Election information now available ahead of September 1 primary

(2-minute read)

With the Massachusetts state primary set for Tuesday, September 1, The Reading Observer has published election information to help residents prepare, including primary ballot details, profiles of the candidates running in this year’s races, and links to their campaign pages.

What you will find

The Observer’s election coverage brings together the candidates on Reading’s ballot, spanning races from U.S. Senate and the statewide constitutional offices to the Middlesex District Attorney’s race and local legislative contests. Each profile links to the candidate’s campaign page so voters can hear directly from the candidates and dig into where they stand before casting a ballot. The coverage also lays out what will appear on the primary ballot, so residents know what to expect when they head to the polls.

The September primary is the step that decides which candidates move on to the November 3 general election, which makes it a meaningful chance for residents to weigh in early.

Voting in the September 1 primary

The Massachusetts state primary will be held on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, with polls open from 7 am to 8 pm. A few things for Reading voters to keep in mind:

• The primary nominates each party’s candidates for the November 3 general election.

• Massachusetts uses a semi-closed primary. Voters registered with a party receive that party’s ballot, while voters registered as unenrolled may choose one party’s ballot.

• Residents can vote in person on Election Day, during early in-person voting, or by mail. The last day to request a mail ballot is Tuesday, August 25 at 5 pm.

• Voters should confirm their registration on the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s website and early voting hours through the Town Clerk’s office online. The Secretary of the Commonwealth’s website also lets residents check their registration and track a mail ballot.

Why it matters

Primaries often draw lower turnout than November elections, yet they shape the choices every voter faces in the fall. In races with more than one candidate from the same party, the September ballot can be where the outcome is effectively settled. Taking a few minutes to review the candidates and make a plan to vote is one of the most direct ways residents can have a say in who represents them at the local, state, and federal levels.