2026 State Primary Election Information for Amherst Voters

Source: amherstma.gov

The State Primary Election is on Tuesday, September 1, 2026. Polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Voters must be registered to vote in Amherst and have the options to either vote-by-mail, vote absentee, vote early in-person, or vote on election day. See below for details. If you have questions, please visit amherstma.gov/vote, email townclerk@amherstma.gov,or call 413-259-3035.

Important Deadlines:

• Deadline to register to vote: August 22
• Deadline to apply for a mail-in ballot: August 25, 2026, at 5:00 p.m.
• Deadline to vote in-person absentee at Town Clerk’s office: August 31, 2026, at 12:00 p.m.
• Deadline to return mail-in ballots: September 1, 2026, at 8:00 p.m.

Voter Registration

• Check your voter status.
• Saturday, August 22 is the last day to register to vote or make changes to your voter registration for the State Primary Election.
• Register Online: If you have a Massachusetts driver’s license or identification card, you may register to vote online at RegisterToVoteMA.com.
  • You can also use this website to pre-register (if you are 16-17 years old), update your address or name, and change your political party designation.
  • Online voter registration forms submitted online must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, August 22.
• Register by Mail: You can register to vote with a Mail-In Voter Registration Form. Once completed, this form must be returned to the Amherst Town Clerk by mail or in-person. Voter registration forms cannot be emailed.
  • Your voter registration form must be postmarked by the August 22 deadline.
• Register In-Person: You can register to vote in-person at the Town Clerk’s office anytime within normal business hours (Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.).
  • The Town Clerk’s Office will be open on the last day to register in-person, Saturday, August 22, from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Voter Status

• You may be listed as an “inactive voter” if you did not mail back your 2026 Annual Town Census nor voted in the past year. Inactive voters are required to show identification and sign an affirmation of current and continuous residency when voting on Election Day. 
• All voters who did not return the Annual Town Census were mailed a confirmation postcard in June requesting confirmation of residence. Please sign and return the postage-paid postcard as soon as possible so you’ll remain an active voter.
• You can also check your voter status online.

Vote-By-Mail

Voters can choose to vote by mail with no excuse required. Voters must submit an application annually to receive a mail-in ballot. Ballots have officially been mailed on August 6 to everyone who has already applied. 

Submitting Applications

• Applications can be submitted online, by mail, email/fax, or in-person.
• When submitting an application, unenrolled voters must specify what party ballot they would like to receive, either Democratic or Republican. A ballot cannot be mailed unless we know this information.
• Apply Online: Mail-in Ballot Application
• Apply By Mail: The Elections Division of the Secretary of State’s office is required by law to mail a pre-addressed, postage pre-paid Vote by Mail application to every registered voter 45 days before each statewide election. Completed applications must be received by the Town Clerk by 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 25, the 5th business day before the election. A postmark is not sufficient.
• Apply By Email/Fax: Completed applications can also be submitted by email to vote@amherstma.gov or faxed to 413-259-2499.
  • The completed applications must include a signature that can be compared to your handwritten signature on the mail-in ballot envelope. Electronic signatures, scanned applications, and photos of applications are acceptable. Typed signatures are not accepted unless you’re a voter who needs accommodation due to a physical disability.
• Apply In-Person: Stop by the Town Clerk’s office to request a vote-by-mail application anytime during normal business hours (Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.).

Completing Your Ballot

• Ballots have been mailed to every voter who has an accepted application on file. 
• When you receive your ballot, you must mark your votes, place the ballot into the small yellow envelope that has a pre-printed barcode label on it, and seal the envelope. 
• You must sign this envelope next to the red arrow. Ballots without a signature will be rejected and the voter notified. Please do not remove the pre-printed barcode.
• Then, place this envelope into the larger white envelope that is pre-addressed to the Town Clerk at 4 Boltwood Avenue, Amherst, MA 01002. No postage is necessary if mailed within the United States.  

Returning Your Ballot

• After you’ve completed your ballot and put it in the required envelopes, you can return your ballot by mail, in-person to the Town Clerk’s office, or drop it in the election drop box outside of Town Hall.
• By Mail: Drop the pre-address envelope in a home mailbox, a blue USPS collection box, or at a USPS Post Office.
• In-Person: Bring the completed ballot, in the sealed envelopes, to the Town Clerk’s office during normal business hours (Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.).
• Drop Box: Put your completed ballot, in the sealed envelopes, in the Election Drop Box located outside the Main Street entrance in Town Hall.
• Ballots cannot be returned at a polling location on Election Day. Voters must bring them to the Town Clerk’s office.
• Ballots must be received by the close of polls, which is 8:00 p.m. on Election Day, to be counted for the State Primary Election.
• You can track the status of your mail-in ballot at TrackMyBallotMA.com
• You’ll be able to track when it was mailed and received by the Town Clerk and whether it was accepted or rejected. All voters whose ballot was rejected will be notified and sent a second ballot.

Absentee Voting

Voters may apply for an absentee ballot if unable to vote at their polling place on the day of the election due to 1) absence from Amherst during the hours in which the polls are open, 2) physical disability which prevents going to the polling place or the inability to stand in line for long periods of time, or 3) religious belief. For application details and additional information, visit the Absentee Voting webpage.

• In-person absentee voting is available outside the Town Clerk’s office and will remain available until 12:00 p.m. on August 31, the day before the election.
• The Town Clerk recommends voters submit the Vote-By-Mail application rather than an Absentee application if they’d like their ballot mailed to a different address other than where they’re registered in the United States.
• If you are a U.S. citizen residing outside the country or on active duty or are a spouse or dependent of an active-duty personnel member, you may use a Federal Post Card Application and request a ballot get sent electronically. You must provide the address where you’re residing overseas and mark your selection to receive your voting materials by email on the application. All electronic ballots are counted after the polls close by the Board of Registrars at Town Hall. For the application and additional information, visit the Military and Overseas Voters website.

In-Person Early Voting

In-person Early Voting for the State Primary Election will take place in the First Floor Conference Room at Town Hall during the following days and times.

• Saturday, August 22 – 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. **Last day to register to vote
• Monday, August 24 – 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, August 25 – 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, August 26 – 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Thursday, August 27 – 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Friday, August 28 – 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

In-Person Election Day Voting

• Polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Election Day – Tuesday, September 1. 
• Find your polling location at WhereDoIVoteMA.com
• Attention Precinct 2-B Voters: Your polling location has changed and is now at the Amherst-Pelham Regional High School, 21 Mattoon Street. This new location replaces the previous Fort River Elementary School. View all district, precinct, and polling location information.
• If you requested a mailed ballot and did not return it, you may vote in person on Election Day. Please do not bring your unvoted mail-in ballot to your polling location. You will need to discard the ballot and materials yourself. 

Election Drop Box at Town Hall

• When returning your ballots, please consider using the Election Drop Box instead of the regular mail. The election drop box is located outside the Main Street accessible entrance to the Town Hall (left side when looking at the door from the outside). This ballot box is ONLY for ballots and applications for ballots. The drop box is clearly labeled and is red, white, and blue. For any other Town business, please use the tan Collector’s box located on the opposite side of the entrance to Town Hall.
• Again, all ballots must be received by the close of the polls or 8:00 p.m. on Election Day in order to be counted. The drop box will be checked promptly at closing and then locked. Any last-minute ballots will be hand counted in the Town Clerk’s office after the polls close. If you can avoid waiting until the very last minute to drop your ballot off, it will be greatly appreciated.

Questions? Visit amherstma.gov/vote, email townclerk@amherstma.gov, or call 413-259-3035.