City Edition
Middlesex County
Lowell, Massachusetts
Two centuries ago, Lowell was built from nothing to run the looms that clothed a nation, and the teenage farm girls who worked those looms went on strike when the owners cut their pay. The Mill City still runs on that mix of ambition and nerve. Today it is the fifth-largest city in Massachusetts and one of the most diverse in New England, where students speak dozens of languages. This guide shows you who runs Lowell, who represents you in Boston and Washington, and exactly how you can take part.
The Lowell Civics Handbook
The 2026 Lowell Civics Handbook is a plain-language guide to how your city works: who represents you, how decisions actually get made, and how to make your voice heard. Read it online.
Lowell at a Glance
Sources: Massachusetts DESE, district profile · US Census Bureau (data.census.gov).
- County: Middlesex. Lowell sits on the Merrimack River about 28 miles northwest of Boston and is the fifth-largest city in the state.
- Government: Plan E council-manager. City Manager Thomas A. Golden Jr. has run the city since 2022, and Mayor Erik Gitschier chairs the Council and School Committee.
- Schools: Lowell Public Schools, more than 14,000 students across 24 schools, led by Superintendent Liam Skinner.
How Lowell’s Government Works
Lowell runs on a charter called Plan E, adopted in 1943. Here is the twist that surprises most people: you do not elect the person who actually runs the city. You elect an eleven-member City Council and a School Committee. The Council then hires a professional City Manager to run daily operations, and the councilors pick one of their own to serve as Mayor.
City Manager
The chief executive, appointed by and accountable to the Council. Runs all city departments, prepares the budget, and carries out Council policy.
City Council
The eleven-member legislative body, three at-large and eight by district, sets policy, passes ordinances, and adopts the budget.
Mayor & School Committee
The Mayor, chosen by the Council, is the city’s official head and chairs both the Council and the elected School Committee.
- You elect the eleven councilors and the School Committee every two years.
- The Council hires a City Manager to run the city day to day.
- The Council picks a Mayor from among its own members to preside.
- You keep pushing. Public comment, board service, and a call to your district councilor all shape what happens next.
Explore the Lowell Edition
- City LeadershipThe City Manager and the Mayor
- City CouncilYour eleven councilors
- School CommitteeSuperintendent & committee
- City DepartmentsWho does what at City Hall
- Boards & CommissionsWhere residents serve
- LegislatorsYour voice in Boston & D.C.
- Lowell HistoryFrom mill city to today
- DemographicsWho lives in Lowell
- Non-ProfitsCommunity organizations
- Student DataLowell Public Schools by the numbers
Civic Calendar
- City Council: meets most Tuesday evenings at City Hall, 375 Merrimack Street. Agendas are posted on the city’s Agenda Center.
- School Committee: meets twice monthly; meetings are broadcast on LTC (Lowell Telecommunications) Channel 99.
- Municipal elections: held in odd-numbered years (next in November 2027); all Council and School Committee seats are on the ballot.
- State & federal elections: held in even-numbered years, the 2026 state primary and general election are this fall.
Your County Officials
Two of the people with the most direct power over your life are elected countywide. The district attorney decides who gets charged with a crime, and what they get charged with. The sheriff runs the county jail. Both of them answer to the voters of Middlesex County, and that includes Lowell. They appear on your ballot. Now you know what to look for.
Every county in Massachusetts elects its own, and the job is the same everywhere: the charging decisions, the jail. Look up any town in the state and see who holds these two offices there.
Your First Civic Action in Lowell
You do not have to wait until you can vote to be heard. Here is a concrete path from “I care about this” to “I said it on the record to the people who decide,” using rooms and phone numbers that are already open to you.
- Pick the right body. A park, a road, a pothole, taxes, or a line in the city budget is City Council territory. Your school, a class, a program, or the school calendar belongs to the School Committee.
- Find the meeting. The City Council meets most Tuesday evenings in the Council Chamber on the second floor of City Hall, 375 Merrimack Street. The School Committee meets twice a month. Agendas for both post in advance on the city’s Agenda Center at lowellma.gov.
- Know your councillors. Lowell has eight district councillors, one tied to your own neighborhood, plus three at-large councillors who answer to the whole city. The City Council office is your way in at 978-674-4040.
- Speak. Both the Council and the School Committee set aside time for public comment on agenda items. Check the current agenda for the sign-up procedure, then say your piece on the record.
- City Hall (main line): 978-674-4000
- City Council office and agendas: 978-674-4040
- Lowell Public Schools: 978-674-4324, lowell.k12.ma.us
This city moves when residents show up. Find your district councilor, take the mic at a meeting, or put your name in to serve on a board.
Sources
This guide draws on public sources, refreshed July 2026: U.S. Census Bureau, Massachusetts DESE School and District Profiles, Massachusetts Legislature (malegislature.gov), and the official Lowell government website.