Two Republican candidates for statewide office in Massachusetts, Anne Manning Martin and Michael Walsh, have been removed from the September primary ballot due to findings of fraudulent signatures on their nomination petitions. The decisions were made by the State Ballot Law Commission, a five-member panel appointed by the governor, after a review revealed that both candidates fell short of the required 10,000 valid signatures needed to qualify.
Manning Martin, running for lieutenant governor, and Walsh, the Republican-endorsed candidate for attorney general, each had hundreds of signatures invalidated. Walsh had 1,021 signatures disqualified, while Manning Martin lost 1,279, leaving both campaigns substantially below the threshold. Local election officials in towns including Scituate, Hanover, and Rockland initially flagged irregularities in the petitions, prompting further scrutiny.
Testimony before the commission included evidence from Harold Hubschman, a seasoned signature gatherer, who noted a statistically improbable pattern of identical signature orders across both candidates’ petitions—an occurrence he said could not be attributed to chance. Additional testimony indicated some signatures may have been forged or linked to deceased individuals. The findings triggered extensive challenges to the authenticity of the petitions, brought forward by the Massachusetts Democratic Party and Republican candidate Shawn Oliver, who is also vying for lieutenant governor.
Walsh announced his intent to appeal the ruling, stating he looks forward to pursuing the matter in court, where he believes the evidence will be fairly considered. A spokesperson for Manning Martin did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The removal of Manning Martin and Walsh from the ballot significantly alters the Republican primary landscape in Massachusetts. Their disqualification clears the primary field in the GOP lieutenant governor race for Shawn Oliver, who is running alongside gubernatorial candidate Brian Shortsleeve. It also leaves the party without a challenger to incumbent Democratic Attorney General Andrea Campbell. The Massachusetts Republican Party is now officially contesting only three of the six statewide constitutional offices, all currently held by Democrats.
The Secretary of State’s office emphasized its commitment to a transparent and fair electoral process, affirming that all valid signatures and votes will be counted. Meanwhile, the Plymouth County District Attorney’s office has launched a criminal investigation into the allegedly fraudulent signatures.
Massachusetts Democratic Party Chair Steve Kerrigan characterized the commission’s rulings as reinforcing the integrity of the election process. The developments mark a significant setback for the Republican Party in the state as the primary approaches, underscoring ongoing tensions around signature verification and candidate qualification procedures.