CAMBRIDGE – Registered voters of Cambridge Wards 1 and 5 who wish to vote by mail were urged in a statement from the city to request absentee ballots as soon as possible for the special election on June 6. All mail-in ballots must be returned to the Cambridge Post Office by noon June 6, so urgency is needed for those seeking to vote by mail.

The upcoming special election will fill the remainder of commissioner terms for Ward 1 and Ward 5 through January 2025. Five candidates will appear on the ballot, two in Ward 1 and three in Ward 5.

The candidates for Ward 1 are Laurel E. Atkiss and Chad Malkus.

The candidates for Ward 5 are Robert G. Aaron, Cleveland L. Rippons and Brian R. Roche.

The Commissioners of Cambridge called for a special election April 24 to fill the unexpired terms for Wards 1 and 5. Under the city’s charter, the only remedy to fill a vacancy in an elected office is to hold a special election.

In-person voting on June 6 will be held at St. Paul's United Methodist Church at 205 Maryland Ave. between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. This polling station will be the only in-person location for both wards.

Absentee ballot request forms are available on the city’s website at choosecambridge.com. Voters can also stop by City Hall to get a paper copy of the form during normal business hours. Only registered voters in Wards 1 and 5 can participate in this special election to select the commissioners to represent these two wards through January 2025.

Please contact City Manager Tom Carroll at TCarroll@ChooseCambridge.com or at 410-228-4020 with any questions.