We hope that the answers below to Frequently Asked Questions will help familiarize you with the Election and Census Commission's for the City of Lowell.  Since these answers have been put together as a general guide, they may not answer all of your questions.  If you have additional questions, or suggestions that can help us improve this list, please feel free to contact the Election and Census Commission directly at 978-970-4046.

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Voter Registration

• Who May Register?
• How To Register?
• Registration Deadlines
• How To Verify That You Are Registered?
  
  

The Voting Process

• When Are Elections Held?
• Where Are Elections Held?
• Prohibited Activities
  
• The Process
• What If Your Name Isn't On The Voters List?
• Casting Your Vote
  
  

Absentee Voting

• Absentee Voting Requirements
• Obtaining An Application For An Absentee Ballot
• Returning The Application For An Absentee Ballot
• Permanently Disabled Voters
• Specially Qualified Voters
• When The Name Of An Applicant Does Not Appear On The Voters List
• Return Of Absentee Ballots
  
  

Running For Public Office

• Who May Run For Public Office?
• How Do I Register To Run?
• Important Dates To Remember
• What Do I Need To Know About Campaign Finance?
  
  

Annual Census Information

• What Is The Annual Census?
• How Does The Annual Census Effect Me?
• What If I Didn't Receive This Year's Annual Census Form?
• What If I Am New To The City?
  

Who May Register?

In order to register to vote, you must meet the following qualifications:

• You must be a U.S. Citizen
• You must be a Massachusetts Resident
• You must be at least 18 years old on or before the next election

How To Register?

Registering to vote is an easy process for qualified applicants:  you may choose to visit the City of Lowell's Election and Census Commission to complete a voter registration form in person, or you may obtain a mail-in voter registration form from:

• The Pollard Memorial Library
• any United States Post Office
• any Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles
• any military recruitment office
• various social service agencies
• various other locations throughout the state
  

A mail-in voter registration form may also be obtained by calling the City of Lowell's Election and Census Commission or the State Elections Division at (800) 462-VOTE (8683).  First time voters in Massachusetts must provide a copy of their identification if registering by mail; if you don't have an ID, or none is provided, you will be required to provide proof of residency at the polling location on election day.  When registering to vote, it is important to keep in mind that by signing the registration form, you must attest, under the pains and penalties of perjury, that you are legally eligible to register and that the information you provide is accurate and truthful.  The penalty for fraudulant registration increased recently to a fine of ten thousand dollars or imprisonment for up to five years, or both.

Voter Registration Forms are not available for download.

When you register to vote you may choose to register in a state political party, select a political designation (become affiliated with a political organzation which has not received party status in Massachusetts), or choose no affiliation and become unenrolled (commonly referred to as an independent);  if you do not choose a political designation, you will still be able to vote in a primary.  If you choose to register with a political party, you will only be able to receive the ballot fo the selected party in a primary election.  Your registration status also affects your ability to run for office in a partisan election.

You will remain on the list of voters so long as you vote regularly, complete, and return the Annual Census.  If you mote to another city of town, you must re-register in your new community.

Registration Deadlines

You should be aware that there are voter registration deadlines.  You must register to vote at least twenty (20) days before city elections, state primaries, state elections, or the Presidential Primary. 

How To Verify That You Are Registered?

Call the City of Lowell's Election and Census Commission at 978-970-4046 for assistance.

When are Elections Held?

• Presidential elections occur every four (4) years; the Presidential Primary is held in March and the election is held in November.
• State elections occur every other year in even numbered years; the State Primary is conducted in September and the election is held in November.
• City elections occur every other year in odd numbered years; the primary, if there is one, is held in September or October and the election is held in November.

Election	Date	Registration/Party Change Deadline
Presidential Primary	Tuesday, February 5, 2008	Wednesday, January 16,2008
State Primary	Tuesday, September 16, 2008	Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Presidential & State Elections	Tuesday, November 4, 2008	Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Where are Elections Held?

The City of Lowell has eleven (11) Wards, broken out three (3) precincts each.  You can look up your polling location here, or view a general list of polling locations here.

Prohibited Activities

State law prohibits the display of political paraphenalia within one hundred and fifty (150) feet of the entrance to the polling location.  Signs, stickers and even lapel buttons are not permitted within this restricted zone.

The Process

The polls in the City of Lowell are open on election days as follows:

• During Presidential Elections, from 7:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M.
• During State Elections/Primaries, from 7:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M.
• During City Elections/Primaries, from 7:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M.
  

When you approach the check-in table, first tell the poll worker the name of the street where you live, then the number of your residence, and finally your name.  Since the voters list is arranged by street name, this is the quickest way to receive your ballot, and keep the lines moving.

In a primary election, voters who are registered in a political party may only obtain a ballot for that party.  If you are an unenrolled voter (commonly referred to as an independant voter), you may request the ballot of any party participating in the primary election.  You will not become registered in a political party because of your participation in a state primary.

What If Your Name Isn't On The Voters List?

If your name does not appear on the list of voters, the local polling Warden will contact the City of Lowell's Election and Census Bureau to determine if you are registered in another precinct or if you are considered an inactive voter.  If you are registered in another precinct, and appear on another list within the City, you are required to go to that polling location and cast your ballot there.

If you are not on listed as an active voter, but believe you registered, you may request a "provisional" ballot.  The provisional ballot allows you to cast your vote.  The provisional ballot will be counted if it is determined that you are registered as a voter in the City of Lowell.  The Election and Census Commission will review each provisional ballot to determine if the votes should be counted.

Casting Your Vote

Once you receive a ballot, you may then cast your vote(s) in the privacy of the voting booth.  You may vote for the choices available on the ballot, or if you prefer, write-in the name of a candidate in the space provided on the ballot.  If you find that you have made an error in marking your ballot, you must return it to the poll worker to have it marked as "spoiled" in order to receive a new ballot.  If you are disabled and need assistance, you may be accompanied by someone who can provide the appropriate assistance or request a poll worker to provide you with confidential, nonpartisan help.

When you have finished voting, you must proceed to the check-out table.  Similar to when you checked in, you should tell the poll worker the name of the street where you live, then the number of your residence, and finally your name.  This check in/out procedure allows for a full accounting of all ballots, reducing the chances of fraud. 

After you have checked out, you deposit your ballot in the ballot box, and have completed voting.

Absentee Voting Requirements

State law limits the availability of absentee ballots to voters who:

• Are unable to vote on election day because of physical disabliity
• Are unable to vote on election day because of religious beliefs
• Are unable to vote on election day because of travel
  

Requests for absentee ballots under any other circumstance (e.g., mere inconvenience, ordinary commuting-related difficulties, etc.) are not allowed. 

If you will be absent from the City of Lowell for an extended period of time, you may submit a single application for all elections occurring within the year the application is accepted.

Obtaining An Application For An Absentee Ballot

Absentee Ballots generally are available three weeks before an election.  Applications for Absentee Ballots may be obtained from the Election and Census Commission or through the Office of the Secretary of State, and may be submitted in person or by mail.  The voter, or "family member" (defined as: father, mother, sister, brother, son, daughter, grandparent, grandchild, a spouse or person residing in the same household, in-laws, adopting parent or adopted child, stepparent or stepchild, aunt, uncle, niece or nephew), may submit a completed application.  All Absentee Ballot applications must be signed under the pains and penalties of perjury by the voter or a family member before a ballot will be made available.  State law requires that we must have a signature of the applicant on file with the request.

In a primary election, a voter who is not registered in a political party must specify the ballot of the party of choice on the application; doing so will not register you in a political party because of your participation in a state primary.  During a March Presidential Primary, however, a voter temporarily becomes a member of the party for which a ballot is chosen.  While your registration status reverts automatically back to "unenrolled" (independant) after voting, your temporary enrollment in a party may affect your ability to run as a party candidate in the near future.

Additional information on Absentee Ballots is available online at the Office of the Secretary of State.

Returning The Application For An Absentee Ballot

Applications for absentee ballots must be received by the Election and Census Commission before 12:00 P.M. (noon) on the day before an election.  A voter who is admitted to a health care facility after noon of the fifth day before an election may apply for a ballot up until the close of the polls and may request to have the ballot delivered.

If the voter submits the application in person, and ballots are available, he may obtain the ballot and vote over-the-counter; if the ballot is not available, it will be sent to the voter by mail.  When the application is submitted in person by a family member, the ballot must be sent out to the voter by mail.  In all other cases, the ballot will be sent by mail.

Permanently Disabled Voters

A voter who is permanently disabled need not submit a request for an absentee ballot at every election.  If such a voter submits a note from a registered physician indicating that he is disabled permanently, the Election and Census Commission will send an application for an absentee ballot twenty-eight days before the first election each year.  Upon the Election and Census Commission's  receipt of the signed application, the voter will be sent an absentee ballot for all elections that year.

Specially Qualified Voters

In addition to registered voters, certain specially qualified voters may vote by absentee ballot.  A specially qualified voter is a person who is a Massachusetts citizen, living outside of the United States, who is at least eighteen years old and whose last residence in the United States was Massachusetts.  You may also be a "specially qualified voter" if you are otherwise eligible to be a registered voter and your present domicile (the place where you live and plan to remain) is Massachusetts and you are:

• Out of town because you are in the active service of the armed forces or merchant marine of the United States, or a spouse or dependent of such person;
  
• Absent from the Commonwealth; or
  
• Confined in a correctional facility or jail, except if by reason of a felony conviction. 

When The Name Of An Applicant Does Not Appear On The Voters List

In the event that the Election and Census Commission cannot find the name of a voter requesting an absentee ballot, the voter must be sent a Provisional Ballot with a letter explaining the reason for the Provisional Ballot.  The Provisional Ballot allows you to cast your vote and will be counted if it is determined that a mistake has been made and you are a qualified registered voter.  You will be given a form to fill out that you will sign, and you may also be required to provide more information regarding your qualification.  You will also receive information that will allow you to find out the outcome of the research done on your voting qualification.

Return Of Absentee Ballots

If the voter submits the application in person, he may obtain the ballot (if it is available) and vote over-the-counter.  Ballots may be returned by mail or in person by the voter or a family member.  All ballot affidavit envelopes must be signed by the voter, or if the voter is unable to sign, an assisting person.

In general, absentee ballots must be received before the polls close to be counted.  However, absentee ballots for the state general election completed outside the United States will be counted if received by 5:00 P.M. on the tenth day following the election.  This exception does not apply to City of Lowell elections or state primaries.

A list of all voters who obtained absentee ballots is sent to the poll locations to prevent an absentee voter from voting a second time.  If the Election and Census Commission learns that an absentee voter has died before the election, that ballot will not be counted.

Who May Run For Public Office?

For Federal, State, or County Office, please refer to the "Age, Residence and Signature Rquirements to Run for Office" document here.

For Municipal Public Office, any person who is a City of Lowell resident and a registered voter may run for public office

How Do I Register To Run?

The Election and Census Commission is the place to start if you would like to run for an elected local office - we will help you learn about the requirements to launch your campaign!

For Federal, State, or County Office, please refer to the "Age, Residence and Signature Rquirements to Run for Office" document here.

For Municipal Public Office, candidate nomination forms and election calendars are available at the Election and Census Commission.  Candidates for Municipal Public Office in the City of Lowell require the signature of 50 City of Lowell voters; all voters must be registered and verified through the Election and Census Commission.

Important Dates To Remember

The following dates are important to keep in mind; all are for Calendar Year 2005:

6/1	Nomination papers will be available at the Election and Census Commission
8/9	Last day to submit nomination papers, is Tuesday, no later than 5:00 P.M.
8/25	Last day to withdraw nomination papers is Thursday, no later than 5:00 P.M.
8/26	Drawing for position on the ballot is on Friday @ 10:00 A.M. in the Election and Census Commission Office.  Please call ahead of time for confirmation.
9/7	Last day to register to vote for the Primary is Wednesday, from 8:00 A.M. to 8::00 P.M.
9/27	CITY OF LOWELL PRIMARY ELECTION (if necessary)
10/19	Last day to register to vote for the Election is Wednesday, from 8:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M.
11/8	CITY OF LOWELL ELECTION

What Do I Need To Know About Campaign Finance?

The Office of Campaign and Political Finance (OCPF) is responsible for administering and enforcing Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 55, which discusses the campaign finance laws.   State Law requires an accounting of all money received or spent in the course of a political campaign for public inspection.  It is the responsibility of all those participating in political campaign financing in Massachusetts to become knowledgeable with the provisions of the law and regulations, as violations of the law cary serious penalties of fines, imprisonment, or both. 

As a City of Lowell City Council candidate, you are required to:

• Contact OCPF prior to running in order to obtain details such as Banking, Assets, Liabilities, etc;
• File financial papers electronically with OCPF; and
  
• File a copy of financial papers with the City of Lowell Election and Census Commission.

As a City of Lowell School Committee candidate, you are required to file financial papers with the City of Lowell Election and Census Commission as follows:

• Eight (8) days before the City of Lowell Primary Election;
• Eight (8) days before the City of Lowell Election; and
  
• On January 21st of each year.
  

For additional information, please visit OCPF's website here, or contact them at:
Office of Campaign and Political Finance
One Ashburton Place, Room 411
Boston, MA 02108

(617) 727-8352
(800) 462-OCPF (6273)

What Is The Annual Census?

The Annual Census is conducted in January each year as required by Massachusetts State Law - it is important that you return it to the Census and Election Commission as soon as possible, otherwise you could be delisted as a voter and/or resident of the City.

How Does The Annual Census Effect Me?

The Annual Census is important for many reasons!  The current population count of the City is the basis for determining elibilibilty and allocation of State and Federal funds, programs, and grants.  Compliance with this State Law establishes proof of residence to protect voting rights, veteran's bonuses, housing for the elderly and related benefits.  The Annual Census is the only way the Election and Census Commission can verify residency, which directly impacts school enrollment, voting lists, and the maintenance of updated statistics.  The Annual Census also furnishes the jury list to the Office of the Jury Commissioner.

Failure to return your completed Annual Census may effect your active voting status. 

What If I Didn't Receive This Year's Annual Census Form?

If you did not receive the Annual Census, please print a copy of this year's census here, and return it to the address indicated on the form.

What If I Am New To The City?

If you are a new resident in the City of Lowell, it is important that you add yourself to the Annual Census to help establish yourself as a resident in the City of Lowell.  You may print a copy of this year's Annual Census here, and return it to the address indicated on the form.