Early voting for the Sept. 1 state primary opens Saturday, Aug. 22, at three locations across Brookline, and the deadline to register is the same day.

With 34 candidates on the ballot and several contested races, here's what voters need to know before heading to the polls, according to the town's August newsletter and a Brookline.News voter guide.

Key deadlines

  • Voter registration: Saturday, Aug. 22
  • Early voting: Saturday, Aug. 22, through Friday, Aug. 28
  • Mail ballot application deadline: 5 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 25
  • Mail ballot return deadline: 8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 1 (Election Day)
  • Election Day polls: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 1

Completed mail ballots can be dropped at ballot drop boxes at Town Hall, Coolidge Corner Library and Putterham Library. Voters can track their ballot at TrackMyBallotMA.com.

Early voting locations and hours

All three sites are open Saturday, Aug. 22, and Sunday, Aug. 23, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.:

  • Brookline Town Hall, 333 Washington St.
  • Coolidge Corner Library, 31 Pleasant St.
  • Putterham Library, 959 W. Roxbury Pkwy.

Town Hall is the only site open during the week: Monday, Aug. 24, through Thursday, Aug. 27, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Friday, Aug. 28, from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

On Election Day, Brookline's 17 precincts vote at 12 polling locations across town.

Norfolk County DA: seven Democrats, open seat

The most competitive race on Brookline's ballot is the Norfolk County District Attorney primary. The seat is open for the first time in 16 years after District Attorney Michael Morrissey announced he would not seek reelection.

Seven Democrats are running: Jim Barakat, Gregory P. Connor, Adam W. Deitch, Robert Louis Jubinville, Macy Lee, Craig J. MacLellan and Djuna Elizabeth Perkins. As we reported Aug. 12, Perkins leads among Brookline donors with $7,902 from 25 local contributors, though Deitch ($266,000) and Connor ($240,000) lead in overall fundraising.

The race has drawn attention following the Karen Read and Sandra Birchmore cases, which sparked debate over prosecutorial discretion and police accountability. The Democratic winner faces independent Joe Pagliarulo in the Nov. 3 general election.

U.S. Senate: Markey vs. Moulton

Sen. Edward J. Markey, 80, is seeking a third full term against U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton of Salem in the Democratic primary. Moulton, a Marine Corps veteran representing the 6th Congressional District since 2015, argues Democrats need a new generation of leadership. The campaign has largely centered on Markey's age. Republican John Deaton is running unopposed.

4th Congressional District: Auchincloss vs. Poulos

Rep. Jake Auchincloss, seeking a fourth term, faces Jason Poulos, an AI researcher and first-time candidate from Sherborn, in the Democratic primary. Auchincloss has campaigned on housing, health care and national security. Poulos has centered his campaign on the economic effects of artificial intelligence and campaign finance reform. Republican Thomas Stalcup is unopposed.

Governor's Council: Dolan vs. Palladino

Incumbent Mara Dolan faces Wellesley attorney Margie Palladino in the District 3 Democratic primary. No Republican is running.

Palladino entered the race after Dolan voted in April to confirm Mary Ferriter as an associate justice of the Probate and Family Court. In a July 28 Brookline.News interview, Palladino said the vote "revealed how she exercises judgment when it mattered most" and called it "a profound breach of trust."

Other races

Gov. Maura Healey is unopposed in the Democratic primary. Republicans choose between Michael Minogue, former CEO of medical device company Abiomed, and Brian Shortsleeve, former acting MBTA general manager.

State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg, a Brookline resident and former chair of the town's Board of Selectmen, is unopposed. Senate Majority Leader Cynthia Stone Creem and all four state representatives serving Brookline precincts are also running without opposition.

Who can vote in which primary

Registered Democrats and Republicans may vote only in their own party's primary. Unenrolled voters may choose either a Democratic or Republican ballot without changing their party status. New for this election: Democratic ballots are blue and Republican ballots are red.

The Brookline Record will publish results after polls close on Sept. 1.