LEOMINSTER — Ward 5 City Councilor Carrie B. Noseworthy and challenger Suzanne O. Koehler will appear on the November ballot after winning the top two spots in Leominster’s preliminary municipal election held Tuesday, September 16. Edward Arthur Albert, the third candidate in the race, was eliminated.
According to unofficial election results posted by the Leominster City Clerk, a total of 283 ballots were cast in the Ward 5 preliminary election. Carrie B. Noseworthy received 132 votes, or 42.99% of the total. Suzanne O. Koehler followed with 101 votes, or 32.88%, while Edward Arthur Albert trailed with 50 votes, amounting to 16.29%. An additional 24 voters cast blank ballots or write-ins, accounting for the remaining 7.82%.
A preliminary election was held in accordance with Massachusetts General Law Chapter 43, Section 44G, which states that “no preliminary election shall be held” if “not more than twice as many [candidates] have been filed” as there are seats—meaning when more than two candidates qualify for a single-seat race, the field must be narrowed before the general election.
Carrie B. Noseworthy, who currently holds the Ward 5 City Council seat, was appointed in early 2025 to fill the vacancy left by the late Councilor Peter Angelini. A registered unenrolled voter, Noseworthy is a veteran of the U.S. Army and the Massachusetts National Guard. She holds a master’s degree in public administration and has a professional background in mental health, disability policy, and public service.
Suzanne O. Koehler, also an unenrolled voter, is a longtime Leominster resident and finance professional. She has emphasized her experience working with municipal budgets and her commitment to improving communication between residents and city government. In campaign materials and public statements, she has described herself as a consensus-builder focused on transparency and fiscal responsibility.
Edward Arthur Albert, the candidate eliminated in the preliminary, also ran without party affiliation.
The two finalists—Noseworthy and Koehler—will now move on to the general municipal election scheduled for Tuesday, November 4, 2025, where Leominster voters will decide who will serve a full term as Ward 5 City Councilor.
According to the city’s election calendar, voter registration for the general election closes on Saturday, October 25.
