Overview:
Massachusetts Secretary of State William Galvin has announced his intention to seek a record ninth term in office, citing concerns over President Trump's handling of elections and the census. Galvin, who has served as secretary of state since 1995, is fighting the Trump administration's efforts to restrict voting rights and limit the 2030 census count. He has overseen the state's elections administration, lobbyist and corporation registration, and public records law compliance since the first Clinton administration. Galvin is a consistent figure on Beacon Hill, having never earned less than 64% of the vote in a reelection campaign.
BOSTON – Secretary of State William Galvin will seek a record ninth term in office this fall, a decision he said was largely motivated by concerns over President Trump’s handling of elections and the census.
In a letter to members of the Democratic State Committee, Galvin, 75, said he is “seeking to extend my service as Secretary of State through 2030.” In anticipation of the 2028 presidential election, Galvin said he is “greatly concerned with federal efforts to interfere with the conduct of the election” referring to the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection as well as “ongoing effort to manipulate congressional districts in 2026.”
“As the longest serving state elections administrator in the nation, it is my intention to expose and resist any such efforts wherever attempted,” wrote the Boston Democrat, who was first inaugurated as secretary of state in 1995 and joined the state Legislature in the mid-1970s.
Galvin said the Trump administration is attempting to restrict the ability for Massachusetts residents to register to vote and vote by mail. Also, the administration is seeking “without any need” personal information about Massachusetts voters, a move Galvin said his office is fighting in federal court.
A Galvin–backed ballot initiative that would enable people to register and vote on Election Day is one of 11 proposals making its way to the 2026 ballot.
As the state liaison for the 2030 U.S. Census, Galvin said he is “greatly concerned” about federal efforts to limit the process and procedures for the April 2030 count. He referenced “Trump inspired challenges” to limit the counting of group quarters and exclude immigrants.
“The effect of these policies would be to limit federal aid and representation and injure our economy,” Galvin said in the letter. “I wish to make the 2030 count accurate and inclusive.”
Before his election to a record eighth four-year term in 2022, the secretary of state was asked if he would run again in 2026 if he were reelected.
“I will have served a very long time,” Galvin told The Boston Globe. “So, quite likely, I will not run again.”
When the News Service caught up with Galvin to ask about his 2026 reelection plans last fall, he contended that he had “actually kept my options open” and pointed to “circumstances that have occurred” since he suggested he may not run in 2026.
“There’s a lot to concern myself with,” Galvin said in September. “Obviously circumstances dictate what happens.”
With his last reelection, Galvin cruised past former Secretary Frederic Cook’s record of 28 years holding the post. A 16-year veteran of the House before he ran for secretary (after having lost a bid for state treasurer in 1990), Galvin has been one of the most consistent figures on Beacon Hill for nearly half a century. He has overseen the state’s elections administration, lobbyist and corporation registration, and public records law compliance since the first Clinton administration.
He has fended off both primary and general election challengers along the way, never earning less than 64% of the vote in a reelection campaign. Over the course of Galvin’s tenure, the House has had five speakers, seven Senate presidents have wielded the gavel, and another seven people have executed the duties of governor.
The secretary over the years has kept his face before voters by frequently appearing as the central orator in ads that are run in connection with his office’s role in elections and as the state’s chief information officer.