Gardner Election Guide: Answers to all of your questions including important dates

Stephen Landry, The Gardner News
Updated ·5 min read

On Nov. 7, voters in Gardner will head to the polls to select the city’s next mayor, decide two contested city councilor races, choose a slate of councilors at large, and elect three school committee members.

Voters will also decide the fate of a ballot question which, if approved, would allow for changes to the city’s charter.

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, 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.

Worcester & Hampshire District: Durant, Zlotnik in home stretch for Senate seat left vacant by Gobi

Who is running for mayor in Gardner

Mayor Michael Nicholson will face challenger Kimberly Ann Blake in a contest to determine who will lead the city for the next two years.

A second mayoral challenger, Martin Gray, was eliminated during a preliminary election on Oct. 10.

Meet Kimberly Blake candidate for mayor: She will focus 'on our residents – all residents'

Meet Michael Nicholson: He wants to 'seize' on 'unprecedented growth'

Who is on the ballot for the at-large seats on City Council?

Nine candidates will vie for the six available seats for councilor at large. Seeking another two-year term on the City Council are incumbents George Tyros, Ronald Cormier, Craig Cormier, Judy Mack, and City Council President Elizabeth Kazinskas. They will be challenged by Carolyn Kamuda, Brad Heglin, James Hunt, and Calvin Brooks.

What to know about the City Council ward races

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 reelection 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.

Incumbent Ward 2 City Councilor Dana Heath is running unopposed for his second two-year term. Also running unopposed are City Councilor Karen Hardern in Ward 4 and City Councilor Aleksander Henry Dernalowicz in Ward 5.

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 reelection 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.

Ballot question to decide proposed changes to city charter

The single ballot question for this election will ask voters to decide whether to approve proposed amendments to Gardner’s city charter. The changes, which were approved by the City Council in August, would:

  • remove the pronoun “he” in favor of the nouns they refer to;

  • remove three sections that are currently in conflict with state law;

  • amend the procedures and timelines in place for when an Acting Mayor is in place during a period of mayoral vacancy;

  • extend the date of a preliminary election from four weeks to seven weeks before a general city election to allow more time between the preliminary election and general election;

  • remove the requirement that the city clerk post public election results and ordinance proposals in a newspaper printed in the city; and

  • clarify the appointment procedure for the superintendent of schools.

A ‘yes’ vote would be a non-binding instruction to the city to submit a Home Rule Petition to the General Court, and a ‘no’ vote would be a non-binding instruction to the city to not submit the petition.

Proposed city charter changes: Non-binding ballot question could affect Gardner City Charter: What you need to know

When is the last day to register to vote?

The last day to register to be able to vote in the city election is Saturday, Oct. 28.

Sample ballots for the Nov. 7 2023 Gardner elections

2023 Election: Gardner Sample Ballot

2023 Election: Worcester & Hampshire District State Senate race ballot

When is the last day to request a mail-in or absentee ballot?

The last day to apply for a vote by mail ballot or an absentee ballot is Tuesday, Oct. 31. Any mail-in ballot must be requested in writing by 5 p.m. on the fifth business day before the election.

Is there early voting for the 2023 election in Gardner?

There will be no in-person early voting for this election, according to the City Clerk's office. In-person absentee ballots will be available in the City Clerk's office up until 12 p.m. the day before the election.

Where are the polling locations in Gardner

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.; and

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

When are polls open in Gardner

Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. Anyone in line at 8 p.m. must be allowed to vote.

This article originally appeared on Gardner News: Gardner Election Guide: Candidates, races, deadlines, voting locations