Massachusetts. Governor's External Relations Office.

The Governor's External Relations Office tracks all gubernatorial correspondence, drafting and recording gubernatorial responses to incoming mail or forwarding it to the appropriate agency for reply. The name came into use during the terms of William Weld (1991-1997), although the unit itself, as the Governor's Correspondence Office, appears to have begun during the terms of Francis Sargent (1969-1975). Under Mitt Romney (2003-2007), the unit has been known as the Governor's External Affairs Office. Earlier correspondence materials are also listed under that heading, although they were handled by the governor's secretarial staff, and prior to 1861 by the state secretary, who served as secretary to the governor.

NAME AUTHORITY NOTE. Series relating to the agencies described above can be found by searching the following access points for the time periods stated: To 1991--Massachusetts. Governor's Correspondence Office; 1991-present--Massachusetts. Governor's External Relations Office.