AMHERST — State Rep. Solomon Goldstein-Rose announced in early August that he would not seek a second term in the Legislature, and at the same time endorsed Democrat Mindy Domb to replace him on Beacon Hill.
But when residents in Amherst, Pelham and Precinct 1 in Granby get their ballots for the general election – voting absentee, voting early or voting on election day Nov. 6 – they will still see Goldstein-Rose’s name, as well as the notation that he is a “Candidate for Re-election,” beneath the Representative in the General Court section.
Even though this may cause confusion for some voters, Goldstein-Rose said having his name appear on the ballot was not his decision because, since last winter, he has not been in a political party.
“There is no process to remove one’s name from the ballot following the deadline,” Goldstein-Rose said.
Debra O’Malley, a spokeswoman for the Secretary of Commonwealth, confirmed in an email that Goldstein-Rose’s name was required to be on the ballot if he did not leave the race by the end of May.
“There was a method to remove his name from the ballot, but unfortunately, August was too late to do so,” O’Malley said, noting that candidates wishing to withdraw from the state election ballot had to do so by 5 p.m. on June 1.
Because Goldstein-Rose was a non-party candidate, he didn’t have the avenue that a party candidate does to decline the nomination after the primary vote and then have that party fill the vacancy with another candidate, O’Malley said.
“Since he did not need to be nominated by any party, there was no nomination to decline,” O’Malley said.
For Domb, the presumptive successor to Goldstein-Rose, the rule preventing his name from being removed from the ballot is archaic and needs to be adjusted. Domb said possible voter confusion can lead to voter suppression.
“This is one of those rules and laws that should be changed,” Domb said. “We should be making voting easier, not more confusing.”
Domb said she hopes to get this rule amended, adding that it is absurd and disrespectful to voters that Goldstein-Rose’s name had to remain on the ballot when the paper ballots weren’t printed until after the Sept. 4 primary.
In the Sept. 4 state primary, Domb defeated Eric Nakajima to secure the Democratic nomination for the seat.
When Goldstein-Rose unenrolled from the Democratic party over the winter, he cited it as a way to reduce partisanship and be more inclusive in pursuing bold policies, saying that he wanted to pursue energy policy at the federal level and work to elect a more progressive president in 2020. Then, after informing voters he was not running for reelection for the seat he won in 2016, he threw his support behind Domb.
Goldstein-Rose said anyone who has been paying attention to the race understands he is not a candidate, observing that there are no other candidates besides Domb and there is no reason to reiterate his endorsement of her or do campaigning on her behalf.
“There isn’t an actual general election,” Goldstein-Rose said.
But Domb said she hopes Goldstein-Rose will join her in explaining to voters that there is not a contest. Domb plans to do some modest campaigning to remind voters that the Nov. 6 election is important and to “cross the finish line,” as she puts it.
“Whether or not he was still on the ballot, I still need everybody’s vote,” Domb said.
Many voters, including local college students, away for the summer and may not be aware that the contest ended in the primary. Domb said her lawn signs will go back out beginning Saturday.
Already Domb said she has been pivoting from using her energy on her campaign and has focused on helping elect other Democrats, both in Massachusetts and nationwide. This week, for instance, she is participating in a “take back the House” phone bank effort, alongside Jo Comerford, the Democrat expected to replace former Sen. Stanley Rosenberg in the State Senate.
Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.
