What are some of the special conditions for registering to vote in Maryland?
You must meet specific requirements when registering to vote. These depend on where you live or whether you’re a first-time voter. Some of the unique requirements for registering to vote in Maryland include:
- For students: You can register to vote in Maryland if you consider Maryland to be your official permanent home, as opposed to a place where you are temporarily living. It would be the address you use on tax returns, government documents, driver’s licenses, bank accounts, etc. The Maryland State Board of Elections advises that if you receive financial aid from another state or jurisdiction, changing your state of residency could impact your eligibility for financial aid. Check with the appropriate funding authority. It may be best to request an absentee ballot from your home state.
- For military and overseas voters: You can complete an application and request an absentee ballot using the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP).
- For survivors of violence: Maryland participates in the Safe at Home Address Confidentiality Program to protect victims of domestic violence, victims of human trafficking, minor children at risk for violence, and guardians of disabled people who may be at risk of violence. The program provides an alternate address and phone number for those at risk if election officials publicize their address and phone number. Learn more about the Safe at Home program. Call 1-800-633-9657 to talk with an application assistant.
- For homeless or impermanent voters: You do not need a home address, but you will need something to show that you live and receive mail in the State of Maryland.
- For incarcerated voters: If you are in jail for a minor offense, you can vote using an absentee ballot. If you committed a felony, you cannot vote until you complete your sentence. The State will automatically reinstate your voting rights, but you must re-register.
- Age restrictions: In Maryland, 16- and 17-year-old residents can pre-register to vote. If a 17-year-old will be 18 on or before the general election, they can vote in a primary election.
To confirm your voter registration status, use the Maryland Voter Lookup.
When is Maryland’s voter registration deadline?
The local Board of Elections must receive your voter registration application at least 21 days before the election. After reviewing it, the Board of Elections will mail you a voter notification card.
What is early voting? Can I participate?
In 2007, the Maryland General Assembly and the voters of Maryland approved a constitutional amendment authorizing voting before Election Day. Early voting started with the 2010 elections.
In 2013, the state passed legislation that increased the number of early voting centers and extended the number of days of early voting.
Registered voters can participate in early voting and vote just as they would on Election Day. Citizens eligible to vote but who have not registered can go to an early voting center in the county where they live and register when they vote. Be sure to bring documentation proving where you live.
Acceptable types of documentation include:
- MVA-issued Maryland driver’s license
- ID card
- Change of address card
- Paycheck
- Bank statement
- Utility bill
- Other government document
See the State Board of Elections website for specific dates for early voting in the next election cycle.
How do I request a mail-in ballot in Maryland?
Registered voters can cast an absentee ballot, now referred to as a mail-in ballot. You can request a mail-in ballot online, mail it to your local board of elections, or go to your local board of elections and complete the form. Learn the deadlines to request a mail-in ballot for the next election.
You can decide how you would like to get your ballot. Election officials can mail or fax it to you, you can download it online, or you can have someone pick it up for you. The government posts ballots to its website three weeks before the election.
You may hand-deliver your ballot to your local board of elections before 8 p.m. on Election Day. If you mail your ballot, it must be postmarked on or before Election Day, and the local Board of Elections must receive it no later than ten days after Election Day.
If you are a military member or live overseas, use the FVAP website to request an absentee ballot.
What do I need to bring to the polls in Maryland?
You will only need to present identification at the polls if you are a first-time voter and did not provide an ID when you registered.
Any of the following are valid forms of ID if they are current:
- A current Maryland driver’s license
- A current ID card issued by the MVA
- A student or employee ID
- A military ID card
- A U.S. Passport
- Any other State or federal government ID card
- A copy of a current utility bill or bank statement
- A government check, paycheck, or another government document that shows your name and address
If you do not have documents to prove where you live, you will receive a provisional ballot. If you provide valid identification before 10 a.m. on the second Wednesday after Election Day, election officials will count your provisional ballot.
What special accommodations are available?
Most, but not all, Maryland voting centers are handicapped-accessible. Check the Maryland Board of Election’s polling place lookup to see if your polling place will be accessible. If it isn’t, you can vote at any early voting center.
If you want to vote at a different polling place on Election Day, you can fill out a Request for Polling Place Change or Absentee Ballot and send it to your Board of Elections. Your local election officials will attempt to find an accessible location, or they will send an absentee ballot.
If you have a disability and have difficulty marking your ballot, the State of Maryland offers an online tool to assist you. To access this tool, request a mail-in ballot. There will be an option on the form that you can check to ask to print your ballot from the election board’s website.
You can also ask someone to help, including election judges. The only people you cannot ask to help you are your employer, union representatives, and polling place watchers.
What if I see something illegal at the polls?
If you have a complaint about voter registration, how poll workers treated you, or other problems you experienced on Election Day, bring your complaint immediately to the attention of the polling place officials.
You can also file a complaint with the State Board, which has an administrative complaint procedure. Use this administrative complaint form.
You can also report voting law violations to the U.S. Department of Justice. If you feel someone has violated your voting rights, you may choose to contact a local Maryland attorney experienced in voting law.
A Maryland Civil Rights Lawyer Can Help
Contact a voting rights attorney if you have questions about Maryland’s voting laws. Your lawyer can also help if you think someone has violated your civil rights.
Visit our attorney directory to find a lawyer near you who can help.
