Kerry Jordan, the new executive director of the City of Boston Election Dept., spoke to reporters outside of City Hall on Aug. 19. SHNS photo
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Speaking to reporters last Wednesday, Kerry Jordan, Boston’s new elections commissioner, summed up his bona fides in one sentence: “I’m a lifelong Dorchester resident, a proud Boston voter, and I’ve dedicated my career to serving the people of this city.”
Jordan, who lives on Gallivan Boulevard and attended the Mather and McCormack schools while growing up in Fields Corner, said that “most of my work for the past two decades has been behind the scenes here at City Hall, making sure our city employees have the tools they need to deliver high quality services so that our neighborhoods can access the resources that this city has to offer,” he said.
He started working for the city’s TV tech team, supporting live feeds from city departments.
“I got a front row seat to how this city operates, the creative ways that people come up with solutions to solve some challenges across the city,” he said.
Over the last five years, Jordan has been the chief of staff in the city’s Department of Innovation and Technology.
“Through that work, I gained a firsthand look at the immense responsibility that this Election Department puts forth every time there’s an election. They deliver dedicated, relentless, smooth, transparent collections for every voter. This work brings me joy, and it’s an honor and a privilege to step in and lead the elections department.”
Jordan is taking the helm at the Elections Department during a tumultuous time. After several polling locations in Boston ran out of ballots during the 2024 presidential and state election, Secretary of State Bill Galvin placed the department under state receivership and ordered Boston officials to overhaul its procedures.
This year, the US Department of Justice announced that it will be sending election monitors to Massachusetts amid Pres. Donald Trump’s oft-repeated, yet unproven claims of large numbers of non-citizens voting in elections.
“We feel that we are prepared for whoever comes to see what we do and how we do elections in Boston,” said Paul Chong, commissioner of city records, during the Aug. 19 press conference announcing Jordan’s appointment. He said that voters should have nothing to fear from federal monitors.
“I want to emphasize, for voters especially, that election monitors are here to observe — if they come — the Election Department, not voters.”
Wu said she is confident the city is ready for this year’s election.
“As we approach the primaries, we’re working to ensure that every Boston voter can participate confidently, safely, freely in our democracy,” she said. “That means strengthening our election infrastructure across staffing, training, and technology.
“We’ve hired more than 1,860 poll workers, including more than 400 poll workers who speak multiple languages and reflect the languages of our communities, to make sure that all of our poll sites are ready to support any voter who comes through those doors.”
The primary takes place on Tues., Sept. 1, falling before the Labor Day holiday. The timing, during a week when many Boston residents typically are on vacation, may contribute to a lower than average turnout.
Jordan told reporters he’s ready for the challenge of running the department.
“As the incoming executive director, I hope to invest in the team, the system, and the processes that continue the Democratic project that began 250 years ago,” he said.
As to Galvin’s order, the receivership will remain in place through this year’s state election, said Deb O’Malley of his office. The plan has always been to reassess after the upcoming November election and to take account of all election aspects, she added.
“After November, we’ll meet with Boston and go over everything,” O’Malley said Wednesday. “We’re looking at the entire election as a whole, and we need to ensure issues don’t come up.”
State House News Service reporting was included in this article.
Copyright © 2026 Boston Neighborhood News, Inc. This content may not be re-published or re-used without written permission.
