Amherst Town Hall is the designated spot for Amherst residents to cast their ballots in the state's new early voting program which started Monday and runs through November 4.
Early voting for the Sept. 1 state primary begins on Saturday and runs throughout next week. Credit: —GAZETTE STAFF / KEVIN GUTTING

NORTHAMPTON — All Democratic and Republican voters across the region will have races to decide at the Sept. 1 state primary, though ballots in some area communities will feature more contests.

Early in-person voting starts Saturday and continues throughout the last week in August.

The most high profile race on all Democratic ballots is between incumbent U.S. Sen. Edward J. Markey and U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton for a Markey’s Senate seat, with the winner facing presumptive Republican nominee John Deaton in the November general election.

A new survey of registered voters by the University of Massachusetts and WCVB, conducted Aug. 5 to 12, found Markey up on Moulton 60% to 32%.

For Republicans, the major race is between Michael Roger Minogue and Brian Shortsleeve for governor, with the winner to face incumbent Democratic Gov. Maura Healey, who is running unopposed in the primary.

In a similar poll by UMass/WCVB, Minogue was found to enjoy a 53% to 26% advantage over Shortsleeve.

All Democratic voters throughout western Massachusetts will also choose between incumbent Tara J. Jacobs of North Adams and Michael A. Fenton of Springfield to serve on the Governor’s Council District 8. The winner is assured of sitting on the panel as Republicans are not fielding a candidate.

In Easthampton, Southampton, Belchertown, Granby, South Hadley, Holyoke, Cummington, Huntington, Plainfield and Worthington, Democratic voters will choose between U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal and challenger Jeromie Whalen of South Hadley, with the winner to face independent candidates Nadia Milleron and Anthony Celata in November.

In the remaining communities in Hampshire County and southern Franklin County, Democratic U.S. Rep. James P. McGovern is running unopposed. There is no Republican running for the seat.

In the southern Franklin County communities of Deerfield, Sunderland, Whately and Leverett, Democratic voters will choose between Corinne Ellen Coryat of Deerfield and Lora L. Wondolowski of Greenfield to succeed Rep. Natalie Blais, D-Deerfield, who left the position in January. The winner will face independent candidate Amy Lavallee of Whately in the November election.

Franklin County voters also have to fill a sheriff vacancy, with Lori M. Streeter on the Democratic ballots and no candidate on Republican ballots.

The only incumbent member of the Legislature from the region not running unopposed is Patricia A. Duffy, D-Holyoke, who is being challenged by Dori Lynn Dean, also of Holyoke.

The remaining Democratic incumbents are running unopposed. They include state Sen. Joanne M. Comerford, D-Northampton, Sen. Jacob R. Oliveira, D-Ludlow, Sen. John Christopher Velis, D-Westfield, Sen. Paul W. Mark, D-Pittsfield, Rep. Lindsay N. Sabadosa, D-Northampton, Rep. Mindy Domb, D-Amherst, Rep. Homar Gomez, D-Easthampton and Rep. Aaron L. Saunders, D-Belchertown. State Rep. Kelly W. Pease will be alone on Republican ballots in Southampton.

Other statewide Democratic incumbents running unopposed, in addition to Healey, are Lt. Gov. Kimberley Driscoll, Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell, Secretary of State William Francis Galvin, Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg and Auditor Diana DiZoglio.

Also running unopposed on Democratic ballots is Northwestern District Attorney David E. Sullivan and, for Hampshire County, Register of Probate Mark Smith Ames and for Franklin County, Register of Probate Daniel Francis Graves.

For Republican ballots, in addition to the gubernatorial candidates and Pease in Southampton, the only names printed on the ballot are Shawn Oliver for lieutenant governor, Michael C. Walsh for attorney general and Elizabeth Dionne for treasurer. The remaining state and local offices are left blank, though some candidates are staging write-in campaigns, including Anne Manning Martin for lieutenant governor and Anne Brensley for secretary of state.

The dates, times and locations of early voting in Hampshire County and southern Franklin communities are as follows:

  • Amherst: Town Hall, 4 Boltwood Ave. — Saturday, Aug. 22, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Monday, Aug. 24 through Friday, Aug. 28, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  • Belchertown: Lawrence Memorial Hall, 2 Jabish St. — Saturday, Aug. 22, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Monday, Aug. 24 through Friday, Aug. 28, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Chesterfield: Town Offices, 422 Main Road — Saturday, Aug. 22, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Monday, Aug. 24, 5 to 8 p.m.; Wednesday, Aug. 26, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
  • Cummington: Community House, Main Street — Saturday, Aug. 22, 9 to 11 a.m., and 3 to 5 p.m.; Thursday, Aug. 27, 9 to 11 a.m.
  • Deerfield: Town Hall, 8 Conway St. — Saturday, Aug. 22, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Monday, Aug. 24, through Friday, Aug. 28, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Easthampton: Municipal Building, 50 Payson Ave. — Saturday, Aug. 22, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Monday, Aug. 24 through Thursday, Aug. 27, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Friday, Aug. 28, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
  • Goshen: John James Memorial Hall, 42 Main St. — Saturday, Aug. 22, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Monday, Aug. 24, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
  • Granby: Carnegie Building, 1 Library Lane — Saturday, Aug. 22, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Monday, Aug. 24 through Thursday, Aug. 27, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Friday, Aug. 28, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
  • Hadley: Town Hall, 100 Middle St. — Saturday, Aug. 22, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Monday, Aug. 24, through Friday, Aug. 28, 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
  • Hatfield: Memorial Town Hall, 59 Main St. — Saturday, Aug. 22, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Monday and Tuesday, Aug. 24-25; 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Thursday, Aug. 27, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  • Leverett: Town Hall, 9 Montague Road — Saturday, Aug. 22, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Monday, Aug. 24 through Thursday, Aug. 27, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
  • Northampton: City Hall, 210 Main St. — Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 22-23, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Monday, Aug. 24 through Friday, Aug. 28, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  • Pelham: Town Clerk’s Office, 351 Amherst Road — Saturday, Aug. 22, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Monday, Aug. 24 through Wednesday, Aug. 26, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
  • Plainfield: Town Hall, 348 Main St. — Saturday, Aug. 22, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Monday, Aug. 24, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.; Wednesday, Aug. 26, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., and 4 to 6 p.m.; Thursday, Aug. 27, 5 to 8 p.m.; Friday, Aug. 28, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
  • Shutesbury: Town Hall, 1 Cooleyville Road — Saturday, Aug. 22, 12 to 4 p.m.; Monday, Aug. 24 and Tuesday, Aug. 25, 12 to 2 p.m.; Wednesday, Aug. 26, 4 to 6 p.m.; Thursday, Aug. 27, 12 to 2 p.m.
  • South Hadley: Town Clerk’s Office, 116 Main St. — Saturday, Aug. 22, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Monday, Aug. 24 through Friday, Aug. 28, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Southampton: Town Clerk’s Office, 210 College Highway — Saturday, Aug. 22, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Monday, Aug. 24 through Friday, Aug. 28, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Sunderland: Town Offices, 12 School St. — Saturday, Aug. 22, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Monday, Aug. 24, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Tuesday, Aug. 25 and Wednesday, Aug. 26, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and Thursday, Aug. 27, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
  • Westhampton: Town Hall, 1 South Road: Saturday, Aug. 22, 1 to 5 p.m.; Tuesday, Aug. 25 and Wednesday, Aug. 26, 12 to 6 p.m.
  • Whately: Town Offices, 4 Sandy Lane: Saturday, Aug. 22, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Monday, Aug. 24, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Tuesday, Aug. 25 through Thursday, Aug. 27, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.; Friday, Aug. 28, 12 to 5 p.m.
  • Williamsburg: Town Offices, 141 Main St. — Saturday, Aug. 22, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Monday, Aug. 24, 9 to 11 a.m.; Tuesday, Aug. 25, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday, Aug. 27, 5 to 7:30 p.m.
  • Worthington: Town Hall, 160 Huntington Road — Saturday, Aug. 22, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Monday, Aug. 24 through Friday, Aug. 28, 12 to 1 p.m.

Scott Merzbach is a reporter covering local government and school news in Amherst and Hadley, as well as Hatfield, Leverett, Pelham and Shutesbury. He can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com or 413-585-5253.