City Council — Springfield, MA
Date: 2026-06-16
Time: 16:30

CITY COUNCIL
 General Government Agenda


I hereby notify you that the following items of business have been filed with this office and can
be acted upon at the meeting of the City Council Tuesday, June 16, 2026 at 4:30 PM.

 City Clerk


Roll Call


Call To Order
4:30 PM Meeting called to order on June 16, 2026, in Hybrid Room 200, 36 Court Street,
Springfield, MA 01103.


Public Portion

 1. Continued discussion on the 2025 elections — mail in/absentee voting process.

 2. Updates on previous concerns addressed.




 City Council 1 HYBRID MEETING

City Council 36 Court Street
 Springfield, MA 01103
 General Government http://www.springfieldcityhall.com
 Meeting
 Justin Hurst (Chair)
 ~Final~


June 16, 2026 4:30 PM City Hall - Room 200




Roll Call

In Person:
Cladys Oyola, Election Commissioner
Chelsea Parmentier, Deputy Election Commissioner
Jaqueline Pleet, League of Women Voters
Councilor Hurst, Chair

Remote:
Erica Cruz
Councilor Davila *L

 Attendee Name Title Status Arrived
 Brian Santaniello City Councilor At Large Excused
 Gerry Martin City Councilor — Ward 7 Present
 Maria Perez City Councilor — Ward 1 Excused
 Malo Brown City Councilor — Ward 4 Excused
 Zaida Govan City Councilor — Ward 8 Excused
 Kateri Walsh City Councilor At Large Excused
 Justin Hurst City Councilor At Large Present
 Victor Davila City Councilor — Ward 6 Remote *L 4:40 PM
 Michael Fenton City Councilor — Ward 2 Excused
 Jose Delgado City Councilor At Large Excused
 Lavar Click-Bruce City Councilor — Ward 5 Excused
 Melvin Edwards City Councilor — Ward 3 Excused
 Tracye Whitfield City Councilor At Large Excused


Call To Order
4:30 PM Meeting called to order on June 16, 2026, in Hybrid Room 200, 36 Court Street,
Springfield, MA 01103.


Public Portion

 1. Continued discussion on the 2025 elections — mail in/absentee voting process.

 2. Updates on previous concerns addressed.


Minutes:

On June 16, 2026, the General Government Committee of the Springfield City Council, chaired
by Councilor Justin Hurst, met to review the 2025 election process, focusing on vote-by-mail
procedures, voter outreach, and polling-place operations. Committee members included
Councilors Gerry Martin and Victor Davila. Election Commissioner Gladys Oyola-Lopez and
Deputy Election Commissioner Chelsea Parmentier provided updates.

The committee reviewed the distinction between absentee voting and vote-by-mail, noting that
vote-by-mail is available to all registered voters while absentee voting requires a qualifying
reason. Officials outlined ballot request options, including online, mail, email, phone, and in-
person requests, and confirmed that applications must be submitted annually. Members discussed
opportunities to increase municipal election participation through targeted outreach, expanded
voter education, and additional information in census mailings.

Election officials reviewed procedures for addressing missing or delayed ballots, emphasized the
importance of maintaining current voter registration information, and confirmed that local
election ballots must be received by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day. Officials also outlined new
verification steps with the Secretary of State's office following a 2025 issue that delayed
processing of some online vote-by-mail requests.

The committee received updates on polling locations identified as concerns during the 2025
elections. Martin Luther King Jr. Family Services will close regular operations during the
September and November elections to improve voter access. Coordination with Springfield
Public Schools will continue to address parking and communication issues at school-based
polling sites, including Rebecca Johnson School. A new contact has been established for
Highland House, construction concerns at Mason Square Library have been resolved, and voter
notifications regarding the Brookings School polling location change will continue.
Election officials reported ongoing efforts to increase voter participation through social media,
community partnerships, public events, and poll worker recruitment. A future virtual meeting
will be scheduled to review election warrants and polling locations. The meeting adjourned at
approximately 5:25 p.m.

[MIN_SIGNATURES]