max.bowen@northstarreporter.com
Seeking to utilize her experience with the trial court and as a probation officer, Tamisha Civil of Stoughton is running for the District 2 seat on the state’s Governor’s Council.
The Massachusetts Governor’s Council, also known as the Executive Council, is composed of eight individuals elected from districts, and the lieutenant governor who serves ex officio, according to the state’s web site. The eight councilors are elected from their respective districts every two years.
District 2 includes North Attleborough, and the seat is vacant at this time. Civil is running as a Democrat and will face fellow candidates Muriel Kramer, Sean Murphy and David Reservitz for the nomination in September. Republican Francis T. Crimmins Jr. is running unopposed at this time.
The council meets weekly to record advice and consent on warrants for the state treasury, pardons and commutations, and recording advice and consent to gubernatorial appointments such as judges, clerk-magistrates, public administrators, members of the Parole Board, Appellate Tax Board, Industrial Accident Board and Industrial Accident Reviewing Board, notaries, and justices of the peace.
‘A different perspective’
Civil has many years of community service, having served as a Town Meeting representative in Stoughton, the Stoughton Equal Opportunity Committee and the Eastern Regional Commission on the Status of Women, among others. Civil graduated from Dover-Sherborn Regional High School and Northeastern University with a master’s degree in criminal justice and leadership.
“What I would say is that out of all my opponents, I bring a different perspective,” said Civil. “There’s never been a woman of color, or man of color to sit on the council. And if we want effective change and if we want to include everyone and not leave anyone behind in the criminal justice system, we really need to make an effort to bring in a diverse voice, diverse perspective and to acknowledge that our criminal justice system and legal system have loopholes that we need to fix.”
Civil said that her lengthy experience with the criminal justice system makes her a strong candidate to serve on the council, which includes her 10 years with the Massachusetts Trial Court, working as an associate probation officer with the Massachusetts Probation Services, and the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office as a victim witness advocate. She also cited her time working alongside judges, as one of the roles of the council it to approve nominations for judgeships.
“So, with all that together that has shaped my understanding of the criminal justice system, with the experience that I have in the courtroom,” she said. “And lastly, you know, my family has experienced the other side of a criminal justice system, where my cousin was wrongfully convicted of murder. And he spent 27 years in jail and was exonerated from those charges in 2021.”
Civil has campaigned twice before, in runs for the state representative seat for the 6th Norfolk District, in 2020 and 2020. She was defeated both times, and said her opponent being a longstanding incumbent was a factor.
“So, it was a wonderful experience, it was a positive campaign,” said Civil of her time campaigning. “We ran a positive campaign, we simply just wanted to educate people in the community that their voice matters.”
Civil said making people aware of the council and its role could be a challenge, and plans to be a candidate with a presence within the district’s communities. Civil has received endorsements from Edward J. Dolan, former commissioner with the Massachusetts Probation Service, state Rep. Russel Holmes, District 8, Governor’s Councilor Tara Jacobs, and Bridgewater Town Councilor-At-Large Susan Robinson, among others.
As a member of the council, she wants to ask the “hard questions” of those that want to be appointed to judgeships. She’d want to know what organizations they’ve worked with and the communities they’ve been involved with, and if they can bring passion to being a judge in Massachusetts. She’d like to see new judges who understand homelessness, women’s issues, domestic violence and mental health.
“I do I feel like people want change. And in order to make that change, you have to put people in place that doesn’t fit the norm that we usually see,” said Civil. “If we look at the mechanism of the whole state, it’s still not enough and in order to move from the past and to work for the next generation coming in, we have to be an example by including everyone.”
For more information, visit www.tamishacivil.com.
