FRAMINGHAM, Mass. (AP) — Voters in Framingham have passed a ballot measure that will make the town a city.

The question on Tuesday’s ballot asked whether the community of about 70,000 residents should change its charter and adopt a city form of government with an elected mayor and city council. Voters narrowly passed the measure.

Unofficially, Framingham has been called America’s largest town.

Proponents of the charter change argued that Framingham has become too large and diverse to be governed like other smaller towns.

Critics worried that too much power would be centralized in the mayor’s office.

Several previous attempts to change the town’s governing structure have failed, the last time in 1997.


Other former Massachusetts towns have become cities in recent years, including Braintree and Weymouth.