Worcester voters head to the polls Tuesday for a state primary with thin choices at the top of the ticket — and a federal court ruling last week striking down South Carolina's age-based mail-in voting rules underscores that the mechanics of the ballot box matter as much as the names on it.

The Worcester Telegram & Gazette reports polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. for the Sept. 1 primary. The ballot is light this year, with most state Senate and House races featuring a single candidate from each party. Those contests get settled in November.

At the top: incumbent Democratic Sen. Ed Markey, 80, faces Rep. Seth Moulton, 47, in a race framed around age versus tenure. Markey is seeking his third full term; Moulton has served six terms in the House. The winner meets Republican John Deaton, who runs unopposed in his primary. On the governor's side, two Republicans — Michael Minogue, former CEO of a medical device company, and Brian Shortsleeve, former MBTA chief administrator — compete to challenge Gov. Maura Healey, who has no Democratic primary opponent.

A few Worcester House districts see contested Democratic primaries. In the 14th Worcester District, incumbent James O'Day faces Barur R. Rajeshkumar. In the 15th, Rep. Mary Keefe is challenged by Ronald Waddell Jr. Neither race has a Republican on the ballot — meaning the primary winner effectively wins the seat. One-party rule isn't just a D.C. problem.

Some Worcester voters will see polling location changes: Ward 4, Precinct 2 moved from Friendly House to Worcester Academy's Capozzoli Athletic Center at 121 Providence St., and Ward 5, Precinct 1 shifted from Addison Apartments to the same location.

Meanwhile, the rules governing how Americans cast their votes remain very much in play. The New York Post reports that the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled last week that South Carolina's mail-in ballot laws violate the Constitution. The state waived absentee restrictions for voters 65 and older while requiring younger voters to meet specific criteria — being overseas, disabled, or otherwise qualifying.

"By granting voters aged sixty-five and older unconditional access to absentee-by-mail voting while conditioning that same option for younger voters on eligibility categories, documentation, and a rigid deadline, the state allocates voting opportunities unequally based solely on age," U.S. Circuit Chief Judge Roger Gregory wrote.

The case started when younger voters sued in 2023, arguing the rule violated the 26th Amendment. A lower court dismissed the claim; the Fourth Circuit reversed, instructing that either all South Carolina voters get unrestricted absentee access, or none do. State officials plan to appeal, potentially to the Supreme Court.

The ruling came the same week the Supreme Court issued a largely favorable decision on President Trump's election-integrity order, which includes new mail-ballot standards and citizenship-list requirements. Former White House deputy counsel Gene Hamilton said federal agencies like the Postal Service can now move forward with parts of that order.

The Worcester ballot may be light, but the fight over who gets to vote how — and whether the rules apply equally — is anything but settled.