Candidates Simmons and Decker live outside Gallucio's District

Two Cambridge City Councillors have announced they are in the race for Anthony Gallucio’s State Senate seat. Strangely neither of these candidates resides in the district.

According to the Cambridge Civic Journal, Marjorie Decker’s home address is 61 Walden Street, Cambridge in Ward 10, Precinct 1. Decker page

Denise Simmons lives at 188 Harvard Street, in Ward 2, Precinct 1. Simmons page

Neither of these precincts is in Sen. Gallucio’s district, which is a rather bizarre one, taking precincts from the three counties of Middlesex, Suffolk and Essex. Cambridge precincts include: ward 3, precinct 2; wards 6 and 7, ward 8, precincts 1 and 2; ward 9, precinct 1; ward 10, precinct 2. Senatorial Districts

According to Massachusetts law, candidates for the State Senate, “Must be an inhabitant of the district when elected.”

The Cambridge Election Commission confirmed that Decker and Simmons would have to move before Election Day, which is on May 11, 2010.

Curiously the requirements for State Representative are more stringent; candidates “must be a resident of the district for one year preceding the date of the election.”

Elections: A Candidate's Guide to Special Elections

I can think of a few explanations:

A. It’s possible that both Councillors have a second address that they plan to use for the election. (Sort of like those college students who try to use their uncle’s address to get in-state tuition.)

B. They might both be so clueless that they didn’t check the candidate requirements. After all Marjorie Decker forgot to get the signatures required for her re-election to the City Council and had to run a write-in campaign.

C. They might both have the hubris to think no one will notice.

D. They might both intend to move into the district in the next three months.

Correct answer will be revealed in the not so distant future.