City of Boston prepared for September 4 state primaries

Today, the City of Boston Election Department released plans for the State Primaries, taking place the day after Labor Day on Tuesday, September 4, 2018. The polls in Boston will open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. To find your voting location and view a sample of your ballot, check your voter status on the state's website.

All absentee ballot applications must be in the possession of the Elections Department by 5 p.m. tomorrow Friday, August 31, 2018.

Ballots have been printed for Boston's 403,560 registered voters which includes 206,148 in the Democratic Party, 23,893 in the Republican Party, and 1,154 in the Libertarian Party. Boston's 172,365 voters who are not enrolled in any political party (often referred to as independents) may choose one party's ballot to vote with on September 4, 2018. All polling places will be equipped with an Automark machine, which assists voters with sensory and physical limitations in marking their ballots and provides translation assistance.

The following languages will be available at the polls and/or through a central translator telephone bank:

• Spanish
• Chinese (both Mandarin and Cantonese dialects)
• Vietnamese
• Haitian Creole
• Cape Verdean Creole
• Russian

The department has recruited and trained more than 1,500 poll workers to staff 155 polling locations, covering approximately 255 precincts. From administering election laws, assisting voters, to counting ballots, poll workers play a vital role in the success of Election Day.

To help boost civic engagement, residents are encouraged to use hashtag #BostonVotes on social media platforms with photos of "I voted" stickers.

Unofficial results will be posted online after the polls close at 8 p.m. Updates on turnout will be provided periodically via Twitter: @BostonElections, and the City of Boston Elections Department's Facebook account.

Please use the Election Department's website to receive additional information regarding the election; registered voters are able to use the site to locate polling locations.

Members of the media are reminded that certain rules must be followed in order to ensure a smooth voting process for voters.

• Interviews of voters are not allowed inside polling locations and must be done at least 150 feet away.
• Interviews with election officers at the polling locations are not allowed. Interview requests for the Election Department must be directed through the Press Office at 617-635-4461.
• Photos and b-roll shots will be allowed under the supervision of each poll's warden.
• Photographers are reminded that zooming in on voter ballots and shots over the shoulders of voters will not be allowed - please respect every voter's right to a private ballot.
• The City of Boston Election Department will also be available for b-roll shots starting at 7:30 a.m.