The Ballot Brief
Kennebec County, Maine

Maine House District 53

2 candidates are tracked for Maine House District 53 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Richard Marc Goldman and Michael H. Lemelin. Candidate information follows official Kennebec County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

Richard Marc Goldman (D), Michael H. Lemelin (R) are on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Maine House District 53. Michael H. Lemelin is the sitting member, per the Maine Legislature's own member directory. Party nominees were chosen at the June 9, 2026 primary, per the Maine Secretary of State's 2026 general election candidate list.

What this office does

State legislator. State legislators write and vote on state laws and the state budget, which fund schools, roads, prisons, universities and health programs, and set the rules for local governments and elections. Each member represents one district and serves on committees that shape bills before a floor vote. Terms are two years in most state houses and four in most state senates.

This race. Elected by district: only voters who live in the district see this race on their ballot. The sitting officeholder, Michael H. Lemelin, is on the ballot.

Maine › Kennebec County › Maine House District 53

Richard Marc Goldman

Democrat

Top priorities

  • Support family food security and affordable child care
  • Support local agriculture and family farms through land conservation and market access improvements
  • Lower property tax burdens and keep housing accessible for seniors and working families

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Richard Goldman is a retired attorney who practiced law in Augusta for four decades, establishing the firm Vandermeulen, Goldman and Allen in 1981 and focusing on consumer and small business bankruptcy and Social Security disability work, per the Lincoln County News. He graduated from Bates College and earned his law degree from George Washington University in 1979, moved to Dresden in 1985 and retired from practice in 2021, per the same source. Goldman has served for two decades as a board member at Temple Beth El in Augusta, where he also teaches Sunday school, per the Lincoln County News.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Michael H. Lemelin

RepublicanIncumbent

Biography

Michael Lemelin represents Maine House District 53, covering Chelsea, Dresden, Pittston and Randolph, and has served in the 130th, 131st and 132nd Legislatures, per his official Maine House member profile. Lemelin is the ranking Republican member on the Health and Human Services Committee and also serves on the Government Oversight Committee, per the same profile. He chairs the Chelsea Planning Board and serves on the RSU 12 School Board, per his official profile. No campaign website was found as of September 20, 2026.

Next on your ballotMaine House District 54

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Questions about this race

Who is running for Maine House District 53 in 2026?

2 candidates are tracked for Maine House District 53 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Richard Marc Goldman and Michael H. Lemelin. Candidate information follows official Kennebec County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

When is the Maine House District 53 election in Maine?

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for Maine are on the Maine election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact Kennebec County ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official Kennebec County and state election office filings, last verified October 1, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

Cross-check with the official Maine election office, or see the full Kennebec County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Kennebec County ballot

28 tracked races in Kennebec County, Maine. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.

Also on your ballot
Maine House District 55Maine House District 56Maine House District 57See all 28 Kennebec County races
Candidate profiles
Richard Marc Goldman, full profileMichael H. Lemelin, full profileOfficial Maine election office