Lowell — The Director of Elections and Census for the City of Lowell strongly encourages voters to take advantage of in-person Early Voting or Mail-in Voting for the upcoming State Election to help reduce wait times at polling locations.
Many voters may recall the significant delays during the 2024 election as voters waited to deposit a three-card, five-page ballot into the tabulator.
As required by federal law, ballots in Lowell include English, Spanish, and Khmer translations. With nine ballot questions on the 2026 ballot, this year’s ballot will consist of four cards, printed front and back, for a total of eight pages.
Voters will need additional time to review and complete their ballots and may spend as much as one minute depositing their multi-card ballot into the tabulator. Multi-card ballot elections also increase the likelihood of jams, especially when voters try to insert the next card before the tabulator is ready, contributing to additional delays.
Lowell Public School students will also be in session on Election Day. With almost all of Lowell voting in schools, voters should plan for limited parking and are likely to encounter traffic delays during student drop off and pick up times.
Mail-in ballots are expected to become available the first week of October and Lowell voters may request theirs by returning the application they received from the Secretary of the Commonwealth or by applying online at www.mailmyballotma.com. Voters with pending requests may track their ballot at www.trackmyballotma.com.
Two full weeks of in-person Early Voting will be available at the Lowell Senior Center, 276 Broadway St, from Saturday, October 17, through Friday, October 30, during the following hours:
- Saturdays: 9:00AM – 5:00PM
- Sundays: 9:00AM – 5:00PM
- Mondays: 8:00AM – 5:00PM
- Tuesdays: 8:00AM – 8:00PM
- Wednesdays: 8:00AM – 5:00PM
- Thursdays: 8:00AM – 5:00PM
- Fridays: 8:00AM – 12:00PM
Voters who do not take advantage of Early or Mail-In Voting may still vote on Election Day at their regular polling locations between 7:00AM and 8:00PM on Tuesday, November 3.
Sample ballots, helpful links, and general information about elections and voting in Lowell are available online at www.lowellma.gov/elections by visiting City Hall, or by contacting the Lowell Elections & Census Dept at (978) 674-4046.
One response to “Lowell Voters Encouraged to Take Advantage of Early and Mail-in Voting”
Below is a breakdown of the 9 Ballot Questions:
However, keep in mind there is a legal catch unique to Massachusetts because these are statutes and not constitutional amendments, meaning the state legislature still has the power to amend, rewrite, or even repeal them later if they choose. In fact, they are already negotiating separate bills that could alter or override the outcomes of Question 1 (public records) and Question 5 (tax limits). So the legislature still gets the final say.
Question 1: Expanding the Public Records Law
Vote YES ——if you agree with good governance watchdogs that say keeping the public completely blind to legislative votes, committee debates, and governor communications is an outdated practice. Because over 40 states allow more access than Massachusetts.
Vote NO —— if you agree with some constitutional scholars that say that lawmakers need private spaces to negotiate complex compromises without immediate public backlash, and that constituent privacy must be protected.
Question 2: Collective Bargaining for CPCS Employees
Vote YES——if you agree with legal and labor experts that say public defenders face extreme burnout and low pay compared to prosecutors. Allowing them to unionize is seen as a logical step to stabilize the public defense system, ensuring low-income defendants get proper representation.
Vote NO——if you agree and feel that because these are state-funded positions, a union could lock the state into binding arbitration that forces tax increases or cuts to other essential programs.
Question 3: All-Party Primary Elections
Vote YES——if you agree with Political Scientists that top-two primaries force candidates to appeal to a broader, more moderate base rather than catering strictly to partisan extremes which can lead to less political polarization.
Vote NO——if you agree with experts that warn that all-party primaries can shut out third parties entirely and often lead to two candidates from the exact same major party facing off in November, limiting voter choice.
Question 4: Election Day Registration
Vote YES—— if you agree with voting rights organizations who consider same day registration a national best practice because data shows the 20+ states that use it consistently see higher voter turnout, particularly among young people and working-class families.
Vote NO——if you agree with Election Officials in smaller towns that say Massachusetts relies heavily on paper check-ins and decentralized polling, and that implementing this without major technical upgrades could cause long lines and administrative chaos.
Question 5: State Revenue Limit & Rebate
Vote YES——if you agree with fiscal conservatives that putting a hard cap on government spending prevents wasteful state expansion and ensures excess economic growth goes directly back to the families who earned it
Vote NO—— If you agree with economists that warn that rigid spending caps can severely backfire. During economic booms, a state needs to build up “rainy day” reserves to fund schools, transit, and infrastructure when the economy inevitably slows down.
Question 6: Natural Resource Conservation Fund
Vote YES —— if you agree with conservationists that say dedicating a permanent slice of outdoor-related taxes to nature preservation ensures long-term funding that cannot be stripped away by shifting political priorities in the legislature.
Vote NO—— if you agree with budget analysts that dislike “ballot-box budgeting” (earmarking specific taxes for specific things). They say it ties the hands of lawmakers who may need that revenue for emergencies like a public health crisis or school funding gaps.
Question 7: Single Family Homes (Zoning Reform)
Vote YES—— if you agree with housing economists who all agree that strict local zoning (like requiring huge lots for single homes) is the primary driver of the state’s housing shortage. Forcing smaller lot sizes is a proven tool to naturally lower home prices.
Vote NO—— if you agree with municipal planners that say a one-size-fits-all state mandate ignores local realities, such as town water capacities, traffic constraints, and historical preservation, etc.
Question 8: Prohibit Retail Sale of Recreational Marijuana
Vote YES—— if you agree with certain medical and substance abuse professionals who say that the proliferation of high-potency cannabis products poses long-term risks to youth brain development and mental health, justifying a rollback.
Vote NO——if you agree with economic and law enforcement experts that say prohibition does not stop use; it simply hands the market back to illegal cartels. Keeping it legal allows the state to tax it, test it for safety, and strictly enforce age limits.
Question 9: Firearms Regulation Veto Referendum
Vote YES —— if you agree with gun control advocates and law enforcement leadership that say regulating ghost guns and closing loopholes on rapid-fire modifications are logical, modern updates required to prevent gun violence.
Vote NO —— if you agree with Second Amendment advocates that say that the 2024 law is overly broad, confusingly written, and primarily penalizes law-abiding gun owners with excessive bureaucracy rather than targeting actual criminals.