A special election for the Massachusetts 10th Essex Representative District has been called to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Rep. Robert F. Fennell. The Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin announced the special primary election will be held on April 12. The general election will follow on May 10.

Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh has announced he wants a lobbying ordinance for the city and he wants it modeled on the state’s lobbying law.

According to the Boston Globe, Walsh will propose regulations requiring lobbyists to disclose their clients, their compensation, and their activities involving development, city contracts, and permits. His proposal was first outlined to Globe columnist Yvonne Abraham. Walsh will propose his lobbying regulation as a home rule petition, which must eventually be approved by the state Legislature.

Secretary of State William Galvin said he would prefer a statewide law requiring lobbyists to disclose their activities in every municipality, according to the Globe.

A special election for the Massachusetts 2nd Plymouth and Bristol Senatorial District has been called to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Senator Thomas Kennedy. The Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin announced the special primary election will be held on October 6, 2015. The general election will follow on November 3, 2015.

Today we welcome you back to the statehouse series. This time we visit Massachusetts!

The “new” Massachusetts statehouse was built in 1798 on top of Beacon Hill. Charles Bullfinch, the architect, was influenced by London architecture. Many buildings in London, such as the Dulwich Gallery and the British Museum, have the same Neoclassical style as the Massachusetts statehouse. The site of the current statehouse was owned by Massachusetts’ first governor, John Hancock.

Like the Vermont statehouse, the Massachusetts statehouse dome is covered in gold leaf, but is topped with a pinecone, reflecting the significance of lumber in the Massachusetts economy. The dome was originally made of wooden shingles, but Paul Revere covered it in copper in 1802, and it was first gilded in 1874. During World War II, it was painted black to eliminate reflections and divert bombers away from the city. The dome remained black until 1997, when it was recovered in gold leaf at the cost of $300,000.

One of the most notable attractions of the Massachusetts statehouse is the Sacred Cod. The wooden codfish hangs above the chamber of the House of Representatives to signify the importance of fishing in the state. The grounds also display many statues of famous Massachusetts residents, such as John F. Kennedy and Daniel Webster. Created in 1990, the statue of John F. Kennedy stands as the newest figure on the grounds.

Since the 1880s, Massachusetts governors have carried on a tradition called the “Long Walk.” The outgoing governor walks out of the statehouse alone while the incoming governor walks up the walkway to the front entrance at the same time. Massachusetts residents line the sidewalks in support of the governors, waving banners and cheering the whole time. What a way to celebrate the importance of a statehouse!

You can plan your own walking tour of Beacon Hill and see the architectural works of Charles Bullfinch at Bostonbyfoot.org.

Photo of the Massachusetts Statehouse courtesy of Fcb981 on Wikimedia Commons.

On January 1, 2015, the limit for individuals making contributions to Massachusetts state candidates increases from $500 to $1,000, due to a new campaign finance bill signed by Gov. Deval Patrick.

Among the many changes in House Bill 4366, signed on August 1, are new reporting requirements for political committees or other entities making independent expenditures, new disclosure requirements for certain types of political advertising, and the creation of a campaign finance and disclosure task force.

According to MassLive.com, Patrick said the bill, conceptually, was “exactly right.”

Today, the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance (OCPF) announced it will continue to enforce the $5,000 aggregate limit an individual may contribute to political party committees during a calendar year.

In response to U.S. Supreme Court’s decision of McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission, in which the Court found aggregate limits on campaign contributions unconstitutional, the OCPF had previously announced it would no longer enforce the state’s aggregate limits for the amount an individual could contribute to candidates. At the time, the OCPF stated it would review the decision more closely before deciding whether the $5,000 aggregate contribution limit to party committees could remain standing.

In affirming that limit today, the OCPF “determined that, because the federal statutory provisions that were analyzed in McCutcheon differ substantially from the law in Massachusetts, this office will continue to enforce the $5,000 aggregate limit.”

On April 10, Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh announced the formation of a city Ethics Committee.

The committee will review all changes to the city’s Ethics Policy, implement a new Statement of Financial Interest for all city employees, create continuing education programs around ethics issues, and analyze existing practices and procedures.

In his press release, the Mayor said, “The citizens of Boston and those who interact with our government should be absolutely confident that their government is working for them, at the highest ethical standards.”

A special election for the Massachusetts Second Suffolk Representative District has been called to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of state Representative Eugene L. O’Flaherty. The Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin announced the special primary election will be held on March 4, 2014. The general election will follow on April 1, 2014. O’Flaherty has been appointed as the city of Boston’s corporation counsel by Mayor Martin J. Walsh.

A special election for the Massachusetts Fourth Hampden Representative District has been called to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of state Representative Donald F. Humason, Jr.

The Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin announced the special primary election will be held on March 4, 2014. The general election will follow on April 1, 2014.

Humason resigned from the House after he was elected to the Senate for the 2nd Hampden-Hampshire District.

A special election for the Massachusetts Fifth Middlesex Senate District has been called to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of state Senator Katherine M. Clark.

The Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin announced the special primary election will be held on March 4, 2014. The general election will follow on April 1, 2014.

On December 10, 2013, Clark won a special election for the U.S. House of Representatives seat left vacant by Ed Markey.

The 2014 Massachusetts state primary has been moved up a week from September 16 to September 9 due to the passage of House Bill 3764.

This bill only changes the 2014 primary date and does not affect future state primary dates. The bill was introduced and passed by the House on November 18, passed by the Senate the following day, and signed by the governor a week later.

A special election for the Massachusetts Ninth Norfolk Representative District has been called to fill a vacancy caused by the resignation of state Rep. Daniel B. Winslow.

The office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin announced the special primary election will be held on December 10, 2013. The special general election will follow on January 7, 2014.

Winslow resigned from the Senate to work as vice president and general counsel at Rimini Street, a third-party provider of enterprise software support services.

A special election for the Massachusetts Second Hampden and Hampshire Senate District has been called to fill a vacancy caused by the resignation of state Senator Michael R. Knapik.

The office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin announced the special primary election will be held on October 8, 2013. The special general election will follow on November 5.

Knapik resigned from the Senate to work as executive director of University Admissions at Westfield State University.

A special election for the Massachusetts 16th Worcester Representative District has been called to fill a vacancy caused by the resignation of Representative John P. Fresolo.

The office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin announced the special primary election will be held on August 13. The special general election will follow on September 10.

Fresolo resigned from the House of Representatives on May 22 after a House ethics investigation. The nature of the investigation has not been made public, according to the Boston Globe.