Amherst Reminds Voters of Sept. 1 State Primary

Amherst is urging residents to lock in their voting plans ahead of the Massachusetts state primary on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, while Town Hall also rolled out a new one-stop web page for meeting agendas and minutes.

TOWN HALL

The town's biggest reminder this week is procedural but consequential: the state primary is set for Tuesday, September 1, 2026, and voters must be registered in Amherst to cast a ballot. Residents have four ways to do so, voting by mail, voting absentee, voting early in person, or showing up on election day itself.

Separately, Town Hall has stood up a new Agenda and Minutes Center, a consolidated webpage where residents can now find agendas, minutes, and links to video recordings for all town meetings in one place, replacing what had been a scattered search across department pages.

The town is also accepting applications for its "All About Amherst" Civic Academy, a free eight-week program that walks participants through the day-to-day workings of local government, including staff conversations and behind-the-scenes tours. Applications are due by Sunday, September 20.

COMING UP

Several town boards meet in the week ahead: the Local Historic District Commission, the Amherst Housing Authority, and the Amherst Municipal Affordable Housing Trust all convene Monday, August 24, followed by the Energy and Climate Action Committee on Wednesday, August 26, and the Zoning Board of Appeals on Thursday, August 27.

On the recreation and community side, Open-Play Pickleball at Mill River continues through the week, Sandlot Baseball and a "DinoMap Live" program at the Beneski Museum of Natural History run this weekend, and an America 250 "Off the Beaten Path" hike along with a First Day Celebration are both scheduled for Monday, August 24.

Compiled from official town feeds, community organizations, and local press. Outside reporting is attributed inline.