Early voting begins for Boston’s preliminary election

Saturday is the first day of early voting and the last day for Boston residents to register to participate in the preliminary municipal election, which features the mayoral campaign. The preliminary contest, scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 9, will narrow the field of candidates to two finalists. Early voting will take place from Aug. 30 to Sept. 5, excluding Labor Day, Sept. 1, according to the city’s election calendar.Mayor Michelle Wu, the incumbent, is running against challengers Josh Kraft, Robert Cappucci and Domingos Darosa. The preliminary will also include candidates for City Council seats. The general election will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 4, when Boston voters will decide who will lead the city for the next term. Voters can register for the general election through Oct. 25. Early voting will be available from Oct. 25 to Oct. 31.During both the preliminary and the municipal elections, polls will be open from 7 a.m. through 8 p.m. Important links:Boston election calendarCheck/update your voter registration Preliminary election candidate list