2026 State Election Administration
At a glance
- What: City Clerk Lisa Ferguson briefed the council on administering the Nov 3, 2026 state election (12 offices, nine ballot questions).
- Where it stands: informational only. Early voting runs Oct 17-30; the mail-ballot application deadline is Oct 27; registration closes Oct 24.
- Watch for: longer than usual lines on Election Day because of the long two-card ballot.
Key points
- Polls 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.; anyone in line at 8 p.m. may still vote.
- About 10,000 mail ballots requested (about a quarter of 44,000 registered voters); about 81% mailed as of Oct 6, the rest within days. Ballots go out in order of application.
- Return by drop box (McAuliffe Library and behind the Memorial Building) rather than mail because the post office now routes ballots through Boston bulk mail.
- Early voting at the Memorial Building every day including weekends, and a satellite at the McAuliffe Library from Oct 19. Accessible electronic ballot available for voters with disabilities.
- Clerk's office staff cannot discuss candidates or what questions mean.
Discussion time
About 26 minutes across 1 meeting (from transcript timestamps; approximate).
| Meeting | Minutes |
|---|---|
| 2026-10-06 - City Council | 26 |
Log
- 2026-10-06 - City Council — Informational briefing with slides; councilors thanked the clerk and election workers. No action.