To the editor:

I want to thank everyone who took the time to learn about the race for Governor’s Council, District 3.

It was a privilege to be a candidate and to experience firsthand our democratic process.

When I entered the race at the end of April, many voters I met knew little about the Governor’s Council or its enormous responsibility for confirming Massachusetts judges, who may serve until age 70. Three months later, when mail-in voting began, thousands more did.

That matters.

Contested elections are good for democracy. They give voters choices. They bring attention to issues that might otherwise receive little public scrutiny. They require candidates and elected officials to explain their decisions, declare their intentions for a possible new term, and create public discourse that strengthens our institutions.

I am proud that our campaign did just that.

We started a conversation about accountability, transparency, and public trust—and about why the Governor’s Council needs clear, publicly accessible rules governing conflicts of interest and the involvement of Councillors’ major campaign donors in the judicial confirmation process. Voters should not have to wonder what the rules are or whether the Councillors confirming our judges are exercising truly independent judgment.

We also brought much-needed attention to the enormous impact our court system can have on families. There are many excellent judges serving our Commonwealth, and the public has every right to expect that same standard of excellence throughout our judiciary. Whatever one’s politics, we can all agree that our courts must take allegations of abuse seriously, understand the impact of trauma on parties and children, strive not to retraumatize them through the court process, and make decisions grounded first and foremost in the safety and well-being of children.

I entered this race as a first-time candidate just three months before mail-in voting began. Governor’s Council District 3 encompasses 32 cities, towns, and communities. I am enormously grateful to every voter we were able to reach—and to the grassroots team that helped carry our message across the district.

Elections are about more than the final vote count. Democracy also happens in the conversations an election creates: when voters start asking questions, when public officials are called upon to explain their decisions, and when people become more engaged with the institutions that serve them.

An election ended on September 1. The conversation it started should not.

Thank you for listening, questioning, and engaging in conversations about who confirms the judges entrusted with administering justice in Massachusetts.

Margie Palladino
Wellesley