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The cost of campaigning in Worcester is up to $250,000 per election

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The cost of campaigning in Worcester is up to 0,000 per election

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WORCESTER – Election Day is just around the corner and conducting a safe and efficient election comes at a cost.

According to City Clerk Nikolin Vangjeli, a typical election costs about $225,000 to $250,000 for the city. With the presidential election, costs rise significantly, with mail-in voting costing the city about $25,000 this year.

The City Clerk's Office is tasked with conducting elections at all levels of government in the city.

Costs associated with elections include, but are not limited to, poll workers, police officers stationed at polling locations, Parks Department employees involved in setting up and demolishing facilities, and early in-person and absentee voting operations.

Poll workers receive a salary. Their scholarships were increased in the 2025 budget. Supervisors and clerks would receive a $240 stipend plus an additional $40 for training, and inspectors would receive a $210 stipend and an additional $40 for training.

According to the city clerk's office, the workforce for this year's elective surgery includes:

  • 360 poll workers
  • About 70 Worcester police officers
  • 17 employees
  • 80 poll workers from high school students

On Tuesday, Worcester voters will line up to vote in the contentious presidential election between Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on the Democratic side and former President Donald Trump and Ohio Sen. JD Vance on the to make the Republican side heard. the U.S. Senate race between Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Republican John Deaton, a contested state Senate race and five ballot questions.

Susan Ledoux, a poll worker who participated in Thursday's early voting event at Congregation Beth Israel, said her mother first got her involved in poll work when she was 18.

Ledoux later worked for the city clerk's office for 38 years and became a poll worker in 2020 upon her retirement.

“I feel like I’m helping my community make sure their vote is done properly,” Ledoux said. “My mom kind of taught me that.”

Ledoux said Congregation Beth Israel gives residents enough space so they can vote with more privacy and can handle more hours of voting.

In the wake of the 2020 presidential election and Trump's attempts to overturn the results, election workers across the country are facing increasing threats.

Vangjeli said the city made additional efforts to ensure security at the polls. The measures include special training for election workers and police officers.

Poll workers and the Board of Election Commissioners are also deployed throughout the city. These officers have also completed special training. The city's emergency response center will be activated from 6 a.m. until polls close to handle potential emergencies. The Emergency Communications Center will involve staff from other city departments to provide assistance as needed.

Ledoux said she has always felt safe voting in Massachusetts.

“Massachusetts is not one of the states that is very controversial right now, so I feel safe here. And God will take care of the rest,” Ledoux said.

As of October 25, more than 3,000 ballots had been completed in Worcester through in-person early voting. 13,702 voters voted by postal vote.

Friday is the last day of early voting from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Congregation Beth Israel, 15 Jamesbury Drive.

On Election Day, registered Worcester voters can find their polling place through the city's website.

As of October 25, there were 118,755 registered voters in Worcester.

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