Updated August 23
Voters are going to have some work to do the day after Labor Day.
On Tuesday, Sept. 4, Massachusetts will hold its primaries for Democrats, Republicans, and Libertarians seeking the nomination to run for office in November.
Voters going to the polls that day will get one of the three ballots. There is one candidate for auditor, Daniel Fishman, on the Libertarian ballot.
“If you’re a registered Republican, you get a Republican ballot. Democrats get a Democratic ballot. Libertarians get a Libertarian ballot,” J. Hillary Conklin, Tisbury town clerk, said. “If you’re unenrolled, you’re going to choose a ballot.”
Unenrolled voters will remain registered as unenrolled, Conklin said.
Locally, there are contested races for clerk of courts on the Democratic ballot between T. George Davis of Oak Bluffs and Charles A. Morano of Edgartown, and for register of probate between Daphne Devries of Edgartown and Gail Barmakian of Oak Bluffs.
Those local races may be a draw for voters, said Jennifer Christy, town clerk in Chilmark.
“Having a race brings in more interest,” she said.
While there’s no perfect day to hold an election, Christy said having it on a Thursday, which has been done in the past, hasn’t proven any better. “As long as it’s not on a holiday,” she said.
Conklin said she expects the timing will hurt turnout with people either on vacation or just returning. “It is also the first day of school on the Island, a hectic time all around,” she said.
In the past the primary has been held on Jewish holidays, “then, much later, they move the date to correct the mistake instead of preventing the mistake to begin with,” Conklin said.
There are four candidates for county commissioner on the Democratic ballot — John Alley, Leon Braithwaite II, Christine Todd, and Gretchen Underwood. There are none on the Republican ballot.
There is a two-way race for governor on both the Republican and Democratic ballots. Gov. Charlie Baker is being challenged by Scott Lively in the Republican race. On the Democratic side it’s Jay Gonzalez versus Bob Massie.
For lieutenant governor, there are two Democrats — Quentin Palfrey and Jimmy Tingle. Incumbent Karyn Polito is the sole Republican candidate.
Secretary of State William Galvin faces a primary challenge from Josh Zakim on the Democratic ballot. Anthony Amore is the lone Republican candidate.
James McMahon III and Daniel Shores are running for the Republican nomination for attorney general, while Maura Healey is unopposed as a Democrat.
U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren is unopposed in the primary, but three Republicans are trying to run against her — Geoff Diehl, John Kingston, and Beth Lindstrom.
Congressman Bill Keating faces a primary challenge from Bill Cimbrelo of Barnstable. Peter Tedeschi is unopposed on the Republican side.
Incumbent state Sen. Julian Cyr is running unopposed in the Democratic primary, as is Republican candidate John Flores.
State Rep. Dylan Fernandes is unopposed in the primary, and will be unopposed in November as well.
Updated to correct the candidate on the Libertarian ballot.
