Bill Sets Optimal Date for Voter Participation
(BOSTON—09/18/2025) The Senate on Thursday enacted legislation setting next year’s state primary election date on Tuesday, September 1, 2026. Senator Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington) voted in support of the bill.
The Legislature’s action is a standard step in the lead up to an election year to ensure the primary date complies with state and federal requirements. The legislation, H.4531, ensures that local clerks are given necessary time to send and process vote-by-mail ballots for Massachusetts residents, and gives election officials the ability to meet a required federal timeline for sending ballots to military servicemembers and citizens overseas.
Standard deadlines associated with the election calendar are also set by the bill, such as a September 3, 2026 due date for recount petitions and a September 19, 2026 deadline for military and overseas voters to apply for absentee ballots for the general election. Next year’s general election is set by state law on Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
The Secretary of the Commonwealth last month recommended a September 1, 2026 primary date to the Governor, following which the Governor included the recommendation in a message to the General Court.
The legislation was passed by the Senate a day after it was approved in the House of Representatives. Both branches of the Legislature enacted the bill on Thursday to send it to the Governor for her signature.
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*Following this press release, the Governor signed this bill into law as Chapter 34 of the Acts of 2025, which makes the September 1, 2026 primary date official.