alleged fake – Massachusetts Democrats filed formal objections Wednesday to Republican Mike Walsh for attorney general and Anne Manning-Martin for lieutenant governor, accusing both campaigns of submitting fraudulent signatures to get on the September primary ballot and urgi
For days, campaigns have been racing toward a hard deadline. On Wednesday, the pace shifted—because the signatures themselves are now in dispute.
The Massachusetts Democratic Party filed formal objections to the campaigns of two Massachusetts Republican candidates, alleging fraudulent signatures meant to secure their place on the September primary ballot. MassDems called for both candidates to withdraw before Friday’s deadline.
MassDems Chair Stephen Kerrigan said in a press release that the party has “now see[n] what attempted fraud actually looks like by Republicans here in Massachusetts.” Kerrigan pointed to language President Donald Trump and Republican leaders have used for years about voter fraud and election integrity. “For years. Donald Trump and Republican leaders have made voter fraud and election integrity central to their political message. ” Kerrigan said. “We now see what attempted fraud actually looks like by Republicans here in Massachusetts.”.
The objections target Mike Walsh, a candidate for attorney general, and Anne Manning-Martin, a candidate for lieutenant governor. MassDems alleged that both campaigns submitted the fake signatures “knowingly and willingly. ” and said Adam Roof. the executive director of MassDems. placed formal objections to Walsh’s and Manning-Martin’s campaigns with the State Ballot Law Commission.
Kerrigan also urged the two candidates to step aside. He called on Walsh and Manning-Martin to withdraw from their races before Friday’s deadline. warning that staying in the race would be to “fully abdicate” Republican advocacy for fair elections. Kerrigan further urged the Massachusetts GOP and Republican governor candidates Mike Minogue and Brian Shortsleeve to “condemn these illegal actions.”.
Roof’s objection argues that Walsh and Manning-Martin’s submissions include signatures that were allegedly fraudulent in multiple ways. They were described as signatures “written by the same hand. ” signatures that were not signed in person. signatures from people who are not registered voters. and signatures from voters who are not eligible to be registered. Roof said other signatures were allegedly fake, signed twice, or fraudulently obtained. He also said some signatures were submitted by people who requested that their names be removed.
The practical consequence, Roof said, is ballot access. Striking the alleged fraudulent signatures. the objection states. would put Walsh and Manning-Martin below the minimum 10. 000 signatures required to get on the primary ballot. Roof urged that unless the candidates withdraw. the State Ballot Law Commission—which is run by the Secretary of the Commonwealth—should hold hearings to determine whether enough valid signatures exist.
If signatures are proven false and the candidates fall below the required threshold, Roof wrote that Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin must remove their names from the Republican ballot for the Sept. 1 primary.
Kerrigan framed the issue as one of both election integrity and harm to voters. “The signature process exists to demonstrate genuine public support. and any effort to circumvent those requirements undermines confidence in our democratic system and is also a violation of the rights of the voters whose names were unknowingly used to perpetrate this fraud. ” he said. “Voters deserve leaders who respect the democratic process, not candidates who benefit from efforts to undermine it.”.
Walsh’s campaign rejected the allegations. In a statement responding to Kerrigan’s accusations, Walsh’s campaign called Kerrigan “Andrea Campbell’s attack dog” and accused Democrats of playing “political games” to distract voters and avoid a competitive race for attorney general.
Walsh’s campaign also said that Michael Walsh stands behind the rule of law and respects the legal processes established under Massachusetts election law. It added that more than 10. 000 Massachusetts voters signed nomination papers supporting Walsh’s candidacy because they want “a real choice on the ballot and a serious discussion about public safety. accountability. and restoring trust in government.”.
Manning-Martin’s campaign did not respond to requests for comment Wednesday night.
The allegations land in a moment when ballooning scrutiny over ballot access is already affecting other races in Massachusetts. In May. Anne Brensley—the MassGOP-endorsed candidate for lieutenant governor—failed to collect her required 10. 000 signatures to appear on the primary ballot. Brensley blamed a paid signature gathering campaign run by Weymouth Republican Town Committee Chair Joe Bronske.
According to Brensley’s campaign, Bronske’s company was paid $15,000 to collect 6,500 signatures and ultimately collected 6,203. The campaign said that “entire batches” of those signatures were later rejected after clerks from three cities and towns reached out with concerns that the signatures may have been fraudulent.
Brensley’s campaign said in May that Walsh and Manning-Martin had also both worked with Bronske and faced “difficult ballot access issues.” Roof’s objection does not clarify whether the alleged fraudulent signatures from their campaigns were obtained by Bronske’s company.
Earlier, Walsh had said he believed his nomination papers were sufficient. A spokesperson for Walsh previously told Boston.com that clerks had reported receiving more than enough certified signatures to get him on the ballot; at the time. the clerks still had nearly two weeks to finish counting the signatures.
The latest objections now put the focus on what happens next—whether hearings will be held, and whether signature challenges will determine who ultimately appears on the ballot for the Sept. 1 primary.
Massachusetts Democrats MassDems Stephen Kerrigan Adam Roof State Ballot Law Commission Mike Walsh Anne Manning-Martin fraudulent signatures Sept. 1 primary William Galvin Massachusetts GOP ballot access