Last Minute Details about the September 20th Runoff Election
The City of Cambridge is holding a runoff election to fill the unexpired term for the vacant mayor’s position from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on September 20, 2022.
In-person voting will be conducted at 418 Race Street, Chesapeake College. There is free parking, including ADA accessible parking spaces, at the municipal lot between Race and Academy streets. Free on-street parking is also available on Race Street. Voters can access the voting area from either Race Street or from the rear of the Chesapeake College building.
No electioneering or campaigning is allowed within 100 feet of the entrances to Chesapeake College. No Covid-19 restrictions are in place, but individuals wishing to wear face masks are most welcome and everyone is asked to follow distancing protocols we have all become accustomed to over the last two years.
Individuals waiting in line to vote at 7 p.m. will be allowed to vote. However, anyone arriving at the end of the voting line at or after 7:01 p.m. will not be allowed to cast a vote. So please leave ample time to get to the polling station on election day.
Can I still get an absentee ballot?
Effectively, it is too late. Absentee ballots are mailed by a third party and only ballots received at the lock box in the Cambridge Post Office by 1 p.m. on election day will be counted. Absentee ballots that are still in transit through the US mail system and which have not arrived on Tuesday, September 20th will not be counted.
What if I have not yet mailed back my absentee ballot? What should I do?
You have three options. First, you can bring your absentee ballot to Chesapeake College on election day and cast it then. Second, you can throw out your absentee ballot and cast an in-person ballot on election day at Chesapeake College. Third, you can drop off your absentee ballot having followed all the directions at the Cambridge Post Office by 1 p.m. tomorrow. The extremely helpful Cambridge post office employees will get it to the secure lockbox before 3 p.m.
If I have requested an absentee ballot but want to vote in person to make sure my vote is counted, how will the City know which ballot to count?
Each voter can have only one ballot counted. The City’s election consultant, True Ballot, Inc., runs elections around the nation. True Ballot has systems in place to track all ballots and ensure nobody votes more than once. If a voter both requested an absentee ballot and votes in person, True Ballot, Inc. will have a record that two ballots were provided and will knock out the absentee ballot and exclude it from being counted. Only the ballot cast in-person ballot will be recorded. So, nobody can vote twice but a voter who is afraid their absentee ballot will not be counted on election day can still come in and cast their in-person ballot.
What if I have COVID on election day or have a disability or medical condition making it hard for me to get into the voting booth?
The best option is to have someone drive you to Chesapeake College and we will accommodate your voting. The City has three citizen volunteers to serve as election judges and an election clerk. Two or more of these citizens will work together to provide anyone with special needs whatever assistance they require to cast their vote on election day.
I am not sure that I am registered to vote. Can I still come to Chesapeake College to vote?
Yes. The City will use the list of registered voters effective through August 31st. If you are a registered voter, you will be checked against this database provided by the Dorchester Board of Elections. If you are not a registered voter, you will not be given a ballot. If you feel this is an error, you can be provided a provisional ballot which will be counted if the election judges later determine the database was in error for some reason. A provisional ballot allows you to vote while present but places that vote in a special pile to be more closely examined by election officials at a later date.
When will the results of the runoff election be known?
The City fully expects the counting to be completed before 10 p.m. on September 20th. It is possible a recount will be necessary if the election results are close or candidates request it. The runoff election results should be certified by or before noon on September 21st.
Can I watch the votes being counted?
Yes. The City will have a video camera in the polling station live-streaming the counting. You can check it out on Town Hall Streams. Link to Live Stream
If you have additional questions or concerns, please contact the City Manager at TCarroll@ChooseCambridge.com.
