The Sept. 3 state primary election is just around the corner. At this election, residents will have the opportunity to vote in the seven available races to put forth their thoughts on who should be elected.
In preparation for the election, Reminder Publishing reached out to the town clerks of East Longmeadow, Hampden, Longmeadow and Wilbraham to ask about election expectations at the polling locations.
Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sept. 3. The available offices on the ballot will be Clerk of Courts, Governor’s Councilor, Register of Deeds, State Representative, State Senator, U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator, as stated by the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
For more information about each town’s voting and election processes, visit the town clerk’s website or contact the respective office by phone.
East Longmeadow
East Longmeadow Town Clerk Jeanne Quaglietti told Reminder Publishing that she was not anticipating a high voter turnout at the Sept. 3 election, noting that turnout rates are often lower at primary elections.
Concerning whether the polls would be physically busy on election day, Quaglietti explained that as of Aug. 23 the office had received 1,046 returned mail-in ballots of the 2,780 that were initially sent out, which will reduce the amount of residents voting at the polling location, Birchland Park Middle School.
In total, approximately 13,348 of the 16,000 residents of East Longmeadow are registered vote, Quaglietti said.
After polls close at 8 p.m., she estimated that unofficial results would be calculated by 10-11 p.m., explaining that time was needed to separate the ballots by party, review write-in candidates and tally all of the votes. This is completed through the help of the town’s election workers, which the town is “very blessed” to have available.
“It takes quite a while,” Quaglietti said. When the unofficial numbers are available, they will be posted to the News Flash section of the town website.
Hampden
Hampden residents are able to vote in the state primary election at the Hampden Town House auditorium on Sept. 3, Town Administrator Brian Domina told Reminder Publishing.
Sample ballots for each of the three parties within the state primary election are available to view on the town website. The three parties are Democratic, Republican and Libertarian.
Any residents who did not complete the Street Listing form should bring a photo ID to the polling location when voting in order to ensure they were not placed on the inactive voting list, Town Clerk Eva Wiseman stated. Additionally, she highlighted that residents should make sure they request the “correct ballot” when going to the polling location.
Longmeadow
More than 81% of Longmeadow’s 15,662 residents are registered to vote, Town Clerk Timothy Donnelly stated, noting that the percentage included “nearly every adult and teen” in the town. On Sept. 3, these residents can visit the Longmeadow Community House between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. to vote in the state primary.
Donnelly explained that the election is not expected to have a high turnout compared to the later races in November. Unofficial results from the Sept. 3 election should be available by 8:30 p.m. due to early processing of the early voted ballots, which will be conducted on Aug. 30. This process is when ballot envelopes are opened and put into a voting machine prior to the election day, Donnelly said. However, results are not announced until after all tallying is completed on election day.
The unofficial results will be posted online at the town website by Sept. 6, Donnelly said. He highlighted that the office strives to be transparent, accurate and fast when assisting residents and counting votes.
Additionally, Donnelly noted that filming and photography is not allowed at the polling location in order to ensure residents do not feel uncomfortable while submitting their ballot, stating “[we] make sure everything is done right.”
Wilbraham
In Wilbraham, residents can vote at Minnechaug Regional High School on Sept. 3. At the conclusion of open polls, unofficial results from the election will be posted beside the double door entrance of the Town Hall as well as on the town website, Town Clerk Debbie Brennan explained. These results will likely be posted by 10 p.m., as primary results take longer to calculate due to separate ballots for each party.
Of the 15,235 residents in Wilbraham, 11,907 are registered to vote. Brennan stated that she estimated about 37% of voters will participate in the Sept. 3 election, citing the similar turnout from the state primary election in 2020.
When asked about residential support for elections, Brennan highlighted that “Wilbraham is extremely fortunate to have very dedicated voters that want to help out during primaries and general elections” and that “without their help, it simply couldn’t be done.”
While the town currently has enough election support for the Sept. 3 primary, Brennan noted that the town was always open to welcoming more workers to have available when needed. To inquire about becoming an election worker, contact the town clerk’s office by email at clerks@wilbraham-ma.gov. Election workers are compensated.
