John Davoren is sworn in as Massachusetts Secretary of State.

Davoren succeeds Boston mayor-Elect Kevin White, who, after discovering he could legally do so, had threatened to remain in the post and serve as mayor unless the Massachusetts legislature agreed to pass a bill by which the state would assume the cost of public welfare programs from cities and towns. When the legislature did so, House Speaker Davoren was chosen to succeed White, and Democratic majority leader Robert Quinn of Dorchester was chosen to succeed Davoren as speaker.