2024 Register of Deeds Norfolk District
Massachusetts is divided into 21 registry districts, each with an elected Register of Deeds who serves for a six-year term. Each registry records all documents about real estate ownership within its district. The register of deeds helps facilitate the process of transferring registered land property ownership.
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William Patrick O'Donnell
(Dem)
What are the principal challenges facing the Register of Deeds?
What are your priorities, if elected?
How would you ensure that records are accessible to people for whom English is not their primary language and to people without reliable access to the internet?
What changes, if any, would you make at the Registry of Deeds?
What do you most want the voters to know about you as a candidate?
Campaign Phone
781-762-0988
Measures
Re-Election
The principal challenges are to maintain implemented modernization initiatives that have transformed the Norfolk Registry of Deeds into the best run registry in Massachusetts. These modernization initiatives need to be supported in order to continue to provide the quality user friendly customer service to Registry users, homeowners and residents that the Norfolk Registry of Deeds is known for. The challenge is to preserve the implemented modernization initiatives at the Registry of Deeds - one example is the state of the art computer and document management system which makes the Registry records more accessible on-line at www.norfolkdeeds.org. Increased risks of cybersecurity threats and scams will be a challenge.
To use my proven track record as your present Register of Deeds utilizing my administrative skills and legal training to protect the Registry records. My experience and qualifications protect the legal title to the biggest asset most of us have - our home. Protecting Norfolk County citizens against scams and internet crime involving property records with a free Consumer Notification Service to warn residents of title fraud at www.norfolkdeeds.org. Priorities are to continue to be at the forefront of consumer protection issues, continue to bring Registry records and information into the communities and to run a soundly managed operation efficiently and with quality customer service the Registry is known for.
Registry records can be viewed online back to 1793 at www.norfolkdeeds.org. The printed Registry books are a resource to a person without reliable access to the internet. One can come by the public Registry building and research property in hard copy via books or online at one of many free Registry computer work stations. The Registry Customer Service Center is available as is our Community Outreach Program. The Deeds site is ADA compliant. Site accessibility extends to foreign language speakers who can use browser technology that helps translate sites e.g. Google translator with its AI powered learning. There are staff who speak Spanish as well as hearing impaired employees.
I have worked hard to be innovative in expanding citizen access to land records. See www.billodonnell.org. I will continue to build upon the “History Comes Alive” program. The Norfolk Registry was the first Registry in New England to transcribe over 450,000 documents recorded from 1793to 1900 from cursive into a clearly readable text. The Norfolk Registry’s Genealogical Research and Resource Center was just rolled out in July. Informational technology changes that protect the legal records and deliver services that the Norfolk Registry has been known for is a priority. I will use my independent judgment and legal training to exercise my fiduciary duty on behalf of the Registry, its users, residents and taxpayers.
It has been a privilege and honor to serve as your Register of Deeds. The care and protection of the recorded real estate legal documents is a public trust I take seriously as it gives legal title to residents’ homes, which in most cases is their largest financial asset. My administrative skills and legal training has answered legal inquiries about land records. You must know the law and keep the registry up-to-date in the computer age. See accomplishments at www.billodonnell.org. Initiatives have been implemented, a professional staff developed and reliable services to the public provided while managing the second busiest Registry in Massachusetts which was operational every work day during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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