Lowell Votes a hub for mobilizing voters and advocates

In the 2016 General Election, about 24,000 registered Lowell voters stayed home on election day. This year, the Lowell Votes coalition will act as a hub for voter mobilization, with the goal to contact to 10,000 eligible voters in Lowell and the Merrimack Valley. Lowell Votes aims to increase the number of voters casting a ballot in the 2020 General Election.

The Lowell Votes coalition was recently awarded $30,000 by the Massachusetts Voter Table as recognition for their work in promoting voter education and involvement. Lowell Votes is comprised of Cambodian Mutual Assistance Association (CMAA), Coalition for a Better Acre (CBA), and Lowell Alliance and will use these funds to boost volunteer and emerging community groups’ engagement in mobilizing voters.

Lowell Votes is one of six anchor organizations in Massachusetts selected to increase voter turnout by integrating voter outreach with grassroots organizing and leadership development as part of the Integrated Voter Engagement project.

The Integrated Voter Engagement project is supported by Democracy-focused grassroots organizations, the Massachusetts Voter Table, MassVOTE, Asian-Pacific Islanders Civic Action Network (APIs CAN), and the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy (MIRA) Coalition. Outreach to Lowell’s culturally diverse populations is key. "We believe that going to the people in our neighborhoods, rather than people coming to us is an effective outreach strategy,” says Sovanna Pouv, CMAA Executive Director. “We also understand the safety concerns during this pandemic, but it will not stop us from doing what we need to do to get community members civically engaged while practicing social distancing protocols."

On September 17, Lowell Votes is co-hosting a Democracy School training to focus their efforts leading up to November 3rd. The 3-hour virtual training will focus on building a collaborative and data-driven voter education and mobilization field program tailored to the Merrimack Valley. This and subsequent trainings aim to attract volunteers who are looking to become actively engaged in mobilizing voters and building their own leadership skills.

Mary Tauras, local organizer and former Lowell Alliance staff member has been hired to act as Lowell Votes’ Coordinator in 2020 as part of the Integrated Voter Engagement project. Coalition partners are enthusiastic about this development. Aurora Erickson, a Lowell Votes partner and CBA’s Civic Engagement Coordinator, states, “Mary is an experienced and dedicated community organizer who is passionate about equity. We feel very lucky to be able to hire her!”

In reflecting on the purpose of the Integrated Voter Engagement project, Tauras notes Lowell Votes aim to “… collectively continue to have the civic dialogue about our democracy. Support your neighbors to register and vote in this coming November election and beyond."

Another training is planned for October, as well as a post-election debrief before the end of 2020. While the initial funding for the Integrated Voter Engagement project is focused on the next several months, the overall goal is to keep voters engaged in future elections. Tauras points out, “2020 and 2021 are historic years for Lowell, not just because of the pandemic, but also because we will be implementing an entirely new election system. This means more residents will have the access to run for office and will have the ability to relate more closely with their constituents at the local level. I hope residents will continue to seek information and educate themselves on these changes, whether from the City or local leaders they trust.”

This is especially relevant to Lowell voters, can now lend their voice to the redistricting process for a new local election system through the City. Lowellians will have the opportunity to choose representatives from their neighborhoods in the 2021 City Council and School Committee elections.

Lowell Votes is a volunteer-led, non-partisan organization that has worked to increase voter participation since 2015 with support from CMAA, CBA, and Lowell Alliance. Find Lowell Votes on Facebook, at www.lowellvotes.org, or contact Coordinator, Mary Tauras at mary@lowellvotes.org for more information about volunteering or attending the Democracy School training.

Media Contact: Rebecca Ludvino - rebecca.ludvino@cbacre.org