Massachusetts General Laws Part I. Administration of the Government (Ch. 1-182) Ch. 41, § 19A

Upon the appointment or election of a clerk or an assistant or temporary clerk of a city, town or district, or upon the appointment of a secretary or temporary secretary of a regional school district, the officer making the appointment, otherwise the president of the city council of such city, the chairman of the board of selectmen of such town, the chairman of the prudential committee, if any, otherwise the chairman of the commissioners of such district, or the chairman of the regional district school committee shall execute and file with the state secretary a certificate of such appointment or election, which shall specify the date thereof and the date of the expiration of the term of office, if any, otherwise that the tenure of office is unlimited, and which shall have appended thereto a statement signed by the person appointed or elected that he has entered upon the duties of such office. Upon presentation to the state secretary of a paper attested by any person as the holder of any such office, said secretary shall have authority to certify that such person is the holder thereof and attest to the genuineness of his signature.