Statement from MassGOP Chairman Jim Lyons regarding Secretary of State William F. Galvin's misinterpretation of his own election manual

Dec. 12, 2019

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:

Evan Lips, communications director

617-523-5005 ext. 245

BOSTON -- Massachusetts Republican Party Chairman Jim Lyons issued the following statement Thursday in response to Secretary of State William F. Galvin's decree to add former Gov. William F. Weld to the Massachusetts Republican presidential primary ballot:

"According to his own election manual -- of which Secretary Galvin should be aware of, since he's been serving in this capacity since 1994 -- candidates must file as Republicans at least a year in advance of seeking entry on the Republican presidential primary ballot."

Per the Massachusetts Secretary of State's official manual:

Candidates who wish to run in a political party primary must have been enrolled in that party throughout the ninety days preceding the deadline for filing nomination papers with the Secretary of the Commonwealth. Additionally, party candidates may not have been enrolled in any other political party for one year prior to the last day for filing nomination papers with the Secretary of the Commonwealth.

According to a CommonWealth Magazine report, Weld, a 2016 libertarian vice presidential candidate, did not switch parties to become a Republican until Jan. 17, 2019.

"This same person, Bill Galvin, vested with the responsibility of ensuring the sanctity of the commonwealth's collective voting booth, somehow can't be bothered to consult his own election manual," Lyons said. "I can't believe the Massachusetts Republican Party has had to resort to doing Bill Galvin's job for him -- actually, check that, I can.

"Bill Galvin's performance today fits nicely with his history of partisan performances as the Massachusetts Democratic Party Kingpin:

"The same Secretary Galvin who once told Lawrence Mayor Dan Rivera ‘I made you mayor’.

"The same Secretary Galvin who knowingly used state resources to prop up his own reelection campaign.

"The same Secretary Galvin who got caught habitually interfering with the rights of volunteers serving in the armed forces overseas to participate in elections back home.

"The same Secretary Galvin who conveniently scheduled his own state primary election date in 2018 on the day after Labor Day.

“The same Secretary Galvin whose office staff got caught for working for his campaign on the taxpayer's dime.”

Added Lyons:

"Bill Galvin has decided to throw aside any pretense of acting as an impartial secretary of state. Clearly, Bill Galvin is a partisan activist."

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