DONATE BY MAIL Checks: made out to: Cambridge Citizens Coalition Independent Expenditure P.A.C. Mailed to: CambridgePac at P.O. Box 410291, Cambridge, MA 02141
*CambridgePac (CCC-IE) funding is critically important to the election effort, but is not tax deductible. Those who work on the elections here donate their time (and resources) for this effort.
Cambridge's Future in 6 months, 5 years, 10 years, 20 years depends on our actions today.
Vote for Citywide Progressive Policies & Balanced Change
CCC Endorsees FOR City Council
Elizabeth BISIO https://www.elizabethbisio.com/
John HANRATTY https://www.hanrattyforcambridge.com/
Peter HSU https://www.voteforpeterhsu.com/
Zion SHERIN https://www.zionforcambridge.com/
Louise VENDEN (*Write In*) https://www.louisevendenwritein.org/
Ayesha M. WILSON (Incumbent) https://www.voteayesha.com/
Catherine ZUSY (Incumbent) https://www.votezusy.org/
CCC Endorsees FOR School Committee
Richard HARDING (Incumbent) www.voteharding.org
Jane HIRSCHI https://www.janehirschi.com/
Elizabeth HUDSON (Incumbent) https://www.hudsonforcambridge.com/
Jia-Jing LEE https://jiajinglee.com/
Elizabeth BISIO https://www.elizabethbisio.com/
John HANRATTY https://www.hanrattyforcambridge.com/
Peter HSU https://www.voteforpeterhsu.com/
Zion SHERIN https://www.zionforcambridge.com/
Louise VENDEN (*Write In*) https://www.louisevendenwritein.org/
Ayesha M. WILSON (Incumbent) https://www.voteayesha.com/
Catherine ZUSY (Incumbent) https://www.votezusy.org/
CCC Endorsees FOR School Committee
Richard HARDING (Incumbent) www.voteharding.org
Jane HIRSCHI https://www.janehirschi.com/
Elizabeth HUDSON (Incumbent) https://www.hudsonforcambridge.com/
Jia-Jing LEE https://jiajinglee.com/
The 2025 Election campaign for both City Council and School Committee is underway.
- Can you help us build our financial base?
- Are there issues that you want us to address?
- Are you interested in running?
- Contact us!
Errata: in an October 2025 postcard we accidentally left Councillor Wilson off the CCC endorsees in a graph of donation amounts, and included her only as an ABC endorsee. She was honored with both endorsements and we apologize for this error.
Financing Elections: What Is Important to Know
What is important to know is that our funding - CCC and the CCC-IE Pac is overwhelmingly local - your neighbors across Cambridge, unlike most other city political and civic groups.
Sources of support for our elections, and the impact of these funds latery on city policies is important.
How to Vote in Cambridge
Voting in Cambridge is confusing for many. But in truth it is quite simple: please remember to rank and vote for the whole coalition - adding in others l if you want. Read about how voting works in Cambridge in our new blogpost: “Pulling Together: Why Ranking the Whole Coalition Matters in Cambridge” (9.26.25): HERE
In this blogpost CCC explains the visual below and talks about how voters here can pull together as a team and bring the very best results possible.
In this blogpost CCC explains the visual below and talks about how voters here can pull together as a team and bring the very best results possible.
REGISTER TO VOTE by Oct.25 for the 2025 election: HERE: https://www.sec.state.ma.us/ovr/
Find out if you are Registered to Vote? HERE: https://www.sec.state.ma.us/ovr/
APPLY for a MAIL-IN/DROP OFF BALLOT:HERE
You will receive it in early October and can either mail it back or drop it off in one of the city drop boxes (see below). About 40% of Cambridge residents last election used a mail-in/drop off ballot.
We encourage voting as soon as you receive it, but you can mail it in up to 1 week before the election on November 4. Or you can drop it off from (Date to follow)
The drop off boxes are open 24 hours day at the following locations: Main Ballot Drop Box: Open from (dates to follow) Coffon Building - Right-side of the building located at 51 Inman St Satellite Drop Box Locations: Open from (dates to follow) at 8 p.m. City Hall - Near the back door of the building located at 795 Massachusetts Ave Morse School - Near the front entrance of the building location at 40 Granite St Cambridge Police Headquarters - Near the front of the building located at 125 6th St Maria L. Baldwin School - Right-side of the Oxford Street entrance of the building located at 85 Oxford Street O'Neill Library - Adjacent to the entrance stairs of the building located at 70 Rindge Ave.
Walk-In voting: (dates to follow) You can also return your ballot in person at the Cambridge Election Commission office at 51 Inman Street during regular office hours: Mondays 8:30 am - 8:00 pm; Tuesdays through Thursdays 8:30 am - 5:00 pm; Fridays 8:30 am - 12:00 Noon. The Election Commission office will be closed on Monday, October 9th to an election official at a designated early voting location during early voting hours.
Regular voting (in person) is November 4, 2025.
Find out where you vote: HERE
Find out if you are Registered to Vote? HERE: https://www.sec.state.ma.us/ovr/
APPLY for a MAIL-IN/DROP OFF BALLOT:HERE
You will receive it in early October and can either mail it back or drop it off in one of the city drop boxes (see below). About 40% of Cambridge residents last election used a mail-in/drop off ballot.
We encourage voting as soon as you receive it, but you can mail it in up to 1 week before the election on November 4. Or you can drop it off from (Date to follow)
The drop off boxes are open 24 hours day at the following locations: Main Ballot Drop Box: Open from (dates to follow) Coffon Building - Right-side of the building located at 51 Inman St Satellite Drop Box Locations: Open from (dates to follow) at 8 p.m. City Hall - Near the back door of the building located at 795 Massachusetts Ave Morse School - Near the front entrance of the building location at 40 Granite St Cambridge Police Headquarters - Near the front of the building located at 125 6th St Maria L. Baldwin School - Right-side of the Oxford Street entrance of the building located at 85 Oxford Street O'Neill Library - Adjacent to the entrance stairs of the building located at 70 Rindge Ave.
Walk-In voting: (dates to follow) You can also return your ballot in person at the Cambridge Election Commission office at 51 Inman Street during regular office hours: Mondays 8:30 am - 8:00 pm; Tuesdays through Thursdays 8:30 am - 5:00 pm; Fridays 8:30 am - 12:00 Noon. The Election Commission office will be closed on Monday, October 9th to an election official at a designated early voting location during early voting hours.
Regular voting (in person) is November 4, 2025.
Find out where you vote: HERE
City Polling Places
The livability of Cambridge 10, 20 years from now depends on our actions today. Cambridge is diverse. That's who we are. In both culture and perspectives, our culture of innovation has established our historical community as an attractive hub for visitors worldwide. To maintain the cultural integrity of our neighborhoods, the speed of developments needs to be sustainable for generations to come. It should also reflect the interests of those who call Cambridge home, not just the potential profits of commercial developers. Modernization is good- but restrictions need to be established to prevent the destruction of trees, historical architecture, and the unsustainable gentrification of our communities even further.
CCC's CURRENT CITY COUNCIL GOALS
CCC PRIORITIES 2024-25 (summary)
CCC leaders have worked with every Councillor, city staff member, resident, and business across the city to help our city government achieve the following policy or process changes. This can be a year of real progress for the city.
6 Top Priorities
Better Government: Require speedy responses to public records requests; require clerk (or others) to publish votes with initials on city website during Council and other public meetings; publish weekly meeting calendar; add more separation between Councillors and judiciary committees (BZA, Cambridge Historical Commission, Planning Board); limit House Doctor (our “in house” pre-approved contractor projects) to below $500K.
City Finances: 5-year plan to keep city fiscally sound; more upfront detail on development proposal costs; maintain low residential and commercial property taxes.
Environmental Issues and Climate Resiliency: Annual City updates on climate change results; published plan for new infrastructure; enact Urban Forestry Master Plan; improve environmental impact studies re climate goals.
Housing: Support the rights of tenants against unfair evictions, lease terminations, and rate hikes; encourage adoption of Senate bill S684 providing legal counsel; add financial incentives for property owners to add units to existing homes and keep rents below market rates for non-family for a fixed time period; allow multifamily zoning citywide without unduly increasing property values and impacting green space; create citywide design review committee; promote city purchased land for housing (land trusts) and lease land to developers; add regular independent reviews of tenant concerns and building upkeep; provide a single anonymized list of housing applicants and update annually
Neighborhoods: Provide more local meeting places and encourage more neighborhood groups citywide; host annual city council meeting with neighborhood group leaders; address long term vacancies (homes and local businesses) by adding escalating fee structure. Do annual review of ISD (Inspectional Services Department) requests and completions. Simplify and speed up responses to street light outages etc.
Transportation and Infrastructure: Traffic camera use for better counts citywide and consider violation tickets like DC; address best practices for safest bicycle, scooter, skateboard use; Modified broadband for city square open spaces and both low income and senior housing.
CCC leaders have worked with every Councillor, city staff member, resident, and business across the city to help our city government achieve the following policy or process changes. This can be a year of real progress for the city.
6 Top Priorities
Better Government: Require speedy responses to public records requests; require clerk (or others) to publish votes with initials on city website during Council and other public meetings; publish weekly meeting calendar; add more separation between Councillors and judiciary committees (BZA, Cambridge Historical Commission, Planning Board); limit House Doctor (our “in house” pre-approved contractor projects) to below $500K.
City Finances: 5-year plan to keep city fiscally sound; more upfront detail on development proposal costs; maintain low residential and commercial property taxes.
Environmental Issues and Climate Resiliency: Annual City updates on climate change results; published plan for new infrastructure; enact Urban Forestry Master Plan; improve environmental impact studies re climate goals.
Housing: Support the rights of tenants against unfair evictions, lease terminations, and rate hikes; encourage adoption of Senate bill S684 providing legal counsel; add financial incentives for property owners to add units to existing homes and keep rents below market rates for non-family for a fixed time period; allow multifamily zoning citywide without unduly increasing property values and impacting green space; create citywide design review committee; promote city purchased land for housing (land trusts) and lease land to developers; add regular independent reviews of tenant concerns and building upkeep; provide a single anonymized list of housing applicants and update annually
Neighborhoods: Provide more local meeting places and encourage more neighborhood groups citywide; host annual city council meeting with neighborhood group leaders; address long term vacancies (homes and local businesses) by adding escalating fee structure. Do annual review of ISD (Inspectional Services Department) requests and completions. Simplify and speed up responses to street light outages etc.
Transportation and Infrastructure: Traffic camera use for better counts citywide and consider violation tickets like DC; address best practices for safest bicycle, scooter, skateboard use; Modified broadband for city square open spaces and both low income and senior housing.
How to Vote: Select your #1 candidate first; then select the order of your other candidates, but vote for ALL of the coalition nominees for City Council and School Committee ! Generally only one candidate is elected on the first ballot. All the others are elected through transfer votes (all the other candidates you rank as #2, #3, #4 etc). Sometimes it takes 17+ rounds of transfer votes before we know the winner. s.
HISTORY
The 2023 CCC ENDORSED CANDIDATES ELECTED
4 Elected Cambridge City Councillors: PATTY NOLAN, JOAN PICKETT, PAUL TONER, AYESHA WILSON. With the passing of Joan Pickett in 2024, our endorsee, Cathie Zusy, became our new City Councillor.
2023 was the third election we had endorsed City Council Candidates, and we are delighted to have moved from 2 CCC-endorsed Councillors in the last election to 4 successful candidates in this election.
2 Elected Cambridge School Committee: ELIZABETH HUDSON and JOSÉ LUIS ROJAS VILLARREAL
2023 was the first year we endorsed School Committee Candidates and we are delighted with our first wins on this front.
2023 was the third election we had endorsed City Council Candidates, and we are delighted to have moved from 2 CCC-endorsed Councillors in the last election to 4 successful candidates in this election.
2 Elected Cambridge School Committee: ELIZABETH HUDSON and JOSÉ LUIS ROJAS VILLARREAL
2023 was the first year we endorsed School Committee Candidates and we are delighted with our first wins on this front.
Help Support our Work
DONATE BY MAIL
Checks: made out to: Cambridge Citizens Coalition Independent Expenditure P.A.C.
Mailed to: CambridgePac at P.O. Box 410291, Cambridge, MA 02141
Thank you!!
Checks: made out to: Cambridge Citizens Coalition Independent Expenditure P.A.C.
Mailed to: CambridgePac at P.O. Box 410291, Cambridge, MA 02141
Thank you!!
Elections Matter!
A Strategy for Sustainable Change
This November, help us create a diverse panel of City Council members who can represent the holistic interests of their residents- regardless of how many years they have called Cambridge home. The wellbeing of our neighbors should come before the interests of international, for-profit developers. In creating a more sustainable environment, realistic affordable housing options, and better public services, we cannot idealistically ignore the long term repercussions of our decisions day. Join our fight to end Band-Aid solutions for the core issues facing Cambridge and help us put into place long term strategies that addresses expansion.
CCC-IE is a nonprofit organization comprised of residents from every part of Cambridge. Our research based methodology will ensure that future development sustains the health of the entire community rather than lining the pockets of developers and creating unaffordable housing solutions to those that need it the most.
We need to respect all that is best about Cambridge: the welcoming atmosphere for diverse communities, the human scale, the spirit of innovation, and the unique historical qualities of every neighborhood. The group welcomes all Cambridge residents. To protect the special qualities of a city we all cherish, we must have new voices of reason and balance on the City Council. Visit our voting section to find out how to get involved.
EnvironmentLong term sustainability and preservation of current natural habitats.
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Sensible PlanningPrincipled planning that addresses the needs of residents, the environment, local businesses and strategic growth
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Equity and LivabilityImproving Neighborhoods, Schools, and public services such as investments into Pre-K Education
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We take seriously the responsibility of endorsing candidates and work hard to ensure they reflect our values. In the past, we may have missed social media content that some found offensive. If problematic material comes to light today, we will not endorse the given candidate. In 2025, this is now old news, and it's being used by some to distract from the urgent challenges facing Cambridge now —from displacement and overdevelopment to the need for real community input in planning our city’s future. It's time to focus on what is happening currently in the city. We welcome anyone to sign up for our informative newsletters and read our many data rich posts at CambridgeCitizens.org
"Asking for -profit developers to fix the affordable housing problem is like asking an arsonist to put out their own fire. What is their incentive? "
"Asking for -profit developers to fix the affordable housing problem is like asking an arsonist to put out their own fire. What is their incentive? "