Massachusetts General Laws

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 34, § 4 (2026)

Election; tenure

✓ current as of July 2026

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Section 4. Except in Nantucket and Suffolk counties, there shall be elected in each county, as provided in section one hundred and fifty-eight of chapter fifty-four, for terms of four years beginning the first Wednesday of January following their election and until their successors are qualified, three county commissioners, who shall be sworn before entering upon their duties, and shall annually, at their first meeting after the first Wednesday of January, choose by ballot a chairman. In Nantucket county the selectmen of Nantucket, and in Suffolk county the mayor and city council of Boston, the municipal council of Chelsea and the city council of Revere, in their respective cities, and the selectmen of Winthrop in said town, shall, except as otherwise provided, have the powers and perform the duties of county commissioners.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 12 cases, 1925–2011 · leading case: Chandler v. Cnty. Commissioners, 437 Mass. 430 (Mass. 2002).

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Chandler v. Cnty. Commissioners, 437 Mass. 430 (Mass. 2002). · cites it 2× “” Although the county commissioners are themselves the town of Nantucket’s board of selectmen, G. L. c. 34, § 4, so that the selectmen’s approval would have been nary an obstacle, obtaining approval from the Department of Environmental Management may have been more onerous.”

Maraj v. Massachusetts, 836 F. Supp. 2d 17 (D. Mass. 2011). · cites it 2× “108 Plaintiff failed, however, to fulfill her presentment requirements by alerting the members of the Boston City Counsel pursuant to M.G.L. c. 34 § 4. Plaintiffs negligence and wrongful death claims against the Commonwealth and the Suffolk County Sheriffs Department are…”

Perry v. Plan. Bd. of Nantucket, 444 N.E.2d 389 (Mass. App. Ct. 1983). “If it has been or is made, but not complied with by the town, he may request the commissioners (who in Nantucket are the board of selectmen, see G. L. c. 34, § 4) to construct the way. See G.”

Inmates of the Suffolk Cnty. Jail v. Eisenstadt, 360 F. Supp. 676 (D. Mass. 1973). “G.L. c. 34, § 4, the Mayor and Councillors are county commissioners for Suffolk County and as such have executive as well as legislative powers.”

Keane v. City Auditor of Boston, 402 N.E.2d 495 (Mass. 1980). “G. L. c. 34, § 4. 4 Statute 1977, c. 278, provides in relevant part: “Section 1.”

Cnty. of Suffolk v. Labor Relations Comm'n, 444 N.E.2d 953 (Mass. App. Ct. 1983). “G. L. c. 34, § 4. Keane v. City Auditor of Boston, 380 Mass.”

Goodale v. Cnty. Commissioners of Worcester, 178 N.E. 228 (Mass. 1931). “As applied to the petitioner who reached the age-of seventy before the *151 end of four years from the beginning of his last term of office, an apparent inconsistency exists between the provisions of G. L. c. 34, § 4, fixing the term for which county commissioners are elected as…”

Thompson v. City of Chelsea, 260 N.E.2d 699 (Mass. 1970). “40, § 53, against (a) the cities of Boston, Chelsea, and Revere, and the town of Winthrop; (b) Suffolk County; (c) the persons in Boston (the mayor and city council), Chelsea (the aldermen), Revere (the city council), and Winthrop (the selectmen), who serve as county…”

Hoban v. Boston Ret. Bd., 246 N.E.2d 814 (Mass. 1969). “It is contended that the mayor and city council acting as county commissioners were not generally speaking ministerial officers, and nothing in St.”

Gordon v. Sheriff of Suffolk Cnty., 580 N.E.2d 1039 (Mass. 1991). “3 The mayor and city council of Boston serve as county commissioners of Suffolk County, see G. L. c. 34, § 4 (1990 ed.); Keane v. City Auditor of Boston, 380 Mass.”

McCourt v. Mayor & City Council, 149 N.E. 601 (Mass. 1925). “The justices, acting under the statute, determined on March 31,1924, that the salaries of all deputy male probation officers shall be $2,800 a year, *102 subject to concurrent action by the county commissioners, whose powers in so far as material under the provisions of G. L. c.…”

DiPaola v. Barrett, 12 Mass. L. Rptr. 527 (Mass. Super. Ct. 2000). “Defendants also state that G.L.c. 34, §4, et seq., which pertains to the obligations and functions of the Commissioners, does not require a commissioner to approve agreements or promissory notes entered into by a Sheriff.”

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