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Worcester election commissioners finalize ballot order, set early-voting and mail‑ballot plans
Summary
The Worcester Board of Election Commissioners conducted a randomized ballot-order drawing for the Nov. municipal election, confirmed early‑voting dates and discussed advance processing of mail‑in and early ballots, poll worker training for split precincts and a tentative post‑election meeting date.
The Worcester Board of Election Commissioners finalized the ballot order for the Nov. municipal election and reviewed logistics for early voting and mail‑in ballots during its Sept. 9 meeting in the Levi Lincoln Chamber at City Hall.
The drawing determined the order of candidates for mayor, city council at‑large, district councilors and school committee contests. Elections staff read names into a lottery bin and commissioners drew names to set the order. ‘‘So Madam Chair, we finalize the ballot for the November in the following order,’’ elections staff said while reading the drawn sequence aloud.
The drawing matters because ballot order can affect how candidates appear to voters on paper and machine ballots; commissioners said they started ballot design early because the city will use 16 separate ballot styles this year to accommodate citywide and district school‑committee contests. ‘‘With the type of election that we run locally here in the city of Worcester with the school committee districts, that adds an extra layer to our election processes,’’ elections staff said.
Among operational items discussed, commissioners confirmed the library will again serve as the city’s early‑voting site and that the commission will offer two weekend days. Elections staff said the plan is to hold early voting at the library on Saturday, Oct. 25, and Sunday, Oct. 26, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and then weekdays through Oct. 31 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; validated parking is available at the site. Staff estimated that ballots should be printed and delivered so that mailed ballots begin reaching voters by Oct. 10, ‘‘the latest.’’
Staff reported approximately 8,000 vote‑by‑mail applications in the system to date and said the office will run advance removal and preliminary processing of mail‑in and early in‑person ballots in City Hall on Saturday, Nov. 1, and Sunday, Nov. 2, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., if needed. Elections staff characterized those dates as the proposed schedule for advance removal and counting and noted the practice mirrors processing used since 2020. ‘‘There’s about close to 8,000 vote by mail applications in the system, and there could be more coming,’’ staff said.
Commissioners and staff discussed poll worker staffing and training ahead of Nov. 4. Because of the city’s split precincts for some school committee districts, staff said five polling places will require additional in‑person training and on‑site support. Elections staff said poll workers in those split locations must attend mandatory in‑person training; staff and commissioners will deploy to split locations on election morning to confirm setup and answer questions.
The commission also conducted routine business during the meeting: a motion to approve minutes was moved and accepted, and a motion to adjourn was later adopted. The transcript records the chair asking for approval of the minutes and the meeting concluding after a motion to adjourn.
The board tentatively set its next meeting for Tuesday, Nov. 18, at 5 p.m., to be confirmed based on room availability.
Votes at a glance and drawing text (as read into the record) Elections staff read the finalized ballot order aloud and the transcript contains the full sequence as recorded at the meeting. The transcript record of the announced order is preserved in the official minutes and the meeting recording; the commission indicated the drawn order would be used for ballot design and machine coding.
