Early voting for the September 1 state primary begins August 22

(1-minute read)

Graphic by the Town of Reading.

Reading will offer in-person early voting for the September 1, 2026 state primary, available to all registered voters in town. Voting will take place at Reading Town Hall, 16 Lowell Street, in the first-floor conference room.

Early voting opens with additional weekend hours on Saturday, August 22 from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, then continues during normal Town Hall hours the following week:

• Monday, August 24, 7:30 am to 5:30 pm

• Tuesday, August 25, 7:30 am to 7:00 pm

• Wednesday, August 26, 7:30 to 5:30 pm

• Thursday, August 27, 7:30 am to 5:30 pm

Town Hall is closed on Fridays.

Why it matters

Early voting lets residents cast a ballot on their own schedule rather than waiting for a single day at the polls. The September primary decides which candidate advances to the November 3 general election, and in races with more than one candidate from the same party, it can be where the outcome is effectively settled.

Before heading in, voters can review The Reading Observer’s election information and candidate profiles, which link to each candidate’s campaign page, and take a look at the sample ballot for the primary.