_ February 29, 2012 Governor Deval Patrick (D) has appointed Greenfield Attorney Isaac J. Mass (R) to the Massachusetts State Ballot Law Commission. The five member commission investigates objections made in to the legality, validity, completeness and accuracy of all nomination papers and actions required by law to give candidates access to a state ballot or to place an initiative or referendum on a state ballot.

The commission has jurisdiction over:

1)      the statutory and constitutional qualifications of any nominee for state, national or county office;

2)      the certificates of nomination or nomination papers filed in any presidential or state primary, state election, or special state primary or election;

3)      the withdrawal of nomination for any state, county, or federal office after the time to do so has expired or any ineffective withdrawal;

4)       the filing of nomination papers under a false name, or fictitious nominees;

5)      the fraudulent or forged signing of statewide initiative or referendum petitions, or any other objection relating to the signatures on such petitions.

 As a member of the State Ballot Law Commission, Mass a former four-term Greenfield Town Councilor and Republican State Committeeman for the Hampshire and Franklin District who served on the 2008 Republican National Convention Platform Committee will be ineligible to be a candidate for public office during his two year term.