The City of Boston Election Department today completed the recount of ballots cast for the election of the Senator in General Court for the Middlesex and Suffolk District in the September 1, 2026, Democratic State Primary.
The recount included ballots cast in Wards 4, 5, 21, and 22. Representatives from both campaigns were present to observe the recount. Staff from the Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth were also present as poll workers manually re-counted the paper ballots to determine the official vote tally.
Following the recount, the vote totals are:
- William N. Brownsberger: 3,369
- Daniel Lander: 5,131
At 5:42 p.m., the Boston Election Commission certified today’s ward and precinct recount results.
At the request of the Lander campaign and pursuant to MGL Chapter 54, Section 135, the Election Department will conduct an additional review of absentee and vote-by-mail ballot materials, including a comparison of signatures on ballot applications and the corresponding returned ballot envelopes, in accordance with applicable election procedures.
Next Steps
The Boston Election Department will organize the requested materials and will continue the administrative process for the review of absentee and vote-by-mail ballots. The review will be open to representatives of both campaigns and members of the public. This process is separate from the recount completed and certified today. Any challenge to the validity of a voter signature would need to be raised through the appropriate legal process.
The Boston Election Commissioners will reconvene on Thursday, September 10, 2026, at 9 a.m. at Boston City Hall to continue this process.
Members of the public may view the public meeting notice online.
