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City announces early voting schedule and new state primary ballot colors
Summary
City clerk announced in-person early voting at City Hall from Aug. 22–28 for the Sept. 1 state primary and read the new ballot header colors required under state law; council accepted the communication and filed it, vote 10-0.
City officials announced the in-person early voting schedule for the state primary (Sept. 1), with early voting available at City Hall, 140 Main Street, from Saturday Aug. 22 through Friday Aug. 28 during specified daily hours.
The clerk read the schedule and the new ballot header colors the Secretary of State implemented under Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 53 §33. According to the clerk, the Democratic primary ballot will carry a blue header, the Democratic early/absentee a light blue header, the Republican primary a pink header and the Republican early/absentee a salmon header; the official state election ballot remains white and early/absentee state election ballots will be yellow.
Councilor Navin asked the clerk to read the communication and highlighted that the primary occurs one week before Labor Day. Councilor Preciado asked the clerk to read the new colors aloud to avoid confusion for voters. The council accepted and placed the communication on file, vote 10-0.
The clerk also noted statutory registration deadlines and reminded residents that Saturday, Aug. 22 is the last day to register or change party affiliation to be eligible for the primary.
One councilor noted surprise at the color change, and the clerk said the Secretary of State had previously said the colors would not change; the clerk’s reading characterized the change as unexpected.
