graduated cum laude in 1972. He received a Juris Doctor
from Suffolk University Law School
in 1975. Galvin resides in Brighton with his wife, Eileen, and their teenage daughter, Bridget.
He began his political career in 1972 as an aide to the Massachusetts Governor's Council
while an undergraduate, and won a special election to the Massachusetts General Court
as Massachusetts state representative from the Allston-Brighton district the same year he graduated from law school. He was the Democratic nominee for Treasurer, but was defeated by Republican Joe Malone. He was first elected Secretary of the Commonwealth in 1994
.
Galvin has been an active participant in the National Association of Secretaries of State
, serving first as Chairman of the Standing Committee on Securities, then as Co-Chairman of the Committee on Presidential Primaries.
At one point during the administration of Gov. Mitt Romney
and Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey
, Galvin became the Acting Governor of Massachusetts
when both Romney and Healey were out of the state. During the administration of former Gov. Jane Swift, Galvin automatically became Acting Governor whenever Swift left the state, since there was no lieutenant governor in office at the time. When Swift gave birth to twins in 2001, she chose to keep full executive authority and did not hand over the governorship at any point to Galvin.
as a Democrat
, he announced at the end of 2005 that he will instead seek reelection as Secretary of State. Voting rights advocate John Bonifaz
had already declared that he would run for the office, and stayed in the race to challenge Galvin for re-election. However, Galvin defeated Bonifaz in the September 19 Democratic primary. Galvin defeated Green-Rainbow Party
candidate Jill Stein
, a medical doctor and environmental health advocate who ran for Governor in 2002
, in the November general election.
The Democratic primary race received relatively little attention or press coverage for most of 2006, but in the last few weeks before election, a controversy over Galvin's refusal to debate his opponent broke into the news with a front page story in the Boston Sunday Globe. This is the first time a front page story appeared about this race in any major Boston paper.
passed in 2002, in which he failed to report and collect the number sent and the number returned of absentee ballots from overseas Military personnel registered to vote in Massachusetts. After an investigation by the US Justice Department, a settlement was reached to force Galvin to comply with the law.
to compel Jaffe to testify about his role in the Bernard Madoff
investment scandal. Jaffe, who lives in Weston, Massachusetts
and in Florida
, counters that he is actually one of the victims of Madoff. Jaffe is married to Ellen Shapiro, daughter of Boston philanthropist Carl Shapiro. Jaffe reportedly convinced the elder Shapiro to invest $250 million with Madoff about 10 days before Madoff's arrest.
Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth
The Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth is the principal public information officer of the state government of the U.S...
(U.S. state of Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
' Secretary of State
Secretary of State (U.S. state government)
Secretary of State is an official in the state governments of 47 of the 50 states of the United States, as well as Puerto Rico and other U.S. possessions. In Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, this official is called the Secretary of the Commonwealth...
).
Early life and career
Galvin was born in the Brighton neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts and educated in Boston public schools. He attended Boston CollegeBoston College
Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...
and graduated cum laude in 1972. He received a Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from Suffolk University Law School
Suffolk University Law School
Suffolk University Law School, also known as Suffolk Law School or SULS, is one of the professional graduate schools of Suffolk University. Suffolk University Law School is a private, non-sectarian, law school located in downtown Boston, Massachusetts. Suffolk University Law School was founded in...
in 1975. Galvin resides in Brighton with his wife, Eileen, and their teenage daughter, Bridget.
He began his political career in 1972 as an aide to the Massachusetts Governor's Council
Massachusetts Governor's Council
The Massachusetts Governor's Council is a governmental body that provides advice and consent in certain matters such as judicial nominations, pardons, and commutations to the Governor of Massachusetts...
while an undergraduate, and won a special election to the Massachusetts General Court
Massachusetts General Court
The Massachusetts General Court is the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The name "General Court" is a hold-over from the Colonial Era, when this body also sat in judgment of judicial appeals cases...
as Massachusetts state representative from the Allston-Brighton district the same year he graduated from law school. He was the Democratic nominee for Treasurer, but was defeated by Republican Joe Malone. He was first elected Secretary of the Commonwealth in 1994
Massachusetts general election, 1994
A Massachusetts general election was held on November 8, 1994 in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.The election included:* statewide elections for United States Senator, Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of the Commonwealth, Treasurer, and Auditor;* district elections for U.S...
.
Galvin has been an active participant in the National Association of Secretaries of State
National Association of Secretaries of State
The National Association of Secretaries of State , founded in 1904, is the oldest non-partisan professional organization of public officials in the United States, composed of the Secretaries of State of U.S. states and territories. Currently, all secretaries of state, including Washington D.C.,...
, serving first as Chairman of the Standing Committee on Securities, then as Co-Chairman of the Committee on Presidential Primaries.
At one point during the administration of Gov. Mitt Romney
Mitt Romney
Willard Mitt Romney is an American businessman and politician. He was the 70th Governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007 and is a candidate for the 2012 Republican Party presidential nomination.The son of George W...
and Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey
Kerry Healey
Kerry Murphy Healey was the 70th Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts. She served from 2003 to 2007 with Governor Mitt Romney. She was the 2006 Republican nominee for Governor of Massachusetts, losing to Democrat Deval Patrick in November 2006...
, Galvin became the Acting Governor of Massachusetts
Governor of Massachusetts
The Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is the executive magistrate of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States. The current governor is Democrat Deval Patrick.-Constitutional role:...
when both Romney and Healey were out of the state. During the administration of former Gov. Jane Swift, Galvin automatically became Acting Governor whenever Swift left the state, since there was no lieutenant governor in office at the time. When Swift gave birth to twins in 2001, she chose to keep full executive authority and did not hand over the governorship at any point to Galvin.
2006 election
While it had been widely rumored that Galvin would run for Governor of Massachusetts in 2006Massachusetts gubernatorial election, 2006
The Massachusetts gubernatorial election of 2006 was held on November 7, 2006. Former US Assistant Attorney General Deval Patrick was elected to a four-year term, from January 4, 2007 until January 6, 2011. In his first elected office, Patrick is the second African-American governor in the United...
as a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, he announced at the end of 2005 that he will instead seek reelection as Secretary of State. Voting rights advocate John Bonifaz
John Bonifaz
John C. Bonifaz is a Boston-based attorney and political activist specializing in constitutional law and voting rights, and founder of the National Voting Rights Institute. He is also a former candidate for Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth...
had already declared that he would run for the office, and stayed in the race to challenge Galvin for re-election. However, Galvin defeated Bonifaz in the September 19 Democratic primary. Galvin defeated Green-Rainbow Party
Green-Rainbow Party
The Green-Rainbow Party is a political party in Massachusetts. It is the Massachusetts state affiliate of the Green Party of the United States.-Establishment of official party status:...
candidate Jill Stein
Jill Stein
Jill Stein is an American physician, activist, co-chair of the Green-Rainbow Party and candidate for President of the United States in 2012. Stein was a candidate for Governor of Massachusetts in the 2002 and the 2010 gubernatorial elections. Stein is a resident of Lexington, Massachusetts and a...
, a medical doctor and environmental health advocate who ran for Governor in 2002
Massachusetts gubernatorial election, 2002
The Massachusetts gubernatorial election of 2002 was held on November 5, 2002. Businessman Mitt Romney was elected to a four-year term, to be served from January 2, 2003 until January 4, 2007. Every four years, Massachusetts holds state-wide elections for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney...
, in the November general election.
The Democratic primary race received relatively little attention or press coverage for most of 2006, but in the last few weeks before election, a controversy over Galvin's refusal to debate his opponent broke into the news with a front page story in the Boston Sunday Globe. This is the first time a front page story appeared about this race in any major Boston paper.
2008 UOCAVA violation
Galvin, as the Massachusetts' Secretary of State, was found to have violated the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting ActUniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act
The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act is a United States federal law dealing with elections and voting rights for United States citizens residing overseas. The act requires that all U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, and the U.S. Virgin...
passed in 2002, in which he failed to report and collect the number sent and the number returned of absentee ballots from overseas Military personnel registered to vote in Massachusetts. After an investigation by the US Justice Department, a settlement was reached to force Galvin to comply with the law.
Lawsuit against stockbroker Robert Jaffe
On January 14, 2009, Galvin filed suit against Robert JaffeRobert Jaffe (stockbroker)
Robert M. Jaffe , an American stockbroker, and long-time associate of Bernard Madoff, promoted Madoff's fund to wealthy investors in Massachusetts and Florida. Jaffe has homes in Weston, Massachusetts and in Palm Beach, Florida, Cohmad Securities Corporation employs Robert Jaffe, as...
to compel Jaffe to testify about his role in the Bernard Madoff
Bernard Madoff
Bernard Lawrence "Bernie" Madoff is a former American businessman, stockbroker, investment advisor, and financier. He is the former non-executive chairman of the NASDAQ stock market, and the admitted operator of a Ponzi scheme that is considered to be the largest financial fraud in U.S...
investment scandal. Jaffe, who lives in Weston, Massachusetts
Weston, Massachusetts
Weston is a suburb of Boston located in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States in the Boston metro area. The population of Weston, according to the 2010 U.S. Census, is 11,261....
and in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, counters that he is actually one of the victims of Madoff. Jaffe is married to Ellen Shapiro, daughter of Boston philanthropist Carl Shapiro. Jaffe reportedly convinced the elder Shapiro to invest $250 million with Madoff about 10 days before Madoff's arrest.
External links
- Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth official page
- Bill Galvin campaign web site
- Video of TV interview with Galvin - "Meet Democratic Secretary Of State Candidates" on WCVB-TV Channel 5 Boston