Last night, Joe Trippi hosted a blog call with John Bonifaz, 2006 candidate for Secretary of State of Massachusetts. You can read more about the call on Joe's blog and listen to the call here.

Five years ago this evening, the United States Supreme Court, for the first time in our nation’s history, stopped the counting of votes and selected the president of the United States. On this fifth anniversary of the Bush v. Gore ruling, it is worth remembering that night and recommitting ourselves to the ongoing struggle for the right to vote here in this country.

Today, the incumbent Secretary William F. Galvin announced that he would be seeking re-election to a fourth term. After twelve years, it is time for a change. Massachusetts deserves a Secretary of State who will fight to ensure that every vote is properly counted and who will broaden the democratic process for all of us.

I am announcing today that I am a candidate for Secretary of State of Massachusetts in 2006, regardless of whether or not it will be an open seat.

I have reached this decision after exploring this candidacy for the past several months. During that time, I have met with people across the state who have urged that I mount this campaign and who are excited by the prospect of a Secretary of State committed to fighting for our democracy and for our right to vote.

I have also witnessed in recent weeks that the incumbent Secretary, William F. Galvin, is failing to live up to his responsibilities as the chief elections officer in the state. Here are a few key examples:

Since launching the website for our campaign last month, many of you have responded with your enthusiastic support. Thank you so much! Together, we can build a campaign that will fight to make Massachusetts a model for free and fair elections for the nation.

Here is an update on our work in the past month:

1) Prior to the November 8, 2005 municipal election in Lawrence, Massachusetts, I learned that city officials in Lawrence had mailed notices in late October to some 15,000 voters (nearly half of the electorate) stating that they were on the inactive voter list. The notices arrived with little or no time for voters to meet the October 19 deadline to be placed back on the active voter list. Further, the notices – which the city sent in disproportionate numbers to Latino voters -- did not state that people on the inactive voter list could still vote in the November 8th election, thus discouraging thousands of voters from showing up on election day.