For up to date information, check the City of Lowell Voter Information page.

We had a great first meeting of 2017 last week! Thanks to all who came, but don’t worry if you missed it, there’s lots of ways to do your bit going forward. Read over the list of committees below and their planned action items see if there’s one you might want to join! Email info@lowellvotes.org to get connected.

Click here for full notes.

Neighborhood and Multicultural, Meeting in February

• Recruit and advocate for translators at polling locations
• Engage with faith-based communities with information and encouragement
• Organize multi-ethnic meet ups for civic engagement in each neighborhood

Events, Next Meeting Tuesday, Jan 31

• Go to existing events to distribute voting information and register voters
• Identify events that will make biggest impact and recruit volunteers
• Plan a special summer/fall rally event

Canvassing and Voter Contact, House Party Meeting TBD

• Contact voters door-to-door to collect input into the questions for a candidate survey
• Later distribute voter guides door-to-door
• Consider a “non-binding” ballot initiative to drive civic engagement by underserved communities

Youth Outreach, TBD

• Organize and advocate for Civics Day at Lowell High School with meetings with councils, city officials, and shadowing in various departments
• Create a Youth Commission to advise City on Policies and provide input
• Lowell Votes Youth Survey to solicit input on how youth want to be involved

Media and Education, TBD

• Create a separate Twitter to re-tweet all local political topics
• Create section of website for candidates materials like press releases
• Create a multilingual candidate guide with informative website

We have all sorts of resources available to help make it easier to vote!

Our 2016 voter guide is available (774 kb, PDF) here. It has a FAQ and questions and answers for all competitive races!

Links to other forums, stories, and information are available here.

Finally, we co-sponsored a forum featuring Niki Tsongas (D-incumbent) and Ann Wofford (R), candidates for US Representative, 3rd MA district. The candidates answered questions from both adults and Lowell High students. Co-sponsors were League of Women Voters Concord Carlisle, Lowell High School, WCAP, and Lowell Educational Television, and Nancy Carapezza of LWV Wayland moderated. There were 400 people in attendance, as well as top Lowell school administrators. Watch it here:

3rd Congressional District Candidate Forum from Channel 22 on Vimeo.

The “Rally for Civic Engagement” is Lowell Votes’ premiere annual event in which we invite all candidates running for office that will appear on a ballot in Lowell to give a short speech and then talk one-on-one with rally attendees. The 2016 Rally will be held on Friday, September 2, 6:30 pm on JFK Plaza in front of Lowell City Hall.

The event will feature nonprofit and advocacy group tables, music, and decorations in a festival-like setting. The new food truck “Let’s Roll” will be there. As a fun incentive, candidates will be given sashes and can earn badges by talking to the tabling groups and learning about the issues they care about.

Please join the event on Facebook and share the word!