Gardner, Massachusetts Public Records

The bureau offers an online portal for accessing statewide criminal records, so that Worcester County residents have access to necessary information for employment, housing, and personal safety decisions.

The registration deadline falls 20 days before any election. Voters must be U.S. Citizens, Massachusetts residents, and at least 18 years old by election day. Registration requires either a Massachusetts driver's license or ID number, or the last four digits of a Social Security number. The city holds municipal elections for local offices including Mayor and City Council. Mayoral elections occur every two years in odd-numbered years, most recently in 2023, with the next in 2025. The nine-member City Council operates on staggered terms with elections also in odd years. Precinct officials and ward representation form the structure of local elections. Residents can find their assigned polling place by visiting https://www.sec.state.ma.us/wheredoivotema/ or contacting the City Clerk's office, as the city maintains multiple polling locations organized by precinct. Massachusetts provides extensive public access to election records. Voter registration lists are available for political purposes, campaign finance reports are public through the Office of Campaign and Political Finance (OCPF) at https://www.ocpf.us, and candidate filings and nomination papers are maintained by election officials. Precinct-level results are published after each election. In the November 2024 presidential election, Worcester County saw turnout with approximately 60-65% of registered voters participating, representing over 320,000 votes cast countywide. The November 3, 2026 general election will be critical for Massachusetts voters in Gardner and throughout Worcester County. Statewide, voters will elect a Governor and Lieutenant Governor to four-year terms, as Massachusetts gubernatorial elections occur in midterm years and the current term expires in January 2027. The Attorney General, Secretary of State, State Treasurer, and State Auditor positions will also appear on the ballot. At the federal level, all nine U.S. House seats for Massachusetts will be contested. Gardner is in the 2nd Congressional District. One of Massachusetts' two U.S. Senate seats may be up depending on the cycle, though 2026 does not feature a regularly scheduled Massachusetts Senate race unless a special election occurs. State legislative races include all 160 State Representative seats and all 40 State Senate seats. Gardner residents vote for representatives in the 1st Worcester District and senators in the Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire and Middlesex District, though district lines are subject to redistricting. County-level positions in Massachusetts are limited as many traditional county functions have been restructured. Massachusetts offers absentee and mail-in voting to any registered voter without requiring a reason. Voters can request an absentee ballot by submitting an application to the Gardner City Clerk or through the state's online portal. Applications must be submitted by the deadline, typically the Wednesday before the election for mail delivery, or in person up until the day before. Early voting is also available for biennial state elections during a designated period before election day at locations announced by the City Clerk.