Voting on Election Day: Tuesday, Nov. 4
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. You must vote at the polling location where you are registered. Not sure where to vote? You can visit www.WhereDoIVoteMA.com to find your polling location.
If you want to view a PDF of all the city's polling locations, please Click Here.
If you have any questions, call the Election Commission office at 617.349.4361 or email [email protected]
Mayor Denise Simmons is proud to announce that she’s seeking re‑election to the City Council this November!
Denise's approach during the 2024-2025 City Council term has continued to be pragmatic and results‑oriented — focusing less on noise and headlines and more on solving problems for the people she serves. Here are some highlights from the past year and priorities for the future:
- Housing reform. In February 2025 the council voted 8‑1 to eliminate single‑family zoning city‑wide, allowing four‑story buildings by right on all residential lots (and up to six stories for inclusionary projects). Mayor Simmons called the measure “another tool in the toolbox of affordability,” noting that exclusionary zoning had long kept people out. It’s a step toward increasing housing supply and making Cambridge more inclusive.
- Taking Care of Residents Of All Ages. This term, Cambridge finally launched its universal preschool program, providing free preschool to every four‑year‑old. Denise told residents that the program will benefit about 800 children in its first year and that the city is already working to extend it to all three‑year‑olds. Access to early education is one of her top priorities moving forward. Meanwhile, Denise has also focused her efforts to advocate for our seniors, creating the Senior Advisory Committee, hosting Senior Town Halls, and launching a Senior Service Providers Fair to connect residents with resources. She has advocated that the City strive to seek a more balanced approach to how we continue building our necessary bicycle safety infrastructure, to take into account the needs and concerns of our seniors and those with mobility impediments. And she has sought to connect those living in our senior residential buildings with the technology support to allow these individuals to more easily and more robustly participate in our City Council meetings.
- Community safety. As co-chair of the Task Force to Reimagine Public Safety, Denise helped create the Department of Community Safety, which ultimately secured $2.8 million to launch unarmed crisis-response teams. These programs keep mental-health and homelessness calls out of the criminal-justice pipeline and connect residents to services. Her “Safe Streets, Safe City” meetings continue to bring together police, faith leaders, business owners, and residents to reduce violence and strengthen trust. Denise also supported targeted surveillance in Central Square to combat gun violence and continues to expand unarmed alternatives.
- Supporting Our Workers. Denise has always stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Cambridge’s workforce — supporting building cleaners, hospitality staff, healthcare workers, and union members across the city. Her advocacy over the years has earned endorsements from Sheet Metal Workers Local 17, IBEW Local 2222, Ironworkers Local 7, Operating Engineers Local 4, and the Greater Boston Labor Council. As a small-business owner, she understands the stakes: she’s expanded networking opportunities, strengthened job-training programs, and backed wage-equity measures to ensure fair pay.
- Inclusivity and access: From rearranging the mayor’s office to create a welcoming “Mayor’s Parlor”, to holding “Walk‑In with the Mayor” sessions that require no appointment, Denise has worked to make City Hall truly the people’s building. She continues to champion and expand the Cambridge Museum of History and Culture, which celebrates the city’s diverse communities, sharing the stories that have made our city so special.
Looking ahead: Denise is focused on expanding affordable housing, fully implementing universal preschool, advancing unarmed public‑safety alternatives, working closely with partners in areas like Central Square to improve the economic vibrancy and safety of the city, and supporting small and minority‑owned businesses. Denise knows the road ahead will not be easy, but as she noted in her February 2025 State of the City address, Cambridge remains “resilient, unbowed, and strong”. She is committed to working hard to ensure that this remains the case in 2026 and beyond!
To contact Denise about official City business, please email her at [email protected].
Unsure of where to vote? Visit www.WhereDoIVoteMa.com or visit the Cambridge Election Commission!