BOSTON (AP) – Gov. Mitt Romney has packed the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority board with too many Republicans, violating a state law designed to limit political patronage on state panels, according to a published report.

Romney’s former consumer affairs secretary, Beth Lindstrom, will have to step down just a few weeks after she was appointed to the five-member board, the governor’s spokesman told The Boston Sunday Globe.

Lindstrom’s appointment violated the law preventing more than three members of any political party from serving on the Turnpike Authority board.

There already were two Republicans on the board – Chairman Matthew Amorello and Mary Connaughton – when Romney appointed Lindstrom and longtime Republican Thomas Trimarco in June.

Lindstrom plans to resign, and the governor will appoint a replacement on Monday, Romney spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom said.

Trimarco’s status also may be in question because of a rule that prevents party switching to gain appointments. The appointee must have been a member of a political party continuously for the two years before their appointment. Trimarco changed his party affiliation to “unenrolled” days before he joined the board June 28.

Romney’s appointments were part of an effort to seize control of the Turnpike Authority board away from Amorello.

The error may impact a lawsuit filed by Connaughton, Trimarco and Lindstrom against Amorello, claiming he took steps to undercut their power to help oversee the Big Dig highway project.

Romney has sparred with Amorello, who oversees most of the massive $14.6 billion project, and has called on him to resign.

After a July 10 fatal accident caused by falling Big Dig tunnel ceiling panels, Romney took over the inspections, repair work and decisions on when to reopen the tunnels from the Turnpike Authority.

Romney has said the fatal accident bolsters his argument the project has been mismanaged and Amorello should be removed as chief executive. A hearing was scheduled for July 27 on Amorello’s dismissal.