Brockton city election 2023: What you need to know

Chris Helms, The Enterprise
Updated ·7 min read

BROCKTON — The slate of potential candidates is set for elections to choose Brockton's next mayor, City Council and School Committee. And, for the first time, residents will be able to vote early in a municipal election.

You'll have two chances to vote in this year's city elections. The first comes Sept. 19 with a preliminary election to trim the field for eight political posts. Winners will move on to a Nov. 7 general election.

Several incumbents won't be running, which makes it certain that Brockton voters will put at least a few new faces into office. Rita Mendes (D-Brockton) won't be running for her at-large City Council seat. She'll instead focus on her role as state rep for the 11th Plymouth District. That means at least one new at-large councilor.

In Ward 3, leadership for both City Council and School Committee is up for grabs. City Councilor Mark D'Agostino and School Committee Member Jared Homer both decided against seeking re-election.

A Brockton police officer returns election results at Brockton City Hall on Tuesday, Sept. 14, 2021.
A Brockton police officer returns election results at Brockton City Hall on Tuesday, Sept. 14, 2021.

This is what will be on your ballot for the preliminary election

Your ballot for this year's preliminary election will winnow the field of candidates to two for most seats: mayor, City Council Ward 3, City Council Ward 6 and School Committee Ward 3. Voters will trim the nine candidates for City Councilor At-Large to eight. Here are the names you'll see on your preliminary ballot:

Mayor

  • Robert F. Sullivan (incumbent)

  • Fred Fontaine

  • Hamilton S. Rodrigues

  • John C. Williams

  • Richard Wayne Ripley

City Council At-Large

  • Winthrop H. Farwell (incumbent)

  • Moises M. Rodrigues (incumbent)

  • David C. Teixeira (incumbent)

  • Stephan A. Hooke Jr.

  • Jean Bradley Derenoncourt

  • Jed Hresko

  • Jamal Brathwaite

  • Alix Arthur Gayaud

  • Cynthia D. McCall-Hodges

City Council Ward 3 (open)

  • Gary P. Keith Sr.

  • Michael J.F. Nunes

  • Gerson Monteiro

  • Philip Griffin

City Council Ward 6

  • John F. Lally (incumbent)

  • Steven P. Foote

  • Joseph A. Walker IV

School Committee Ward 3 (open)

  • Anna C. Oliver

  • Matthew Stanton

  • Alan D. Greene

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This is what will be on your ballot for the general election

This year's general election for city offices is Tuesday, Nov. 7. Unless someone drops out before then, you'll have a decisive vote between two candidates for the following offices:

  • Mayor: Top two finishers from preliminary

  • City Council Ward 1: Incumbent Thomas J. Minichiello Jr. vs. Marlon D. Greene

  • City Council Ward 3: Top two finishers from preliminary

  • City Council Ward 4: Incumbent Susan Nicastro vs. Tony Branch

  • City Council Ward 5: Incumbent Jeffrey A. Thompson vs. Elisangela V. Teixeira

  • City Council Ward 6: Top two finishers from preliminary

  • City Council Ward 7: Incumbent Shirley R. Asack vs. Patrick Paul Quinn

  • School Committee Ward 2: Jamie Hodges vs. Claudio E. Depina Gomes

  • School Committee Ward 3: Top two finishers from preliminary

  • School Committee Ward 5: Incumbent Judy A. Sullivan vs. Cynthia Rivas Mendes

Voters will also choose which four out of eight finalists gain or retain at-large seats on City Council.

Who's unopposed this election cycle?

For five political roles around the city, the incumbent faces no challengers and should by default win a new term. It's theoretically possible for write-in candidates to win, but those efforts have very low chances of success. The unopposed incumbents are as follows:

  • City Council Ward 2 - Maria Tavares

  • School Committee Ward 1 - Kathleen A. Ehlers

  • School Committee Ward 4 - Tony Rodrigues

  • School Committee Ward 6 - Joyce J. Asack

  • School Committee Ward 7 - Timothy J. Sullivan

What's the difference between a primary and preliminary election?

The terms "primary election" and "preliminary election" sound similar but describe different types of elections. Primaries are generally within a political party, with voters choosing which candidate will represent that party in a general election. "Preliminary election" refers to non-partisan elections held to slim down the number of candidates going into general elections. Muddying the waters is that primaries can also be non-partisan.

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What triggers a preliminary election in Brockton?

Brockton holds preliminary elections when the number of candidates for a given seat reaches certain thresholds. For most seats that's three or more.

For 2023, that means five candidates for mayor will be narrowed to two. Also on the preliminary election ballot will be City Council Wards 3 and, 6 plus School Committee Ward 3. In each of these ward races, three candidates will be trimmed to two for the general election.

For at-large councilors, a preliminary election is held when there are more than eight candidates. That's double the number of at-large seats at stake: four. In September's election, nine at-large hopefuls will be trimmed to eight for the general election.

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What's the difference between a ward and at-large City Council seat?

Brockton is split politically into seven wards. Each represents neighborhoods within the city. At-large councilors represent the entire city. Residents often go to their ward councilors first when they have a problem. At-large councilors are accountable to every resident. Many cities use such a system, which balances the priorities of neighborhoods with at-large councilors tasked with looking at the whole city.

Is there early voting?

Yes. For the first time in a city election, Brockton will be offering early voting, said Election Director Cynthia Scrivani. It had been offered previously for state elections. Early voting will be held Sept. 9-15 at the Shaw's Center, 1 Feinberg Way.

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What's the difference between absentee and mail-in voting?

Absentee voting is for people who won't be in Brockton on election day during polling hours, have a disability that keeps them from being able to physically get to the polls or have a religious reason for not voting in person. To do so, you'll need to request a mail-in ballot by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 12. You can print out an absentee ballot application at this state webpage. You can mail the application to the Brockton Elections Commission, 45 School St., Brockton MA 02301 or hand-deliver to the drop-box outside City Hall's main door.

Similar but different is voting by mail. Registered voters may vote by mail in most Massachusetts elections, including the 2023 Brockton city election. Here's a link to apply for a mail-in ballot. For questions about either of these voting methods, please call the Brockton Elections Commission at 508-580-7117.

The rules are the same for the upcoming general election. The deadline to request a mail-in ballot for that election is 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 31.

What's the deadline to register to vote in the preliminary election?

You'll have to be registered to vote by 5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 9 to vote in the preliminary election. To have your say in the general election, you'll need to make sure you're registered by 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 28. You can register to vote online at this link.

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When is the preliminary election and when and where can I vote?

The 2023 Brockton preliminary election is Tuesday, Sept. 19. The list of polling places can be found on the city's website under "Election Commission." If you're reading this in print, a web search for "Brockton MA Election Commission" brings it up.

Polling locations sometimes change because of renovations or building closures, so always check before you go to vote. The state maintains an easy-to-use online tool where you enter your address and it will tell you where to vote.

On Election Days, polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Which Brockton races do you find most interesting this election cycle? Send your news tips to reporter Chris Helms by email at CHelms@enterprisenews.com or connect on Twitter at @HelmsNews.

This article originally appeared on The Enterprise: Brockton city elections 2023 and how to vote