A mid-year spending bill signed by Governor Charlie Baker Saturday set the date for the statewide primary election in Massachusetts this year.
Voters will choose the Democratic and Republican nominees for governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general, treasurer, and auditor on Sept. 6, alongside the nominees for all 200 seats in the Legislature.
That’s the day after Labor Day.
The changing of the primary date has become a pre-election tradition in the last 10 years, ever since a federal law took effect that requires ballots be ready for military and overseas voters 45 days before Election Day. This year, that would mean Sept. 24.
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Under state law, primary elections are set to take place seven weeks before the November general election. This year, that date would be Sept. 20, the latest primary of any state holding general legislative elections on Nov. 8, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
In a separate statement Saturday, Massachusetts Secretary of State William F. Galvin said nomination papers for the state primary and general elections will be available starting Monday at 10 a.m. Depending on the race, candidates have to gather anywhere between 150 and 10,000 signatures from registered voters. If a candidate is running in a party primary, only voters who are members of the candidate’s political party or members belonging to no party can sign. Those running as non-party candidates can gather signatures from all registered voters in their districts.
The last day for candidates running partisan campaigns in the federal and statewide races to submit their nomination papers for the primary ballot is June 7.
Baker approving the new primary date came as part of the signing of a supplemental budget, which directed $101 million for COVID-19 related costs, including high-quality masks, vaccine access, a $25 million emergency paid sick leave program, and rapid tests for places like schools and homeless shelters.
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The legislation supplemented the state’s budget for the 2022 fiscal year, which Baker approved in July.
Samantha J. Gross can be reached at samantha.gross@globe.com. Follow her @samanthajgross.