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.
