Advanced voter registration for the Nov. 5 presidential election ends Tuesday, though eligible Montgomery County residents can still register during early voting later this month or on Election Day.
To register, voters must be U.S. citizens and Maryland residents ages 16 and older. Voters must be 18 years old by Election Day in order to vote, according to a Tuesday news release from the elections board.
Residents can register in person at the Montgomery County Board of Elections in Gaithersburg at 18753 N. Frederick Ave., Suite 210, or online. To register online, the voter’s personal information must match the information that is on file with the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA). This includes name, date of birth, driver’s license number, ID number, or learner’s permit number, and the last four digits of the voter’s Social Security number. Voters can also check their registration status and precinct using the state database or by texting “CHECK” to 77788.
“Check your voter registration to make sure everything is current, especially if some life changes have occurred since the [May] primary or maybe the last time you actually voted,” Board of Elections Public Information Officer Gilberto Zelaya said Monday during a community Zoom information session. “If it’s a new address, you want to change your party affiliation, you want to change your name, etc., you can do that.”
Zelaya also encouraged voters to ensure their email addresses and phone numbers are current as part of their registrations.
In addition to the presidential race between front-runners Vice President Kamala Harris (D) and former President Donald Trump (R), races on the ballot include those for the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives as well for county judges and the Montgomery County Board of Education. Find information about the candidates in the MoCo360 2024 Voters Guide.
Poll workers and election judges needed
The elections board is still accepting applications for election judges and poll workers, Zelaya said. In order to participate, you must be registered to vote by Tuesday. The positions are paid and a full payment chart is available on the board’s website.
Students who are 16 and older are eligible serve as election poll workers, but must register to vote by Tuesday to be able to participate. Depending on the number of days served, teens may choose to earn up to 25 student service learning (SSL) hours or a minimum $250 stipend per full day of service. Students in Maryland are required to earn 75 student service learning hours to graduate.
Training for prospective judges includes an online quiz and a paid in-person classroom training. Register on the board’s website.
Students in grades six through 12 are eligible to participate as volunteers in the board’s Future Voter program, which allows youth to work as election aides and receive SSL hours. Registration is due by Wednesday and students as well as their parents will be required to participate in a training session. Email future.vote@montgomerycountymd.gov to apply.
Zelaya encouraged prospective election judges and poll workers to be proactive about submitting their applications and attending the training, given the proximity to the election.
“The key is not to procrastinate. Don’t wait until the week before early voting,” Zelaya said. “Get it in as soon as possible. And if we can’t get you in for 2024, we definitely want to get you in for 2026.”
Early voting begins Oct. 24
The county’s in-person early voting period runs from Oct. 24 through 31 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voters can cast their ballots at any early voting center in the county. A full list of sites is available on the board’s website or by texting “EV” and your ZIP code to 77788.
Any interested voter who misses the advanced voter registration period can participate in same-day registration during the in-person early voting period and on Election Day.
To register on the same day as casting a ballot, voters will need to present a document that proves where they live. Acceptable options include an MVA-issued license, ID card, learner’s permit or change of address card; or a paycheck stub, bank statement, utility bill; or other government document showing their name and current address.
Requests for mail-in ballots due Oct. 29
Registered voters who wish to cast their ballot by mail must file their request by Oct. 29. Ballots can be requested at the Board of Elections office or by filling out the online form. Voters can request an electronically delivered mail-in ballot through Nov. 1. Voters must print these ballots themselves. The elections board is encouraging voters to mail their ballots or to deposit them in a dropbox as soon as they are confident in their vote to streamline the process. Find a list of dropbox sites on the Board of Elections website.
Zelaya also encouraged voters to file their requests as soon as possible.
“It’s not instantaneous. Unlike businesses like Amazon.com where you can place an order for an item, and it’s on your front porch the next day, when it comes to voter registration or requesting a mail-in ballot, we do need to confirm that the individual making the request is a registered voter, so it does take some time,” Zelaya said. “So please be patient with us.”