By MAUREEN DOHERTY

NORTH READING — You know that summer is winding down when the Select Board turns its attention to signing the election warrant for the biennial primary election, which falls  on the day after Labor Day this year, Tuesday, September 3.

The offices on the ballot for North Reading voters are Senator in Congress for Massachusetts; Representative in Congress for the 6th District; Councillor for the 5th District; Senator in General Court for the First Essex & Middlesex District; Representative in General Court for 20th Middlesex District; Clerk of the Courts for Middlesex County and Register of Deeds for Middlesex Southern District.

With changes in the state election laws that require cities and towns to hold Early Voting options for state elections, along with mail-in balloting, the town’s 12,000-plus voters can begin casting their ballots for this election as early as this Saturday, August 24.

This date also happens to be the last day to register to vote or change anything about your voting status in time for the Sept. 3 primary, such as your name, address or party affiliation. The office of Town Clerk Susan Duplin will be open this Saturday for in-person voter registration service from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Citizens unable to get to the Town Clerk’s office by  this Saturday have the option to check their voter status by visiting the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s website at: https://www.sec.state.ma.us/ovr/ and any changes made on that website by midnight on August 24 will be in effect for the Sept. 3 primary.

All Early Voting will take place in the newly renovated Town Hall gymnasium at 235 North St. on the following schedule:

• Saturday, Aug 24: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Monday, Aug. 26: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• Tuesday, Aug. 27: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

• Wednesday, Aug. 28: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• Thursday, Aug. 29: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

• Friday, Aug. 30: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

On Election Day, Tuesday, Sept. 3, voters in all four precincts will cast their ballots at St. Theresa’s Parish Hall on Winter Street. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The Select Board also voted 5-0 to appoint the town’s Election Offices from the list submitted by the Registrars as recommended by the Registrars. This list includes Democrats, Republicans and Unenrolled & Others for the term September 1, 2024 through August 31, 2025.

Those voters who selected the option to have all ballots mailed to them this year will begin receiving them shortly.

Duplin told the boart that the deadline to request a mail in ballot is five business days before the election which is Monday, August 26 at 5 p.m.

People who need to vote absentee, at the Town Clerk’s counter, because they will be out of town on Election Day must do so by noon on Friday, August 30 because of the Labor Day holiday.

Those with any questions about any voter registration matter may call Town Clerk Susan Duplin at 978-357-5230.

Monday was also the last day to submit a warrant article the October Town Meeting. No citizens’ petitions were submitted by the deadline.

Friday meeting called

As the Transcript was going to press, a Select Board meeting was posted for Friday, August 23 at 8:15 a.m. to answer two Open Meeting Law violation allegations. The meeting will be held virtually only and the link is posted on the town’s website at northreadingma.gov.