Voters in communities across Maine are going the polls Tuesday to decide a variety of primary contests and local issues.

Voters registered as Democrats or Republicans will have a chance to select candidates to run for Congress and the State House this fall. And virtually all voters in southern Maine will get to decide local referendum questions, such as whether to approve school budgets and, in a couple of towns, whether to ban plastic grocery bags. Some towns also will elect people to oversee schools or town government.

Polls in southern Maine open from as early as 6 a.m. to as late as 8 a.m., depending on the community. Voting closes in all communities at 8 p.m. Results will be posted as they come in at pressherald.com and published in the Portland Press Herald on Wednesday.