Karen Cassella, who campaigned to be Middlesex North Register of Deeds in 2018, is the first candidate to officially enter the arena after Richard Howe, Jr. announced his retirement at the end of the current term.

Cassella confirmed her candidacy to InsideLowell over the weekend, saying she looks forward “to discussing new ideas that would keep the Registry moving in the right direction.” 

Cassella has been at the Registry since 1992, originally working under Ed Early before Howe took over in 1995.

“My knowledge of operations is extensive, as I worked in all departments and have been involved with the changes in technology consisting of electronic recording of documents, which was implemented by Richard Howe,” she said. “A lot of ideas for improvements have come from observing the office and how it operates today and how things could improve in the future.”

Cassella ran as an unenrolled candidate in 2018, but confirms she will run in what is expected to be a competitive Democratic field in 2024. When Howe won the open seat in 1994, there were seven candidates running in a hotly contested primary.

The Lowell High graduate, who lives in the city’s Belvidere neighborhood, holds a Real Estate License in Massachusetts and is focused on making the Registry experience more convenient and enjoyable for residents. If elected, she would become the first woman to serve as Middlesex North Register of Deeds.

“My upcoming campaign will consist of meeting residents through out the district and discussing some of their experiences and how we could better serve them,” she adds. “We want everyone that uses our office to have a smooth transition when recording documents. Working together with the towns, cities and banks on the registry requirements would help the residents when recording.”