Scope and Content: The state secretary holds constitutional responsibility, carried out since 1948 in the secretary’s Elections Division, for forwarding to registered voters before each state election the full text of proposed constitutional amendments and other ballot questions resulting from initiative or referendum petitions (Const Amend Arts 48; 74, S 1; and 108).
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically by year
Notes: Pamphlets through 1974 have title: Official information to voters. –Issued biennially.  Missing or not issued for: 1946, 1950-1960, 1984, 1992-2012
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Scope and Content: Initiative and referendum petitions are popular initiatives to place before the electorate proposed constitutional amendments or legislation and existing legislation for review respectively.  In accordance with the state constitution (Const Amend Arts 48, 74, 81), qualifying initiative and referendum petitions are filed in the state secretary’s office, where since 1948 they have been kept in the secretary’s Elections Division.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically by date of filing
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Scope and Content: Federal law directs the executive of each state to prepare the meeting of the College of Presidential and Vice-Presidential Electors and related papers.  In Massachusetts, in accordance with MGLA c 54, s 148, the state secretary is responsible for calling to order the meeting of presidential electors and for recording and filing their proceedings, the latter duties carried out since 1948 in the secretary’s Elections Division.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically by year of election
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Scope and Content: The Massachusetts constitution can be amended by a legislative amendment (originating in the legislature) or by initiative amendment (originating in an initiative petition signed by a specified number of voters), submitted to the voters after required approval by two successively elected legislatures (Const Amend Arts 48, 81); or by calling and holding a constitutional convention.  This series consists of proposed legislative or initiative constitutional amendments that were approved or rejected by the voters. –For gubernatorial proclamations relating to amendments rejected 1913, 1915 see: Massachusetts. Governor’s Office of Constituency Services. Statutory proclamations ((M-Ar)235)
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
Notes: Received from the Office of the Secretary of State, which has responsibility for elections, specifically since 1948 from its Elections Division
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Scope and Content: The state secretary holds constitutional and statutory responsibilities for elections, duties carried out since 1948 in the secretary’s Elections Division.  Pursuant to MGLA c 54, s 115, the governor and council, upon examining and tabulating voting returns to determine the results, are responsible for transmitting an abstract of the tabulation and determination to the office of the secretary.  Registers of votes for national and state officers and constitutional amendments are bound registers that contain a tabulation of votes for presidential elections; members of Congress; state and county officials; and proposed constitutional amendments and other ballot questions from initiative or referendum petitions. –Votes for governor and lieutenant governor, 1783-1784 are in: Massachusetts. Office of the Secretary of State. House journal ((M-Ar) 532), 1783, p. 14; 1784, p. 9. –See also: Massachusetts. Office of the Secretary of State. Returns of votes for state representatives, 1778-1866 ((M-Ar)197X); Returns of votes for state senators, 1842-1885 ((M-Ar)198X)
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically by year, thereunder by office, county, and municipality. Arranged by office, thereunder chronologically
Notes: Spine title varies: abstract of votes; votes for state officers
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Scope and Content: The state secretary holds constitutional and statutory responsibilities for elections, duties carried out since 1948 in the secretary’s Elections Division.  Pursuant to MGLA c 54, s 121, county commissioners are required to transmit to the state secretary notice of county treasurers and registers of deeds elected immediately after each county election.  County boards of examiners (the judge and register of the probate court and the clerk of courts of each county) are similarly charged by MGLA c 54, s 122 to transmit to the secretary notice of county commissioners elected immediately after each county election.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically, thereunder alphabetically by county
Notes: In the late 1990s-early 2000s, nine counties abolished county government and their registers of deeds began to report to the state secretary. –Box 1: 1984-1994.  Box 2: 1996-2002. Box 3: 2004-2012
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Scope and Content: The state secretary holds constitutional and statutory responsibilities for elections, duties carried out since 1948 in the secretary’s Elections Division.  Pursuant to MGLA c 41, s 15, town clerks are required to transmit to the state secretary a complete list of all town officers elected, immediately after each annual town election.  Returns of elected town officers are certified by the town clerks on forms provided by the secretary.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically by year, thereunder alphabetically by town
Notes: Returns for 1983-1989, 1991 transferred from Commissions Section. Also known as: E2-41. Returns for 1973-1982, most of 1989 lacking
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Scope and Content: Massachusetts Const Amend Art 21 states the principle of equal representation in voting districts. MGLA c 54, ss 2,6 requires that in the year following the decennial federal census, the city ward/precinct or town precinct divisions be examined in light of population changes recorded by that census, to ensure the equal number of residents in each precinct. The city or town clerk must send notice to the Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth forthwith after the city council or the board of selectmen vote to accept a plan. Six items must be submitted: (1) Number and designation (numbers or letters) of wards and precincts and their population (2) Official census map showing new wards and precincts designated by number and letter (3) Physical boundary description of the new wards and precincts which includes the number of residents in each new ward and precinct (4) List of the census tract and block numbers and each block’s population for each precinct (5) Map with the precincts drawn on it (6) Vote of adoption. Changes take effect at the end of year following the census. –All of the above submissions must be certified. When submitted, these materials should be accompanied by a letter from the city or town clerk or election commission that the materials have been certified by a vote of the board of selectmen or board of aldermen or the city council. The Office of Secretary of the Commonwealth transmits these materials to the Local Election District Review Commission (LEDRC). LEDRC is an independent commission charged with the responsibilities of overseeing, supervising and approving the divisions of cities and towns into precincts. While LEDRC is within the department of the Secretary of the Commonwealth, it is not within his supervision or control. LEDRC consists of three members: the attorney general and the state secretary, or their designees, and a third member appointed by the governor. Each member serves at the pleasure of his or her respective designating officer. –LEDRC reviews each plan under the requirements of MGLA c 54 and other relevant constitutional requirements.  LEDRC has the authority to reject submitted plans and to require local authorities to reconfigure their wards and precincts. If the plan is disapproved, LEDRC must clearly spell out the deficiencies in the plan in writing and promptly notify the local officials. If a locality fails to submit a ward and precinct plan or fails to comply with a directive of LEDRC following its review, then LEDRC (or a master appointed by LEDRC) is mandated to make local ward and precinct divisions itself. The cost of any such undertaking by LEDRC is borne by the offending locality.
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Scope and Content: The Board of Gas Commissioners, established in 1885, was renamed Board of Gas and Electric Light Commissioners in 1889.  That body was abolished in 1919, when its functions were combined with those of the Public Service Commission in the Dept. of Public Utilities.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
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Scope and Content: North Reading State Sanatorium provided care and treatment of tuberculosis patients in Massachusetts from 1909 to 1962, being confined to juvenile clientele from 1927.  Employee medical records were kept by sanatorium medical staff who treated employee patients.
Arrangement: Arranged by case no./chronologically by treatment date
Restrictions: Personal medical information restricted by statutory provision MGLA c 4, s 7, d 26(c), c 66A. For conditions of access consult repository
Notes: Transferred to Western Massachusetts Hospital ca. 1962, when North Reading State Sanatorium closed.  Transferred to Archives, Aug.-Sept. 1982. Case no. 1-1121 only, although index cites numbers through 1588
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