Election Day in Gardner: Time to choose City Council, mayor, School Committee, senator

It's election day in Gardner, and the weather is cooperating nicely.

Voters in Gardner are being asked to select a mayor, City Council, three members of the School Committee, vote on possible changes to the city charter, and in a separate election, a state senator.

Mayor Michael Nicholson is seeking re-election and is being challenged by Kimberly Ann Blake.

Candidates for the City Council at large include: Calvin D. Brooks, Craig R. Cormier (incumbent), Ronald F. Cormier (incumbent), Brad E. Heglin, James M. Hunt, Carolyn A. Kamuda, Elizabeth J. Kazinskas (incumbent), Judy A. Mack (incumbent) and George C. Tyros (incumbent). There six seats available.

In Ward 1, voters will select between David Thibault-Munoz and James Wallgren to fill the seat vacated by James Walsh, who announced that he would not seek re-election to another two-year term on the City Council.

In Ward 3, voters will be asked to decide between Jeffrey Michael Palmeri and Paul Gerard Tassone, who was appointed by the City Council in February to fill the vacancy left when Nathan Boudreau resigned from the position.

Who is running for the Gardner School Committee

Voters will be asked to select three members out of six candidates hoping to serve a four-year term on the School Committee. Running for re-election are John LaFreniere, Robert Swartz and Rachel Ann Cormier. The three challengers that will appear on the ballot are Stephen Sandoval, Margaret Bissonnette and Brandon Richard Hughey.

The state Senate race

On a separate ballot, voters will also decide who will fill the Senate seat left vacant when Anne Gobi accepted a position with the Healey/Driscoll administration as the director of rural affairs for Massachusetts. The district includes Gardner, the city of Worcester (Ward 7, Precincts 2, 4, 5 and 6; Ward 9, Precincts 3 and 4), and the towns of Barre, Brookfield, East Brookfield, Hardwick, Holden, Hubbardston, Leicester, New Braintree, North Brookfield, Oakham, Paxton, Phillipston, Princeton, Rutland, Spencer, Sterling, Templeton, Ware, West Brookfield and Westminster.

Voters will be asked to choose between state Rep. Peter Durant, R-Spencer, and state Rep. Jonathan Zlotnik, D-Gardner.

How to find your polling place in Massachusetts

Voters can find their polling location on the secretary of state’s website. Just click on this link, then fill out the form that asks for your Massachusetts address.

The designated polling places for all city elections:

• Ward 1 (precincts A and B) - Elk’s Home at 31 Parker St.

• Ward 2 (precincts A and B) - Levi Heywood Library at 55 West Lynde St.

• Ward 3 (precincts A and B) – City Hall, Perry Auditorium, at 95 Pleasant St.

• Ward 4 (precincts A and B) – Gardner Police Headquarters at 200 Main St.

• Ward 5 (precincts A and B) – Polish American Citizens Club at 171 Kendall Pond Road West

How to report suspected voter fraud or suppression in Massachusetts

If people suspect voter fraud or voter suppression, it can be reported to the secretary of state’s office by calling 1-800-462-8683 (VOTE).

If there is an immediate issue, it can be reported to the warden or police officer at the polling place, or the local election official for the city or town.

Alternatively, the Massachusetts Election Protection Coalition, a non-partisan group, has set up its own phone number for people to report elections issues or ask questions 1-866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683).

This toll-free number can be called or texted and will go to a call center staffed with volunteer attorneys.

There are additional numbers with information in Spanish, 888-VE-Y-VOTA (888-839-8682); in Arabic, 844-YALLA-US (844-925-5287); and in Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Bengali, Hindu, Urdu and Tagalog, 888-API-VOTE (888-274-8683).

What are provisional ballots?

In Massachusetts, provisional ballots will be issued for two reasons during a general election either your name is not on the voter list or you can’t provide identification when you check in to vote.

Local elections office have 12 days after local elections to resolve all provisional ballots for local elections. Local offices only have three days after state or presidential primary elections.

If the local election office confirms that you’re registered to vote then your ballot will be counted, according to Massachusetts law. If your voter registration status can’t be confirmed, your ballot will be destroyed and not counted.

If your name is not on the voter list, double check to make sure you are at the correct polling location. If you are, you can ask a poll worker to contact your local election office to confirm you’re registered to vote.

If you registered to vote by mail, then you must provide identification when voting for the first time in Massachusetts. If you don’t have identification with you, then must return with proof of identification before the polls close for your ballot to be counted.

For more information, visit the Secretary of State’s website.

Provisional ballots may also be issued during a primary election if you have an incorrect party enrollment.

What time do polls close?

Polls close at 8 p.m. Anyone who is in line at 8 p.m. will be permitted to vote.

When will we know the election results?

Election results will start coming out soon after the polls close at 8 p.m. No results will be available until after the polls close.

The final results need to be certified by election officials, which does not happen until a few days after the election.  This is because the local elections office has 12 days after a local election to resolve all provisional ballots.

Stay with The Gardner News for the latest election results.

This article originally appeared on Gardner News: Gardner MA election results: Mayor, City Council, School Committee