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Taunton Election Commission recommends 2025 city election calendar and six-day early voting schedule to City Council
Summary
The Taunton City Election Commission voted Dec. 17 to recommend the 2025 city election calendar and a six‑day early voting schedule, mirroring the 2023 plan; staff reported two lost polling locations and said replacement recommendations will come in January.
The Taunton City Election Commission voted Dec. 17 to recommend the 2025 city election calendar and a six‑day early voting schedule to Taunton City Council.
Elections Director Bach Pacheco told the commission the city election is set for Nov. 4, 2025. “The city election will definitely be on 11/04/2025,” Pacheco said, and described the packet of materials that included important dates, a proposed political calendar and the proposed early‑voting schedule.
Pacheco said the commission’s recommendation follows the formula the city has used and noted that municipal early voting is set by the city rather than the state. He said the proposed plan mirrors the 2023 schedule and that with six days of early voting in 2023 the city recorded 796 in‑person early ballots — about 8.7% of ballots cast. “With the 6 days in 2023, we had 796 in person early throughout the 6 days of early voting at City Hall. So that was 8.7% of all ballots cast,” Pacheco said.
Under the proposed schedule, early voting would include a Saturday session (8 a.m.–2 p.m.) and regular Monday–Friday business‑hour sessions, for a total of six days. Pacheco said the commission could recommend a similar schedule for a preliminary election if one is required, but noted there is no preliminary data from 2024 to predict turnout for a preliminary.
After discussion, a commissioner moved and seconded a motion to accept the important dates, political calendar and proposed early‑voting schedule and to forward them as the Election Commission’s recommendation to Taunton City Council. Commissioners voted in favor of the amended motion to clarify it is a recommendation to council.
Staff also reported two polling locations — Hopewell and Saint Andrews — are no longer available for use. Pacheco said staff have begun field work to identify alternate sites and expect to present recommendations to the commission in January or February for action and referral to City Council as needed.
The commission approved routine minutes from Nov. 19, 2024, tabled consideration of the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s response to the commission until the next meeting, and set its next meeting for Jan. 28, 2025. The meeting adjourned following a motion to close.
