Domingos DaRosa Fails to Qualify for General Election Ballot

Boston, September 24, 2025

News Summary

In a recount following the preliminary election, Domingos DaRosa did not qualify for the general election ballot, receiving only 2,428 votes (2.6%). With Boston Mayor Michelle Wu winning convincingly at 72%, DaRosa will not advance as he fell below the 3,000-vote threshold. Wu will run unopposed in November, marking a rare unchallenged election cycle for the mayoral seat in Boston. DaRosa expressed disappointment over media focus heavily favoring Wu and Kraft, and plans to run again in 2029.

Boston — Domingos DaRosa did not qualify for the general election ballot after a recount. The recount confirmed that DaRosa received 2,428 votes (2.6%) in the preliminary election held on September 9, 2025, leaving him short of the required threshold to move on to the November contest.

Key results and immediate outcome

The recount confirmed that DaRosa received 2,428 votes (2.6%) in the preliminary election held on September 9, 2025. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu won the preliminary election with 66,859 votes (72%). Josh Kraft, Wu’s main opponent, received 21,481 votes (23.1%) but dropped out of the race two days after the election. By law, a third-place finisher must receive at least 3,000 votes to qualify for the general election ballot. The recount did not change the results, and DaRosa failed to meet the 3,000-vote threshold, remaining at 2,428 votes.

What this means for the November ballot

This leaves Mayor Wu without a challenger for the remainder of the election cycle. With DaRosa below the 3,000-vote mark and Kraft having withdrawn, the mayor will appear on the November ballot unopposed. Voter turnout in the preliminary election was just under 22% of registered voters in Boston, an overall participation rate that officials and candidates noted as low for a citywide preliminary.

Candidates’ reactions and next steps

DaRosa expressed disappointment in the media’s focus on Wu and Kraft, feeling marginalized as a candidate. He plans to run for mayor again in the 2029 election and attributed the low voter turnout to lack of media coverage and visibility for candidates like himself and fellow candidate Robert Cappucci. DaRosa also criticized how monetary contributions overshadowed genuine candidate viability and the local political conversation.

Wu emphasized her gratitude to the nearly 94,000 voters and said she intends to shift her focus to city council races. She stated she feels fulfilled by the overwhelming support across different neighborhoods and wards in Boston and described the upcoming November election as important, even if she is running unopposed for mayor. She aims to organize efforts alongside city council candidates to increase voter turnout in the November elections.

Context and policy details

State election rules require a third-place finisher to meet a numerical threshold to advance to a general election ballot, which in this case is 3,000 votes. Because DaRosa did not reach that threshold, the recount result left the allocation of ballot slots unchanged. The last time a mayor ran unopposed in Boston was in 1997 with Mayor Thomas Menino, making the current situation notable in the city’s electoral history.

Other campaign developments

Kraft pledged to donate $3 million to address open-air drug use and crime in the Massachusetts Avenue-Melnea Cass Boulevard area. Kraft’s withdrawal shortly after the preliminary leaves a policy gap on the ballot for voters who had supported his platform and the pledge tied to targeted public-safety efforts.

Implications for turnout and local races

With the mayoral contest effectively decided heading into November, attention is expected to shift to city council races and ballot measures that could determine policy direction in neighborhoods across Boston. City and campaign officials have said they will try to increase engagement and turnout for the November election, pointing to preliminary turnout of just under 22% as an area of concern.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Additional Resources

• AP News: Michelle Wu’s Campaign
• WCVB: Wu Unopposed for November Election
• Boston Herald: Wu to Run Unopposed
• MassLive: Wu Only Candidate on November Ballot
• Wikipedia: Michelle Wu

Author: STAFF HERE BOSTON WRITER

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