Ordinance committee backs city election calendar, scales back early voting to one week

Lawrence City’s Ordinance Committee on Tuesday recommended that the full City Council approve the fall election calendar, the list of 24 polling locations, police details for each site and vote-by-mail procedures, and voted to shorten early in-person voting to one week for both the preliminary and final local elections.

The action came after the committee heard detailed staffing and cost figures from the elections office. The assistant clerk said workers for early voting are paid $18.75 per hour; one September early-voting week in 2023 cost $4,284 for five workers and drew 154 in-person voters. Two weeks of early voting before the November 2023 final election cost $9,693 and drew 488 in-person voters, the assistant clerk said.

Committee members raised budget and staffing concerns, and Councilor Gregor Del Rosario offered a motion — seconded by Vice Chair Selena Reyes — to recommend one week of early voting for both September and November. The committee approved that motion by voice vote (ayes). Councilors also voted to send the election calendar, polling locations, police details and vote-by-mail approval to the full council with favorable recommendations.

Why it matters: The committee’s recommendations will go to the full City Council for final approval. Changes to early-voting windows and administrative procedures affect staffing needs, overtime exposure for elections workers and how voters access the polls in local races.

Supporting details: Committee discussion noted that early voting and vote-by-mail are optional for local elections under state rules; the clerk’s office said some municipalities opt out. Members urged expanded outreach — web postings, flyers and digital signage — to increase turnout and reduce confusion. One councilor asked whether state rules or new procedures would reduce past mail-ballot problems; the elections official said that the city follows state rules and that once ballots are in the postal system delivery is beyond local control.

Votes at a glance: The committee recorded motions to send the following to the full council with favorable recommendations: approval of 24 polling locations; approval of police detail assignments for polling sites; approval of vote-by-mail procedures; approval of the election calendar. A separate, committee-level motion to set early voting to one week for both elections passed on a committee voice vote.

Next steps: The items will appear on the full City Council agenda for final action. The elections office will also provide additional outreach plans and the committee asked staff to circulate any cost or staffing updates to councilors ahead of the full vote.