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Holyoke Voter
Election Resources
Last Day to Register to Vote
for the Sept. 16th Primary (Runoff) if needed
September 5th
Primary (Runoff) Election Day
for these positions only:
Ward 1 City Council
Ward 5 School Committee
September 16th
Last Day to Register to Vote
for the Nov. 4th Election
October 24th
Election Day
November 4, 2025
Where do I vote?
Voting by Mail, info and forms
Absentee ballot application - English
Absentee ballot application - Spanish
Voter Registration Form - English
Voter Registration Form - Spanish
On-Line Voter Registration
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A Welcome Message from City Councilor Kevin Jourdain
Dear Fellow Holyoker,
Welcome to my website!
It is truly an honor to serve as your voice on the Holyoke City Council as your Councilor At Large.
Together, we have had tremendously successful 2022-2023 and 2024-2025 Terms despite many challenges. On November 4, 2025 I am seeking your vote to have another victory for the principles you and I share! I so deeply appreciate your trust and confidence, and I am looking forward to serving you again for 2026-2027. This job pays very little so I certainly do not do it for the money but I do it as an opportunity to give back to my lifelong home. I do it for you, our neighbors, our families, our businesses and the future generations of Holyokers yet to come who deserve a community we can all be proud of. It is my honor and privilege to continue serving you.
By re-electing me in 2021 and 2023, Holyoke voters sent a clear message that they want checks and balances on their City Council and they expect independent competent leadership as the standard. They are not electing rubber stamps for personal agendas and backroom deals. They want Councilors who do the homework and are prepared to lead.
Holyoke has a bright and positive future ahead of it, and I'm excited to be part of the team leading our city forward. I look forward to continuing the discussion about how we continue to make Holyoke a better and more affordable place for residents and businesses to thrive and prosper.
You deserve trusted, common sense, experienced leadership during these difficult times! As the City Council’s most senior member, I know we need to set expectations high with key benchmarks that will get results.
Through this website, there are many ways to learn more about my work on your behalf on the City Council. Please know I always welcome your feedback and advice. Please also let me know if there is a constituent service matter I can help you with. My contact information is available here. My door is always open to you.
With warmest regards,
Kevin A. Jourdain
City Councilor At Large
Joint Statement from Councilor At Large Kevin Jourdain and Ward 5 Councilor Linda Vacon on the:
Resolution confirming Holyoke is not a Sanctuary City
As members of the City Council we strongly oppose any policies that would permit or compel city officials to ignore federal law and thereby make Holyoke a Sanctuary City. Holyoke has never been a sanctuary city, and it never should be.
We joined forces to file a Resolution in June to confirm Holyoke’s true status and our city law. That Resolution filed in response to Holyoke wrongfully being put on a federal list of 12 sanctuary cities in Massachusetts has been getting a lot of recent attention, including some false reports. We want to make sure everyone has the full wording of the Resolution, below. We stand by our words; you be the judge.
The truth is that Holyoke receives over $10 million a year in federal funding and those funds would be in jeopardy if our city disregards the law. Any designation of our city as a Sanctuary City is wrong and any misunderstanding with the federal government relative to our status needs to be clarified.
Fortunately, we have since been removed from their revised Sanctuary City list and we want to keep it that way. As the Mayor has stated we are not a sanctuary city. We agree on this matter. The loss of our critical federal funding would be devastating to Holyoke citizens who cannot afford the higher taxes and/or lost services that would result. We have an obligation to protect Holyoke, and as City Councilors, we are dedicated to that solemn responsibility.
Thank you.
Here is the Exact Wording of the Resolution:
Ordered, that the following Resolution of the City Council be adopted and a copy be transmitted to the Department of Homeland Security and our federal delegation and the White House. It shall also be used by all departments of the city with their applications for federal funds and grants when necessary:
- Holyoke is not a sanctuary city
- Mayor Joshua Garcia has publicly declared that Holyoke is not a sanctuary city
- The City Council hereby declares Holyoke is not a sanctuary city
- Holyoke adopted Ordinance 2-68 "No elected official, department head or other city employee shall issue any order that shall knowingly violate any law or regulation of the federal, state or local government or the Constitution of the United States, the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts or the Charter of the City of Holyoke, or any lawful order of a court of competent jurisdiction. No such order given shall be valid or shall be enforced by the City of Holyoke or its departments"
- To the extent, Holyoke has been deemed a sanctuary city by the federal government for failing to comply with any federal law or regulation, the Department of Homeland Security should notify the Holyoke City Council and Mayor of its specific violation and what steps are needed to remedy
- The City of Holyoke and all of its employees and agents hereby agree to fully comply with all federal laws and regulations. To the extent the city, its employees or agents have or are violating any federal law or regulation, they shall immediately cease and fully comply
- The City of Holyoke requests removal from any identification of our city as a sanctuary city by any federal department or agency
Councilor Jourdain announces opposition to Proposal to give the Mayor and City Council a 30-40% pay raise!
Fellow Holyokers, as you know some of the values I believe are most important for our City Council to observe are those that favor good government, accountability, fiscal responsibility and respect for the taxpayers. An ordinance change that is pending before the City Council fails all those basic tests. Certain members believe that now is the right time to give the Mayor, and members of the City Council a hefty pay raise. In fact, they want to boost the Mayor's pay by 30% and they want to increase their own pay by 40%. I disagree -- this is simply wrong.
First, with all due respect for individuals affected and the hard work they do, I believe it is irresponsible for our City's officials to be receiving a hefty pay raise at a time when so many individuals in our community are having difficulty making ends meet and the same individuals keep raising taxes a lot because they claim the budget is so tight. (Are YOU getting a 30-40% pay raise this year? Probably not!) Councilors should be working hard to help our residents thrive, not to take care of themselves.
Second, I think it is exceptionally poor form for Councilors to be proposing this measure after the deadline for people to file to run for office. The proponents of these massive pay raises should have brought these increases forward when there was an opportunity for the public to run and may have considered the salary if they wanted to run. Pay raises for elected officials is supposed to be about the position and not benefitting certain individuals. Now that the deadline has passed many of these elected positions are unopposed and this money will directly benefit them.
I personally plan to vote against this ordinance change and I hope a sufficient number of my fellow Councilors will join me in rejecting this proposal. The vote should also be taken before the election so voters know where we stand. Many at our recent meeting declared their public support for these pay raises so they should not object to actually putting it to a vote. Being Holyoke's 'Fiscal Watchdog' is not easy and the nasty personal attacks against me will only grow now that it is election time. I am reminded however that you only take flack when you are flying over the target. I am doing exactly what Holyoke voters asked and need me to do.
Thank you.
Click above for the Fiscal Watchdog's take on the Sewer Fee (9.5 minutes)
"See Something, Say Something!"
Ordinance 2-71 Adopted November 19, 2024:
City Council adopts Ethics and Compliance Hotline Ordinance [PDF]
The link to make an Ethics or Compliance report in Holyoke is:
https://secure.ethicspoint.com/domain/media/en/gui/97709/
Click link above
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August 8, 2023
Mayor Garcia and Councilor Jourdain work together to pass new Financial Policies Manual for Holyoke into law: City Council Press Release | Newspaper Article
Press Release: Jourdain Announces Candidacy for Re-Election to Holyoke City Council
HG&E Gas Moratorium, and the Solution
Kevin's Letter of Support & Request to Comment in EFSB 22-07 Public Hearing [PDF]
Holyoke Gas & Electric LNG Presentation [PDF]
The League of Women Voters City Councilor
At-Large Debate Candidate Debate.
Filmed October 14, 2021 at Holyoke High School.
Kevin helps lead 2019 effort to Successful
65% rejection of Largest Tax Increase in Holyoke HistoryClick for details
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