Updated 12:41 p.m., Aug. 17

By CRAIG FREILICH

People who wish to vote in the state and local Sept. 13 primary have just a couple of days to register if they haven’t already.

Primaries are held to choose candidates for a position to represent a political party on the Nov. 8 general election ballot.

This year there are primaries for Republicans in the 116th Assembly District (towns of Canton, DePeyster, Hammond, Lisbon, Louisville, Macomb, Massena, Morristown, Oswegatchie, Potsdam, Rossie, Waddington, Ogdensburg); Republicans in the 118th Assembly District (towns of Clare, Clifton, Colton, Fine, Madrid, Norfolk, Parishville, Pierrepont, Stockholm); Republicans for the countywide treasurer contest; and several town offices.

Friday, Aug. 19 is the last day for people to register in person at the Board of Elections office in Canton or to have a mailed application postmarked. People conducting other business at one of the Department of Motor Vehicles offices can also register at that time, by Thursday.

This is for people who have never registered, or who have moved into St. Lawrence County and not registered here before. Primary voters must be registered with a political party to vote in that party’s primaries, but this is not an opportunity to change party in order to vote in the primary. That deadline has passed, and a change in party registration won’t be made until after the November election.

People who have moved within St. Lawrence County and have not notified the Board of Elections of their new address have until Aug. 24 to notify the board of the new address.

An online registration form can be found at http://www.elections.ny.gov/NYS-Voter-Registration-Form.html .

People who wish to vote in the primary by absentee ballot can send an application for an absentee ballot postmarked no later than Sept. 6, or visit the Board of Elections office by Sept. 12 for an application.

The absentee ballots must reach the Board of Elections by the close of polls on Sept. 13, except mail ballots postmarked by the day before the primary and received at the board office by Sept. 20.

The Board of Elections will have one centrally located polling place per township for the primary, not as many as for a general election, because, in general, many fewer voters participate in primaries.

Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.