Worcester Election 2025: Results for mayor, city council, school committee

Adam Bass

Wed, November 5, 2025 at 6:03 AM UTC

6 min read

Worcester Mayor Joseph Petty won reelection to an eighth term on Tuesday night, extending his tenure as the city's longest-serving mayor, according to unofficial tallies.

Petty's apparent victory in a three-candidate field came as voters also cast their ballots for City Council and School Committee.

On the City Council, the incumbents for District 2 and District 5 lost re-election while a former District 1 councilor won his old seat, according to unofficial results.

A majority of the school committee seats went uncontested this year. Among the contested races, the incumbents for School Committee-at-Large, District C and District E all maintained their seats.

Here are the unofficial general election results:

Mayor

Unofficial tallies showed Petty taking 13,747 votes, or 54.68%.

In addition to serving as mayor for two more years, Petty will also serve as a city councilor at-large.

According to the city's charter , the councilor-at-large candidates are listed twice on the ballot: once as an option for councilor-at-large and once as an option for mayor.

Of the 12 candidates running for councilor-at-large, Petty won the most votes.

Petty ran against Vice Council Chair and Councilor-at-Large Khrystian King and real estate agent Owura-Kwaku Sarkodieh, who respectively took 34% and 7% in the mayoral election 11.08% and 5.80%, in the city-councilor-at large election, according to unofficial tallies.

"Thank you, Worcester, from the bottom of my heart, for entrusting me to serve another term as your mayor," Petty said in a statement on social media. "This campaign was about leadership, results, and service to our city."

Though he did not win the mayoral election, King will serve another two terms as councilor-at-large, since he earned the second-highest number of votes.

"Our community has made it clear that they believe in the work I do, the stances I take, and the unwavering commitment to putting people first, not politics," King said in a statement. "This support signals that our city is almost ready for leadership rooted in transparency, compassion, and accountability. It verifies the fact that my leadership that listens, acts, and builds with community at the center. I am profoundly grateful and deeply motivated to continue showing up for Worcester in every space, every conversation, and every decision."

Sarkodieh, who also ran for city councilor-at-large, ranked 11th and was unable to secure a spot on the council.

City Councilors-at-Large

The city's charter states that the six councilor-at-large candidates who receive the most votes are the ones who will be elected to serve.

Petty and King received the first and second most votes, respectively, with Petty earning 12,420 to King's 11,808.

Placing in third was Councilor-at-Large Kathleen Toomey with 10,353 votes, according to unofficial tallies. Former City Councilor Gary Rosen was re-elected on Tuesday night, earning 10,033 votes.

In fifth place was Dr. Satya Mitra, founder of The Guru Tax and Financial Services . Mitra earned 9,457 votes. Behind Mitra was Councilor Morris Bergman, with 9,353 votes.

Behind Bergman was was Jermoh Kamara, the president of the Massachusetts Organization of African Descendants , earning 9.309 votes.

Councilor Donna Colorio lost re-election, coming in 8th place with 9,247 votes. In ninth, 10th and 11th place were Cayden Davis, Jessica Pepple and Owura-Kwaku Sarkodieh, with 8,352 votes, 6,378 votes and 6,188 votes, respectively. In last place was Edson Montero, with 3,707 votes.

Read more:Worcester voters back proposal to sap college endowments to fund city projects

District Councilors

District 1 Councilor Jenny Pacillo and District 3 Councilor George Russell both decided not to run for reelection this year, leaving their seats up for grabs.

In District 1, former city councilor Tony Economou defeated resident Keith Linhares, regaining his old seat on the council. 4,064 to 3,065, according to unofficial results.

In District 2,Robert A. Bilotta defeated incumbent Councilor Candy Mero-Carlson 2,016 to 1,629 votes.

In District 3, former state Rep. John Fresolo defeated former Worcester Public Schools safety director Robert Pezzella 2,220 to 1,894, according to unofficial tallies.

In District 4,Councilor Luis Ojeda won a second term, defeating challenger Ted Kostas 1,566 to 561.

In District 5,Jose Rivera defeated incumbent Councilor Etel Haxhiaj 3,954 to 3,575, according to unofficial results.

Haxhiaj was charged in connection with an interaction with Worcester police officers during an Immigration and Customs Enforcement raid on Eureka Street in May. Her lawyer filed a motion to dismiss the charges. She is due back in court on Nov. 19.

School Committee

The School Committee-at-Large, School Committee District C and School Committee District E seats were contested this year.

In Worcester, the candidates running for School Committee-at-Large who earn the first- and second-highest vote totals are awarded seats.

The top two vote-getters were incumbents School Committee Members-at-Large, Maureen F. Binienda and Susan M. Mailman, defeating challenger Adwoa A. Sakyi-Lamptey.

Binienda and Mailman earned 13,663 and 12,996 votes, respectively. Sakyi-Lamptey earned 8,588 votes, according to unofficial results.

District C incumbent Dianna Biancheria defeated Feanna S. Jattan-Singh.

Bianchera earned 2,753 votes to Jattan-Signh's 1,236.

School Committee District E incumbent Kathleen Roy defeated challenger Nelly Medina, with Roy

Roy earned 1,921 votes to Medina's 1,827.

"I lost some old friends and gained some new ones on this journey, and I am proud of my accomplishments," Medina wrote on social media. "My campaign was pure joy. They cannot erase my accomplishments and for that, I hold my head up high."

The school committee candidates for Districts A, B, D and F all ran unopposed this year.

District A incumbent Molly O. McCullough, District B incumbent Vanessa Z. Alvarez, District D incumbent Alejandro Guardiola and District F incumbent Jermaine L. Johnson all won re-election Tuesday night.

McCullough was supposed to face off against challenger Ashley R. Spring, but the city's board of elections ruled them ineligible to be on the ballot because they do not meet the city's residency requirement.

Spring, who uses they/them pronouns, was also present on Eureka Street when Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested a Brazilian mother of three on May 8.

Spring sprayed water on a Worcester officer during the ICE arrest and faces multiple charges . A judge is expected to provide an update on Nov. 19 on a motion filed by Spring's lawyer asking to dismiss the charges against them.

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