Lexington's Board of Registrars will hand-count overseas, military and absentee ballots on primary night after some arrive too late to reach individual precincts.

The board is scheduled to meet at 8:05 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 1, in the Reed Room of the Lexington Office Building, 1625 Massachusetts Ave. That's five minutes after polls close for the state primary.

The sole agenda item, according to the board's posted agenda, is the hand-count tallying of overseas and military ballots, absentee ballots and early-voting ballots received by the 8 p.m. close of polls but delivered too late to be sent to their assigned precincts.

The meeting is open to the public.

State law requires separate count

Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 54, Section 95 requires that absentee ballots received on Election Day but not delivered to precincts in time "shall be processed in the office of the registrars." The law allows those ballots to be counted at the registrars' office after polls close.

Once the count is finished, registrars must amend each precinct's tally sheet and official return book so the late-arriving votes are folded into the certified results. The town has not published how many ballots fall into this category for the Sept. 1 primary.

Who's counting

The board's three registrars are Gordon M. Jones III, Judith E. Moore and Mark R. Vitunic. Town Clerk Mary de Alderete serves as clerk to the board. At a May 18 meeting, the board designated four Town Clerk's Office staff members as assistant registrars: Lisa Maguire, Carolyn Morrison, Gina Carme and Kelley Cutone-Clair.

New ballot colors for Sept. 1 primary

Voters and poll workers will see a change for the Sept. 1 primary. The Secretary of State's Office has introduced new color-coded ballots, according to a town notice. Democratic primary ballots are blue, with a light blue version for early and absentee voters. Republican primary ballots are pink, with a salmon version for early and absentee voters.

The new colors are required under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 53, Section 33, which mandates that each party's primary ballots be printed on different-colored paper.

Early voting for the primary ran from Aug. 22 through Aug. 28. All absentee and mail-in ballots must be received by 8 p.m. on Sept. 1 to be counted.

Residents with questions can reach the Town Clerk's Office at 781-862-0500, ext. 4558.