Boston Council Committee Moves 2023 Preliminary Election Two Weeks Earlier

BOSTON — February 24, 2023 — Boston's City Council election committee voted to move the 2023 preliminary municipal election from September 26 to September 12, giving the Elections Department more time to print November general-election ballots. Committee Chair Liz Breadon recommended passage of Docket 0407, which includes a clarifying amendment ensuring that all candidate-filing and nomination-paper deadlines remain anchored to the original September 26 date so potential candidates lose no time to collect signatures. Commissioner Anita Tavares told the committee that under the old schedule, even a rush ballot order could not arrive until the week of October 16, leaving only three weeks before the November 7 general election. Councillor Edward M. Flynn and Breadon said they would jointly write to the Speaker of the Massachusetts House urging that two anticipated South End and West Roxbury state legislative special elections be held on the same day to reduce costs and voter confusion. Breadon also signaled she would pursue a home rule petition to permanently overhaul the city charter's election calendar to accommodate early voting and vote-by-mail, which became permanent under the 2022 state Votes Act.