Degree Name
MA in Intercultural Service, Leadership, and Management
First Advisor
Golam Samdani Fakir
Abstract
This paper discusses the conflict taking place in Lowell, Massachusetts over the unjust nature of the current at large, winner-take-all voting system in Lowell, MA. It seeks to determine whether or not a campaign to change the voting system in Lowell to choice voting is bringing about a new awareness in the community to the inadequacy of the current voting system. The literature review details Lowell’s voting history, the details of each respective system, and the unjust nature of the at large, winner take all system. Interviews with members of the Fair Vote Lowell campaign, University of Massachusetts Professors, and church leaders were used and reviewed to gather information. The paper finds that the majority of immigrant community members do not understand the mechanics of the current or newly proposed voting system but nonetheless they know that they are not represented by Lowell’s City Council. The paper concludes that in order for immigrant communities to understand the importance of the issue there is a need for more community organization from the grassroots level along with promoting leaders from within their respective communities.
Disciplines
Public Administration
Recommended Citation
Sacco, Kara, "Misrepresentation in Lowell, Massachusetts: The Conflict over Changing the City’s Voting System" (2009). Capstone Collection. 1275.
https://digitalcollections.sit.edu/capstones/1275