Council votes 7-4 to take no further action on mayor’s request to reconsider preliminary election date

The New Bedford City Council voted 7-4 on March 27 to take no further action on M4, a mayoral communication asking the council to reconsider the Board of Election Commissioners’ recommendation that the 2025 preliminary election be held Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025.

Councilor Burger delivered an extended floor statement urging the council to change course and not stick with a date he said would effectively end local mail-in voting and disenfranchise voters who rely on it. "If even one voter feels that they were denied access, opening ourselves up to litigation? Are we risking the integrity of this election just to stick with a date that doesn't serve the needs of our voters?" Burger said. He described voters who rely on mail ballots — an 84-year-old South End resident, a third-shift worker and a single mother — and framed the decision as a choice between "people over politics."

Following the speech the council took a roll-call vote. The transcript records several recorded votes during the roll call: Councilor Ian Abreu (yes), Councilor Derek Baptiste (yes), Councilor Sean Oliver (yes) and Councilor Perera (no). The clerk announced the motion passed 7 to 4. The motion on the floor was to take no further action on M4; the council therefore declined to proceed with reconsideration at this meeting.

Councilors did not place additional conditions or set a new reconsideration date during the session. The record shows the motion to take no further action on M4 had a first and second; the presiding officer then called the roll.