WORCESTER—Worcester residents have plenty of opinions about the city. The trick is getting people to show up and put those opinions on a ballot. Local turnout for municipal elections, especially, has slumped to around 17–20% over the past few decades, and that means a tiny slice of the population decided who leads the city.
“That makes the adage that ‘every vote counts’ especially true at the municipal level,” said Paul Matthews, executive director of the Worcester Regional Research Bureau, which helps to drum up interest in voting, especially by hosting a series of candidate debates leading up to the Nov. 4 election.
Organizers, community groups and a growing number of first-time candidates hope this year brings a shift. Worcester officials have expanded outreach efforts with new voting guides and postcards aimed at making the process more accessible. City Clerk Vangjeli said the goal is to push turnout higher, though recent efforts such as mail-in ballots, early voting and additional drop boxes have yet to produce a noticeable bump.
Perhaps this Worcester’s big comeback year, and here’s a guide to walk the voter through everything: who’s running, when and where to vote, and how the city’s unusual “Plan E” system works.
How Worcester’s government works: quick explainer
Worcester has a Plan E system:
• The mayor is chosen from the at-large council candidates.
• To become mayor, you must win a council seat AND win the most mayoral votes.
• The runner-up for mayor becomes Vice Chair of the council (if they also win an at-large seat).
It is possible to get more mayor votes but fail to place top six in the council race. If that happens, you don’t get the job.
This explains why the mayoral and at-large ballots overlap and why you see some names twice.
In-person early voting:
Worcester Public Library, Saxe Room
3 Salem Square, Worcester
Hours:
• Saturday, Oct. 25, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Sunday, Oct. 26: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Monday, Oct. 27: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Tuesday, Oct. 28: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Wednesday, Oct. 29: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Thursday, Oct. 30: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Friday, Oct. 31: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Validated parking available at the library lot.
Read more / early voting details
Mail-in voting
• Track your ballot
• Return by mail, drop box, or in person
• Must be postmarked by Election Day and arrive by deadline
Read more / request a mail ballot
Election day voting
Tuesday, Nov. 4
• Polls open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Bring ID if required for your first time voting or if requested by a poll worker
• You must vote at your assigned polling place
Look up where you vote here
Each candidate was invited by the Worcester Guardian to be interviewed for a profile. We have linked completed profiles in the ballot list as they become available.
Who’s on the ballot?
Mayor (vote for one)
- Owura-Kwaku Sarkodieh
- Edson Montero (not actively running for mayor)
- Joseph M. Petty (incumbent)
- Khrystian E. King
Note: Only Petty, King and Sarkodieh are actively campaigning for mayor
City council at-large (vote for six)
- Cayden Davis
- Satya B. Mitra
- Jermoh Kamara
- Donna M. Colorio (incumbent)
- Edson Montero
- Jessica R. Pepple
- Khrystian E. King (incumbent)
- Morris A. Bergman (incumbent)
- Kate Toomey (incumbent)
- Owura-Kwaku Sarkodieh
- Joseph M. Petty (incumbent)
- Gary Rosen
Top 6 win seats. At-large finishes also decide the mayor.
District city council seats (vote for one in your district)
District 1
District 2
District 3
- John P. Fresolo
- Robert F. Pezzella
District 4
- Luis A. Ojeda (incumbent)
- Ted Kostas
District 5
School committee at-large (vote for two)
- Susan M. Mailman (incumbent)
- Maureen F. Binienda (incumbent)
- Adwoa A. Saky-Lamptey
District school committee seats (vote for one in your district)
District A
District B
- Vanessa Z. Alvarez
District C
- Dianna Biancheria (incumbent)
- Feanna S. Jattan-Singh
District D
District E
- Kathleen L. Roy (incumbent)
- Nelly Medina
District F
- Jermaine L. Johnson incumbent
➔ Stay Informed. Read More Election News.
Where to vote: polling locations
Ward 1
Precinct 1 – Congregation Beth Israel, 15 Jamesbury Dr.
Precinct 2 – Nelson Place Elementary School,
Precinct 3 – Assumption University, 500 Salisbury St.
Precinct 4 – Congregation Beth Israel, 15 Jamesbury Dr.
Precinct 5 – Market 32, Price Chopper, 72 Pullman St.
Precinct 6 – Unitarian Universalist, 140 Shore Dr.
Ward 2
Precinct 1 – Salem Covenant Church, 215 E. Mountain St.
Precinct 2 – Zion Lutheran Church Hall, 41 Whitmarsh Ave.
Precinct 3 – Burncoat High School, 179 Burncoat St.
Precinct 4 – Lincoln VLG. Tenant Assoc., 116 Country Club Blvd.
Precinct 5 – GBV Multi Purpose Building, 180 Constituion Ave
Precinct 6 – Salem Covenant Church, 215 Mountain St.
Precinct 6A – Salem Covenant Church, 215 Mountain St.
Ward 3
Precinct 1 – Worcester Technical HS, 1 Officer Manny Familia Way
Precinct 2 – Belmont Tower Apartments, 40 Belmont St.
Precinct 3 – Forest Grove School, Gym, 495 Grove St.
Precinct 3A – Forest Grove School, Gym, 495 Grove St.
Precinct 4 – Seabury Heights Apartment – 240 Belmont St.
Important update this year: Ward 3, Precinct 4 has moved to this new location. Entrance across from the parking lot.
Precinct 5 – Living Word Church., 30 Tyler Prentice Road
Precinct 5A – Living Word Church, 30 Tyler Prentice Road
Precinct 6 – Burncoat High School, 179 Burncoat St.
Ward 4
Precinct 1 – Friendly House, 36 Wall St.
Precinct 2 – American Legion Post, 326 Plantation St.
Precinct 2A – American Legion Post, 326 Plantation St.
Precinct 2B – American Legion Post, 326 Plantation St.
Precinct 3 – Worcester Public Library, 3 Salem Square
Precinct 4 – Mt. Carmel Apartments, 50 Shrewsbury St.
Precinct 5 – Lincoln Park Tower, 11 Lake Ave.
Precinct 6 – North High School, 140 Harrington Way
Ward 5
Precinct 1 – Addison Apartments, 6 Addison St.
Precinct 2 – North High School, 140 Harrington Way
Precinct 3 – Lake Park Community House, 300 Lake Ave.
Precinct 4 – Mass. Audubon Society, 414 Massasoit Road
Precinct 5 – Mass. Audubon Society, 414 Massasoit Road
Precinct 6 – Our Lady of Loreto, 33 Massasoit Road
Ward 6
Precinct 1 – Worcester Senior Center, 128 Providence St.
Precinct 2 – Worcester Senior Center, 128 Providence St.
Precinct 3 – Blackstone Heritage Corr, 3 Paul Clancy Way
Precinct 4 – Saint Matthews church, 695 Southbridge St.
Precinct 5 – Blackstone Heritage Corr, 3 Paul Clancy Way
Precinct 6 – Emanuel Lutheran Church, 200 Greenwood St.
Ward 7
Precinct 1 – Beaver Brook Park Bldg., 15 Mann St.
Precinct 2 – Coes Pond Village, 39 First St.
Precinct 3 – Stearns Tavern, 140 Mill St.
Precinct 4 – Shaw’s Supermarket, 68 Stafford St.
Precinct 5 – Hadwen Park Church, 6 Clover St.
Precinct 5A – Hadwen Park Church, 6 Clover St.
Precinct 6 – Shaw’s Supermarket, 68 Stafford St.
Ward 8
Precinct 1 – Worcester Senior Center, 128 Providence St.
Precinct 2 – Saint Peter’s Church, Gym, 929 Main St.
Precinct 3 – Saint Peter’s Church, Gym, 929 Main St.
Precinct 4 – Webster Square Towers, 1050 Main St.
Precinct 5 – South Worcester Neighborhood, 47 Camp St.
Precinct 6 – Saint Matthew’s Church, 695 Southbridge St.
Ward 9
Precinct 1 – Blessed Sacrament, 551 Pleasant St.
Precinct 2 – Blessed Sacrament, 551 Pleasant St.
Precinct 3 – Christ the King Church, 1052 Pleasant St.
Precinct 4 – Seventh-Day Adventist, 2 Airport Dr.
Precinct 5 – Congregation Beth Israel, 15 Jamesbury Dr.
Precinct 6 – Christ the King Church, 1052 Pleasant St.
Ward 10
Precinct 1 – Order of AHepa Lodge, 68 Cedar St.
Precinct 2 – Order of AHepa Lodge, 68 Cedar St.
Precinct 3 – Murray Avenue Apartments, 50 Murray Ave.
Precinct 4 – Elm Park Tower, 425 Pleasant St.
Precinct 5 – Elm Park Tower, 425 Pleasant St.
Precinct 6 – YMCA Central Branch, 766 Main St.
Don’t know your polling location? Check your address here.
Turnout: why it matters
Many Worcester residents still doubt that local government affects their day-to-day lives. Advocates say that disconnect is made worse when voter outreach only reaches the people who were already planning to show up, rather than those who would gain the most from better information.
Low turnout doesn’t just skew the numbers. It skews who gets listened to. As several city officials and advocates told us, Worcester’s local elections are often decided by a sliver of the population, which means neighborhoods with the fewest voters have the least pull at City Hall.
“To increase turnout, you have to reach low-propensity and newly registered voters, which is inherently difficult,” said Ann Lisi, from the League of Women Voters-Worcester area.
The city has added more ways to vote this year, from universal vote-by-mail to expanded early voting, because getting even a few thousand more residents to participate could shift priorities on issues like schools, housing and public safety. Elections determine whose daily concerns make the agenda, so showing up — even in an off year — changes the conversation.
Stay with us as Worcester heads into the final days of the 2025 municipal election. We’ll continue covering the candidates, key issues and what’s at stake for every neighborhood — and we’ll have live updates as results come in on election night. Editor Charlene Arsenault can be reached at carsenault@theworcesterguardian.org.
