Galvin to Run for Ninth Term as Massachusetts Secretary of State

Massachusetts Secretary of State William Galvin, the longest-serving elections administrator since 1995, has built a decades-long career on Beacon Hill, including time in the Massachusetts House. On Wednesday, Feb. 4, Galvin announced he will seek a record ninth term in the fall.

In a letter to the Democratic State Committee, the 75-year-old Galvin said he is doing so in anticipation of the 2028 presidential election. He noted that he was “greatly concerned with federal efforts to interfere with the conduct of the election,” referring to the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection as well as the “ongoing effort to manipulate congressional districts in 2026,” according to a State House News Service report. 

Galvin frames his resistance as a mission to protect Massachusetts voters from federal overreach and to challenge efforts to demand voter information in federal court. A ballot initiative backed by his office to allow Election Day registration is among 11 measures moving toward the 2026 ballot, aligning with broader voting-access goals.

Galvin also warned of potential threats to the 2028 presidential election and the 2030 census, noting plans to redraw districts that could affect federal representation and funding.

Before seeking an eighth term of office in 2022, Galvin 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 at the time. "So, quite likely, I will not run again."

That all changed in light of recent events in the nation. “To leave a battlefield in the middle of a battle, it's something I'm not going to do,” Galvin said in a phone interview with the Boston Globe. “I came to the conclusion that I best take care of business.”

State House News Service reporter Katie Castellani noted that Galvin has consistently won reelection by substantial margins. He has also maintained a high public profile through campaign ads and served as the state's chief information officer while guiding elections.

Galvin does not yet have any declared Democratic or Republican opponents. It's unclear whether he will face a contender for another term in office.