Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Citizens' Guide to State Services
Published by
William Francis Galvin
Secretary of the Commonwealth
Citizen Information Service
Constitutional Officers: Governor
C2 Governor and Lieutenant Governor
C3 Governor's Office of Constituent Services
C4 Washington Office of Federal-State Relations
C2 Governor and Lieutenant Governor's Office
His Excellency Charles (Charlie) Baker Governor of Massachusetts
Honorable Karyn Polito Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts
State House, Room 360
Boston, MA 02133
Tel: 617-725-4000
www.mass.gov/orgs/office-of-the-governor
Email: www.mass.gov/forms/email-the-governors-office
The Governor is the head of the executive branch of Massachusetts government and serves as chief administrative officer of the state and as commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The responsibilities of the Governor include preparation of the annual budget, nomination of all judicial officers, granting of pardons (with the consent of the Governor's Council), appointment of the heads of most major state departments and agencies, and the acceptance or veto of each bill passed by the legislature. The Governor can call special sessions of the General Court with the consent of the Governor's Council. In the absence, resignation, death, or disability of the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor performs all the duties incumbent upon the chief executive and has all the Governor's constitutional powers. In addition, the Lieutenant Governor is a voting member of the Governor's Council and is delegated certain responsibilities at the Governor's discretion. The Governor and Lieutenant Governor's administrative offices have been consolidated.
Regional Office:
436 Dwight Street, Suite 300
Springfield, MA 01103
Tel: 413.784.1200
C3 Governor's Office of Constituent Services
State House, Room 280
Boston, MA 02133
Tel: 617-725-4005
Toll
Free: 1-888-870-7770 (within Mass. only)
TTY: 617-727-3666
www.mass.gov/orgs/governors-office-of-constituent-services
This office, acting as the governor's ombudsman, is responsible for dealing with all areas of state government and community interaction. It operates on three levels: immediate problem resolution, information collection, and information dissemination; problem referral, long-term case involvement and follow-up; and evaluation and suggestion reform of service delivery.
C4 Washington Office of Federal-State Relations
Hall of the States
444 North Capitol Street, NW, Suite 208
Washington, D.C. 20001
Tel: 202-624-7713
Fax: 202-624-7714
This office serves as the liaison with the members the Massachusetts congressional delegation and advises the administration on priority legislation affecting the Commonwealth.
C5 Governor's Council
State House, Room 184
Boston, MA 02133
Tel: 617-725-4016
www.mass.gov/orgs/office-of-the-governor
The Governor's Council (also called the Executive Council) is composed of the Lieutenant Governor and eight councilors elected from councillor districts for a two-year term. It has the constitutional power to approve judicial appointments and pardons, to authorize expenditures from the Treasury, to approve the appointment of constitutional officers if a vacancy occurs when the legislature is not in session, and to compile and certify the results of statewide elections. It also approves the appointments of notaries public and justices of the peace, for an application send a self addressed stamped envelope with a short written request to the address above.