Newton voters face an Aug. 22 registration deadline and an Aug. 25 mail-in ballot application cutoff ahead of the Sept. 1 state primary, and one Newtonville neighborhood will vote at a new location for the first time.
Here's what residents need to know.
Key deadlines
Voter registration and party change: Saturday, Aug. 22, at 5 p.m.
Mail-in ballot application: Tuesday, Aug. 25, at 5 p.m. Completed ballots must reach the City Clerk's office or the drop boxes in front of City Hall by 8 p.m. on Election Day. Mail-in ballots began arriving in Newton homes around July 29, according to a Fig City News voter guide.
Early voting: Aug. 22–28 at Newton City Hall. Weekend hours on Aug. 22 and Aug. 23 are 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Weekday hours are 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m., except Tuesday, Aug. 25, which runs until 8 p.m.
Election Day: Tuesday, Sept. 1. Polls open 7 a.m.–8 p.m.
Ward 2 polling location change
Voters in Ward 2, Precincts 2 and 3 will no longer cast ballots at Cabot Elementary School. Their new polling place is the Cooper Center for Active Living at 345 Walnut St. in Newtonville. The change took effect July 21.
Contested races on Newton ballots
10th Middlesex State Representative (Democratic): Incumbent state Rep. John Lawn faces Newton City Councilor Alison Leary. The district covers Ward 1 (Precincts 1, 2A and 4) and Ward 3 (Precinct 4), including the Nonantum neighborhood.
The race has been contentious. Gov. Maura Healey endorsed Lawn on Aug. 3, and he holds backing from U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, Planned Parenthood Advocacy Fund, the Environmental League of Massachusetts and the Massachusetts Nurses Association. Leary is endorsed by MassAlliance, Act on Mass, Abundant Housing Massachusetts and 350 Massachusetts, and is running on a single-payer health care platform.
"I'm honored to have Governor Healey's support," Lawn told the Newton Beacon on Aug. 3. "Together, we've fought to protect access to affordable health care and stand up for working families here in Newton and across the Commonwealth."
The campaign trail has not been smooth for either candidate. At a July 22 Charles River Regional Chamber debate, Leary made remarks about Nonantum residents that drew backlash from neighborhood leaders and elected officials; she later apologized. Lawn pleaded guilty to drunk driving in the prior year.
MA-4 Congressional (Democratic): Incumbent Rep. Jake Auchincloss vs. Jason Poulos. Thomas Stalcup is running unopposed in the Republican primary.
U.S. Senate (Democratic): Incumbent Sen. Ed Markey vs. Rep. Seth Moulton. Republican John Deaton is unopposed in the GOP primary.
Middlesex District Attorney (Democratic): Thirteen-year incumbent Marion Ryan faces David Solet, a former prosecutor in Ryan's office and 2025 Middlesex County Prosecutor of the Year. Solet, whose two daughters graduated from Newton North High School, has pledged a dedicated crime gun unit and tougher pretrial detention rules.
Governor's Council, District 3 (Democratic): Incumbent Mara Dolan vs. trial attorney Margie Palladino.
Republican gubernatorial primary: Michael Minogue vs. Brian Shortsleeve. Gov. Healey is unopposed on the Democratic side.
Newton's other two state representative districts are uncontested: Amy Mah Sangiolo (11th Middlesex) and Greg Schwartz (12th Middlesex) are both running unopposed as Democrats.
How to check your polling place
The League of Women Voters of Newton has published a full primary election guide. The city's Elections page at newtonma.gov/government/elections includes a polling location map and a "Where Do I Vote?" tool linked through the Secretary of State's website.
The next deadline residents will hit is voter registration on Saturday, Aug. 22, at 5 p.m.
