Speaker of the House Ronald Mariano has opted not to call a special election to replace state Rep. Natalie Blais, who announced last week her plans to resign on Jan. 19.
Blais, D-Deerfield, is taking a job as vice chancellor of government relations at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Without a special election, her seat will remain open until the November 2026 election. The winner of that election will be sworn in next January to represent the 1st Franklin District.
A spokesperson for Mariano said there were logistical concerns about holding a special election so close to the regular election.
“The Secretary of the Commonwealth [William Galvin] has outlined a number of logistical concerns regarding a potential special election in the 1st Franklin District. Therefore, the House will not be calling for a special election after the resignation of Rep. Natalie Blais, effective Jan. 19,” said Ana Karina Vivas, communications director for Mariano. “Rep. Blais’ staff will continue to work on constituent services, and the seat will be filled by the winner of the regularly scheduled general election in the fall.”
Blais will begin at UMass on Jan. 20, replacing former Vice Chancellor of Government Relations Chris Dunn, who has been appointed executive director of the UMass Building Authority, according to UMass spokesperson Emily Gest. Blais, who previously worked at UMass Amherst as chief of staff for former Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy, will make $340,000 in her new role, Gest confirmed. According to the Office of the Comptroller, Blais made $81,657 in 2025 as a state rep.
Following Blais’ resignation, community members and colleagues said she will be missed while reflecting on her seven years in office.
At a “Coffee With Your Congressman” event in Shelburne on Saturday, U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern said that while Blais may be stepping down as a state representative, she’s a dedicated person and he believes she will still find ways to give back to her community.
“She’s the best,” McGovern said. “She’s been an incredible public servant. She’s an incredible friend and she’ll still be involved in local activities.”
In an email, Gov. Maura Healey said she is thankful for all the work Blais did for the people of Franklin County and Massachusetts as a whole, and she looks forward to seeing what Blais is able to accomplish on behalf of UMass.
“Blais has been a terrific partner in the Legislature. I truly appreciate the seven years of dedicated service she gave to the 1st Franklin District and our work together to deliver for western Mass, from creating a director of rural affairs [position] to supporting farms and municipalities devastated by flooding,” Healey wrote. “Natalie has always been a strong voice for her constituents, while also being an incredible mom and friend. I look forward to seeing all of the contributions she will make at UMass and wish her the very best going forward.”
Mariano added that he looks forward to continuing to strengthen ties between the state and the university with Blais’ help.
“On behalf of the House of Representatives, I want to thank Natalie for her seven years of dedicated service to her constituents in the 1st Franklin District, and to the commonwealth as a whole. Her relentless support for farmers and her tireless commitment to addressing food insecurity provided an important perspective, and led to countless vital contributions during her time in office,” Mariano said in a statement. “I look forward to seeing Natalie succeed in her new role at UMass, helping to further the strong working relationship between the commonwealth and its flagship university.”
Blais’ counterpart in the state Senate, Jo Comerford, D-Northampton, said it has been a pleasure to work with Blais, and that she will be working to ensure a smooth transition for the towns of the 1st Franklin District. The municipalities represented by Blais are Ashfield, Bernardston, Buckland, Charlemont, Colrain, Conway, Deerfield, Hawley, Heath, Leverett, Leyden, Monroe, Montague, Rowe, Shelburne, Sunderland, Whately, and Precincts 5, 6, 7 and 8 in Greenfield.
“It has been a seven-year joy and an honor to partner with Rep. Natalie Blais in the Legislature, working side-by-side with Natalie for the residents of Franklin County and our shared communities. I am deeply grateful for her leadership and her team’s dedication. I wish Rep. Blais every success as she takes on a new role at UMass Amherst,” Comerford said. “My team and I are working closely with Rep. Blais and her team during this transition.”
Deerfield Selectboard Chair Trevor McDaniel described Blais and Comerford as a “dynamic duo” that have listened to the needs of rural towns and advocated for them on Beacon Hill.
“The two of them together really put forward the rural issues that we’re facing and got traction finally in Boston to be able to explain why rural issues are so important,” he said.
McDaniel cited Blais’ work on the Special Commission on Rural School Districts as an example of her commitment to rural issues. In July 2022, the commission called for at least $60 million more for rural schools. After the commission’s report, the state’s fiscal year 2024 budget included a $9.5 million bump for rural school aid.
Besides advocating for the needs of rural towns, McDaniel said Blais showed up in Deerfield when it mattered.
“Any important thing we had, you’d turn around and she was there, and she had 18 towns to manage,” McDaniel recalled. “She was present for everybody. You could probably ask any town in her 18 towns and they’d feel like she was part of their town. That’s pretty impressive for a [representative] to do.”
Regarding the next individual to take Blais’ place, McDaniel said he feels nervous, adding, “I need to make sure that they carry that same lens of fighting for rural issues.”
Blais was sponsoring 53 bills this legislative session, including numerous petitions and special legislative acts requested by the towns of the 1st Franklin District, such as bills allowing the towns of Colrain and Conway to continue the employment of fire department members who are over the age of 65, a bill establishing a regional fire district for the towns of Rowe and Charlemont, and a bill that would allow 16- and 17-year-olds in the town of Whately to vote in municipal elections.
Blais also filed “An Act Fostering Agricultural Resilience in Massachusetts” (H.4854), which would require the development of an emergency preparedness plan for agriculture and food systems, codify the Food Security Infrastructure Grant program and establish the Next Generation Farmers Fund, among other efforts to make agriculture in the state more resilient. The bill had been reported out favorably by the Joint Committee on Agriculture and Fisheries and referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
Other bills filed by Blais this session included “An Act Establishing Employee Screening Requirements in Schools to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse” (H.516), “An Act to Provide a Sustainable Future for Rural Schools” (H.3567) and “An Act Relative to Solar and Battery Decommissioning and Recycling” (H.904).
Blais said the bills she filed will continue to be considered by the Legislature and she intends to testify on their behalf. She added that her staff will continue to work for the office of the 1st Franklin District, providing constituent services until someone is elected.
“In addition to providing testimony in support of the bills I have offered, I am following up with committees to emphasize the importance of reporting the bills favorably out of committee,” Blais said. “Additionally, I should note that staff will remain with the office for the foreseeable future to ensure that constituents’ needs continue to be met.”
Community members can reach Blais’ team by phone at 413-362-9453, by email at kelly.o’reilly@mahouse.gov or by mailing P.O. Box 450, Sunderland, MA 01375.
According to the Office of Campaign and Political Finance, only one potential candidate has expressed interest in running for the 1st Franklin District seat in the November 2026 election. Last January, Heath resident Tucker Jenkins filed with the office to create an election committee; however, this past October, the committee closed its account with Greenfield Savings Bank.
Nomination papers will officially become available from the Secretary of State’s Office on Feb. 10. Prospective candidates must submit their nomination papers with at least 150 signatures to their local board of registrars by April 28 at 5 p.m. for certification of signatures and to the Secretary of State Elections Division by May 26 at 5 p.m.
Erin-Leigh Hoffman and Aalianna Marietta contributed reporting.