You can find your district at mdelect.net
Election and Voting
Democracy favors those who participate.”
– Lily Qi
The 2020 Presidential Election
Maryland’s 2020 Presidential Election is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Early voting is from Monday, Oct. 26 to Monday, Nov. 2, immediately before the Election Day. For your peace of mind during the pandemic, I highly recommend you request a mail-in ballot right away to avoid any possible delays or lines at the polls. You can use this link to request your ballot. Here is a 2-minute step by step video showing you how to navigate the State’s Board of Elections website, which is not very intuitive.
Don’t miss the all-important primary elections
As a new American who never missed a vote in any election since I became a U.S. citizen, I am a big believer of not leaving your vote on the table. In Maryland, only people who have registered with political parties can vote for candidates for political offices in the primary elections—called “closed primaries.” See my article from 2014, Make Your Vote Count: Register for a Political Party. If you are an independent voter, I strongly encourage you to register for a political party. Otherwise, you can only vote for the non-partisan school board members in the Primary Elections. In Montgomery County, the Democratic Primary Elections largely decide the final outcomes of the General Elections. So, don’t wait until November! You can use this link to change your political party affiliation.
Who can vote?
All U.S. citizens and Maryland residents 18 years or older who are registered may vote in our State. Additionally, if you are an overseas American citizen, military personnel, or dependent of military personnel, you may register to vote in Maryland if your current or last U.S. address was in Maryland.
How do I register to vote?
You can use the Online Voter Registration, or print out the application, and return it with an original signature to your local board of elections. Click here to find out the deadline and eligibility.
Where do I vote?
You can find your voting place (also called polling place) at the Maryland State Board of Elections website.
When and where is Early Voting?
Montgomery County has 11 early voting sites that makes it much easier to vote. Click to find the one near you. Use this link to learn everything about Early Voting.
Can I vote by mail?
Anyone can choose to vote by mail in Maryland. You don’t need excuses to request an absentee ballot or a mail-in ballot. That means you can vote at your convenience and skip the lines at the polls! For your peace of mind, I highly recommend you request you vote by mail. Apply to vote by mail here or go to bit.ly/mdballot.
What if I will be away during voting time?
Vote by mail! Maryland has no-excuse absentee voting, also called vote by mail. That means you don’t need to miss any elections. Apply for an absentee ballot here.
What does a state delegate do?
The General Assembly of Maryland, as the legislative body directly representing the electorate, passes public general and public local laws, raises revenues and appropriates funds to pay for State government services, and oversees the operation of State executive agencies. In much of this activity, the legislator plays a major role in helping to develop the public policy of the State. For more info, please see http://mgaleg.maryland.gov.
For more questions, go to Montgomery County’s Board of Elections’ website