Board of Election Commissioners

BO AR D M EM BE R S Kimberly VanderSpek, Chairperson Paul Franco, Vice-Chairperson John DiCicco, Secretary Joseph Sacco, Commissioner Cecilio Gonzalez, Commissioner C ON T A CT BOARD OF ELECTION COMMISSIONERS • Address: 455 Main St., Room 208 MEETING Worcester, MA 01608 • Hours: Monday- 8:45am-5:00pm TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18TH Tuesday-Friday- 8:45am-4:15pm 5:00PM • Phone: 508-799-1134 Levi Lincoln Chamber, City Hall • Email: elections@worcesterma.gov • Website: www.worcesterma.gov/elections This Commission meeting will be held in-person at the date, time and location listed above. Meeting attendees will additionally have options to participate remotely by joining online or by phone: The Commission is committed to ensuring that its public meetings are accessible to • Use the following link to join the meeting via computer: all. Should you require interpretation, auxiliary https://worcesterma.zoomgov.com/j/1619233148 aids, services, written materials in other formats, • Call 1-844-621-3956 (Access Code: 161 923 3148) or reasonable modifications in policies and procedures, please contact the Elections Office a Note: If technological problems interrupt the virtual meeting component, the minimum of 2 business days in advance of the meeting will continue in-person. scheduled meeting. For more information concerning this meeting, please contact the Elections Office by email at elections@worcesterma.gov or phone at 508-799- Hay disponibles servicios de interpretación y otras adaptaciones con solicitud previa. 1134. Please send written comments, requests for reasonable accommodation, or requests for language interpretation 2 business days or more in advance of the ‫ﺗﺘﻮﻓﺮ اﻟﺘﺮﺟﻤﺔ اﻟﻔﻮرﯾﺔ وﻏﯿﺮھﺎ ﻣﻦ وﺳﺎﺋﻞ اﻟﺘﯿﺴﯿﺮ ﻋﻨﺪ اﻟﻄﻠﺐ اﻟﻤﺴﺒﻖ‬ meeting. अनवु ◌ाद र अ6य आवसह अ'-म अनरोधपचत ◌ु उपल5ध Las solicitudes de intérpretes para personas con dominio limitado del inglés हु6छ। deben hacerse a más tardar 2 días hábiles antes de la reunión. Para obtener más información en relación con esta reunión o enviar comentarios o preguntas por Interpretação e outras adaptações estão escrito antes de la reunión, contacte a: elections@worcester or 508-799-1134. disponíveis mediante solicitação prévia. Përkthimi dhe akomodime të tjera janë në COMMISSION AGENDA dispozicion me kërkesë paraprake. • Call to Order by the Chairperson Kasa nkyerɛaseɛ ɛne akwanya afoforɔ da hɔ • Pledge of Allegiance ma wɔn a wɔn bɛ bisa ato hɔ. • Roll Call Phiên dịch và các hỗ trợ khác có sẵn theo DISCUSSION ITEMS yêu cầu trước. 1. Pending Recount Petitions for the November 4, 2025 Municipal Election- At-Large City Council Contest A. Certify Hand Recount Petitions of Jermoh Kamara, DI V IS IO N S TA F F Candidate for At-Large City Council, for Wards 1 – 10 I. See attached petitions. Nikolin Vangjeli, City Clerk Stephen A.J. Pottle, Deputy City Clerk 2. Communication from the City Clerk to all At-Large City Council Clare M. Robbins, Deputy City Clerk candidates regarding the Hand Recount Process. A. See attached communication. U P CO MI N G M EE TI N GS I. Letter to Candidates II. Recount Rules and Regulations III. Order of Events 1. Thursday, November 20th at 1:o0pm- Blocking of Ballots, Levi Lincoln Chamber, 455 Main St. 2. Friday, November 21st at 8:30am- Blocking of Ballots, Levi Lincoln Chamber, 455 Main St. 3. Saturday, November 22nd at 8:30am & Sunday, November 23rd at 8:30am- Hand Recount begins, North High School, Gymnasium - 150 Harrington way, Worcester, MA 3. ADJOURN COMMISSION MEETING 1  City Clerk Department Nikolin Vangjeli, City Clerk Stephen A.J. Pottle, Deputy City Clerk I Clare M. Robbins, Deputy City Clerk II November 14, 2025 Dear Candidate, Be advised that the Board of Election Commissioners has received recount petitions from At- Large City Councilor candidate, Jermoh Kamara. The recount petition requests a hand recount of all the ballots cast at the November 4th Municipal Election be initiated by the Board of Election Commissioners. The recount shall commence and follow the following schedule: Blocking of Ballots: 1. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20th at 1:00 pm - November 4th, 2025 Municipal Election Ballots will be blocked in stacks of 50 ballots per precinct (Levi Lincoln Chamber, City Hall). a. The City Clerk’s office will transfer all the ballots from the City Clerk Vault in City Hall to the Levi Lincoln Chamber. At- Large City Councilor Candidates and their previously named counsel may accompany the personnel of the City Clerk’s office in the transfer of the ballots and observe the process of ballot blocking. After the ballots are separated into blocks of fifty (50) they will be returned to secure storage in Worcester City Hall. a. There will be 10 -15 stations for blocking you can have up to 15 observers for this process (there will be no counting, just blocking). No person will be admitted within the ballot blocking area unless their name has been received by me prior to 9:00 AM on Wednesday, November 19th. Email list to elections@worcesterma.gov. Should you need to submit supplemental lists during this process, you may email over any additions. 2. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21ST at 8:30 am – - November 4th, 2025 Municipal Election Ballots will be blocked in stacks of 50 ballots per precinct (Levi Lincoln Chamber, City Hall). Room 206, City Hall ■ 455 Main Street ■ Worcester, Massachusetts 01608-1889 Telephone (508) 799-1134 ■ Fax (508) 799-1194 E-Mail: clerk@worcesterma.gov  a. The City Clerk’s office will transfer all the ballots from the City Clerk Vault in City Hall to the Levi Lincoln Chamber. At- Large City Councilor Candidates and their previously named counsel may accompany the personnel of the City Clerk’s office in the transfer of the ballots and observe the process of ballot blocking. After the ballots are separated into blocks of fifty (50) they will be returned to secure storage in Worcester City Hall. b. There will be 10 -15 stations for blocking you can have up to 15 observers for this process. (there will be no counting, just blocking). No person will be admitted within the ballot blocking area unless their name has been received by me prior to 9:00 AM on Wednesday, November 19th. Email list to elections@worcesterma.gov. Should you need to submit supplemental lists during this process, you may email over any additions. Recounting of Ballots: 2. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 22ND at 8:30 am – Hand Recount of November 4th, 2025 Municipal Election Ballots (North High School, Gymnasium - 150 Harrington Way, Worcester, MA 01604) a. Ballot transport from City Hall at 7:15 AM – Candidates/ assigned representative and or legal counsel only. b. Each of the candidates who appeared in the November 4th Municipal Election, At-Large City Council, ballot contest is entitled to assign up to sixty-two (62) observers or agents, not including legal counsel and yourself for the Saturday recount. Please provide me with an excel document list of the names and residential addresses of all persons you appoint as your observers or agents, as well as the name of your legal counsel. This list must be provided to me in advance of the day of the recount. No person will be admitted within the recount area unless their name has been received by me prior to 9:00 AM on Friday, November 21st. Email list to elections@worcesterma.gov. Should you need to submit supplemental lists during this process, you may email over any additions. 3. SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 23RD at 8:30am – Hand Recount of November 4th, 2025 Municipal Election Ballots (North High School, Gymnasium - 150 Harrington Way, Worcester, MA 01604) a. Ballot transport from City Hall at 7:15 AM - Candidates/ assigned representative and or legal counsel only.  b. Each of the candidates who appeared in the November 4th Municipal Election, At-Large City Council, ballot contest is entitled to assign up to sixty-two (62) observers or agents, not including legal counsel and yourself for the Sunday recount. Please provide me with an excel document list of the names and residential addresses of all persons you appoint as your observers or agents, as well as the name of your legal counsel. This list must be provided to me in advance of the day of the recount. No person will be admitted within the recount area unless their name has been received by me prior to 9:00 AM on Friday, November 21st. Email list to elections@worcesterma.gov. Should you need to submit supplemental lists during this process, you may email over any additions. Please instruct your observers or agents to present themselves at the entrance to the Levi Lincoln Chamber or North High School, no earlier than the scheduled time above. Observers will be provided a personalized name badge that must be worn at all times while in the recount area. In the recount area on November 22nd – 23rd, there will be 30 counting stations with one reader and one tally clerk assigned to each table. You will be allowed two (2) observers per table. The members of the Board of Election Commissioners will be present to decide protested ballots. There shall be 2 ballot counting tables staffed with four (4) election workers, each of whom shall be posting race results in blocks of fifty (50) ballots to an Excel spreadsheet. The tabulating shall continue until such time as all ballots are decided, or until such time as the Board of Election Commissioners determines that the process be suspended for the day. All recount workers, Worcester Police Officers, Election Commissioners, the City Clerk, and Deputy City Clerks, shall be identified with name badges at all times. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any further questions. Cordially, Nikolin Vangjeli  RECOUNT RULES AND REGULATIONS WORCESTER BOARD OF ELECTION COMMISSIONERS In order to ensure an orderly recount, the following rules will be in effect: • The only people who will be allowed to handle ballots and other election materials are recount workers and the members of the Worcester Election Commission. While observers/ candidate representatives may ask for a closer look, they may not touch the ballots or other election materials. • Disorderly conduct and/or disruptive behavior will not be tolerated. Anyone creating a disturbance shall be warned once, then ejected and not allowed to return. • Observers/ candidate representatives may challenge a decision of the recount workers as to how to count a particular ballot by stating the words “I object” or similar statement. Otherwise, agents must be silent to allow recount workers to count ballots without distraction. An election official will take the ballots which are the subject of objections to the Board of Election Commissioners for final determination. • Only the candidate or their attorney may present arguments to the Board of Election Commissioners regarding ballots to which objection is raised during the counting process. • Decisions of the Board of Election Commissioners on any protested ballots will be final. • Cell phone use will not be permitted by recount workers or observers to avoid distraction.  • No food or drink allowed at the recount station. Beverages must be on the ground if needed. • No audio/visual recording or photography allowed in the recount area. • Be advised that only authorized persons will be permitted to enter the recount area. The general public may observe the recount from outside of the recount area. SATURDAY - SUNDAY RECOUNT ORDER OF EVENTS Saturday, November 22nd • 7:15 AM - City Hall: Candidates and their legal counsel can meet the City Clerk and Election Commissioner in the Garage of City Hall to be escorted to the secure ballot holding location in the City Clerk Vault. • 7:30 AM - Ballots will be transported to the North High Recount Area. 8:15 AM • All observers and candidates will be allowed to enter the North High Gym at 8:15 am through the Gym entrance. No other entrances will be unlocked. Observer Locations o Observers will gather in the Holding Area next to the Gym. City Clerk / Elections employees will guide observers to the holding area. o OBSERVERS MUST BE HELD IN THE RESPECTIVE LOCATIONS UNTIL THE CLERK REVIEWS THE RULES AND REGULATIONS WITH EACH GROUP. 8:30 AM Candidates o Candidates and/or their legal counsel will report to the North High Counting area at 8:30 am. o The Board of Election Commissioners Meeting will begin. o OBSERVERS OF CANDIDATES AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE NOT ALLOWED TO ENTER THE REOCOUNT AREA UNTIL THE CITY CLERK AND THE BOARD OF ELECTION COMMISSIONERS INSTRUCTS THEM TO DO SO. 8:45 AM • The City Clerk will review rules and regulations with each group of Candidate Observers. 9:00 AM  • All recount workers will report to Recount Area, per the instructions of the Clerk and Board of Election Commissioners. 9:10 AM • All observers will report to Recount Area, per the instructions of the Clerk and Board of Election Commissioners. 9:15 AM - Recount Begins 1:00 PM - • Lunch break. o Each group will return to their respective observer area. 2:00 PM - • Recount will be reconvened. 7:30 PM - • Recount concludes for the day and ballots return to the City Clerk Vault in City Hall. Sunday, November 23rd • 7:15 AM City Hall: Candidates and their legal counsel can meet the City Clerk and Election Commissioner in the Garage of City Hall to be escorted to the secure ballot holding location in the City Clerk Vault. • 7:30 AM - Ballots will be transported to the North High Recount Area. 8:15 AM • All observers and candidates will be allowed to enter the North High Gym at 8:15 am through the Gym entrance. No other entrances will be unlocked Observer Locations o Observers will gather in the Holding Area next to the Gym. City Clerk / Elections employees will guide observers to the holding area. o OBSERVERS MUST BE HELD IN THE RESPECTIVE LOCATIONS UNTIL THE CLERK REVIEWS THE RULES AND REGULATIONS WITH EACH GROUP. 8:30 AM Candidates o Candidates and/or their legal counsel will report to the North High Counting area at 8:30 am. o The Board of Election Commissioners Meeting will begin. o OBSERVERS OF CANDIDATES AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE NOT ALLOWED TO ENTER THE REOCOUNT AREA UNTIL THE CITY CLERK  AND THE BOARD OF ELECTION COMMISSIONERS INSTRUCTS THEM TO DO SO. 8:40 AM • The City Clerk will review rules and regulations with each group of Candidate Observers. 9:00 AM • All recount workers will report to Recount Area, per the instructions of the Clerk and Board of Election Commissioners. 9:10 AM • All observers will report to Recount Area, per the instructions of the Clerk and Board of Election Commissioners. 9:15 AM - Recount Begins 1:00PM • Lunch break. o Each group will return to their respective observer area. 2:00PM • Recount will reconvene until all ballots have been counted. 7:30 PM • The tabulating shall continue until such time as all ballots are decided, or until such time as the Board of Election Commissioners determines that the process be suspended for the day.