With the Nov. 5 general election less than two months away, Montgomery County Board of Elections officials say it’s not too early to make a plan to vote.
Voters who intend to vote by mail and request their ballots by Sept. 23 will receive ballots as part of the first batch to be sent out, elections director Boris Brajkovic said during Monday’s board meeting. Voters can request mail-in ballots until Oct. 29 and web-delivered ballots until Nov. 1.
Brajkovic encouraged voters not to delay in returning mail-in ballots if they’re confident in the votes they are casting.
“There is always a spike [of mail-in ballot returns] in the last week,” he said. “I will not ever rush anyone to make up their mind. But if you voted, signed it and sealed the envelope, please don’t leave it in the car or on the kitchen counter. Drop it off so we can count it.”
A list of 58 drop box locations is available on the board’s website. Drop boxes, which will be will be under 24/7 video surveillance, will be installed by Tuesday and open for use on Friday, according to Brajkovic.
In addition to the presidential race between 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. You can find information about the candidates in the MoCo360 Voters Guide.
Early voting will take place from Oct. 24-31 at the same locations used for early voting during the primary election held in May. Each center will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Here is a list of early voting sites:
- Activity Center at Bohrer Park Social Hall, 506 S. Frederick Ave., Gaithersburg;
- Bauer Drive Community Recreation Center, 14625 Bauer Drive, Rockville;
- Damascus Community Recreation Center Social Hall, 25520 Oak Drive, Damascus;
- Executive Office Building Auditorium, 101 Monroe St., Rockville;
- Germantown Community Recreation Center, 18905 Kingsview Road, Germantown;
- Jane E. Lawton Community Recreation Center Social Hall, 4301 Willow Lane, Chevy Chase;
- Marilyn J. Praisner Community Recreation Center, 14906 Old Columbia Pike, Burtonsville;
- Mid-County Community Recreation Center Social Hall, 2004 Queensguard Road, Silver Spring;
- Nancy H. Dacek North Potomac Community Recreation Center, 13850 Travilah Road, Rockville;
- Potomac Community Recreation Center, 11315 Falls Road, Potomac;
- Sandy Spring Volunteer Fire Department, 17921 Brooke Road, Sandy Spring;
- Silver Spring Civic Building at Veterans Plaza, One Veterans Place, Silver Spring;
- Wheaton Library & Community Recreation Center, 11701 Georgia Ave., Wheaton; and
- White Oak Community Recreation Center, 1700 April Lane, Silver Spring.
Voters can also text EV and their ZIP code to 77788 to find out the location of the nearest early voting site.
Anyone can vote at any of the sites during early voting, but on Election Day voters must vote at the polls in their designated precinct. You can check your voter registration status and your precinct using the state database.
While Maryland allows residents to register to vote on Election Day at their voting site, advanced registration is due by Oct. 15. If you miss the advanced voter registration deadline, same-day registration is allowed during the eight days of early voting at early voting centers or on the day of the primary election at your polling place. However, you may be directed to file a provisional ballot.
You may register in person during the eight-day early voting period at any early voting center in the county or at your assigned polling place on the day of the election. You must have a document that proves where you live, such as a Maryland driver’s license, an ID card, a change of address card, or a paycheck, bank statement, utility bill, or other government document with your name and address. You can vote immediately after registering.
Who’s on the ballot?
In the race for the U.S. Senate, Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks (D) and former Gov. Larry Hogan (R) seek to take over retiring Sen. Ben Cardin’s (D) seat.
Depending on your district, you may be voting in the District 6 or District 8 congressional race. You can find your district by entering your address on the Maryland General Assembly’s lookup tool.
Communications lawyer April McClain Delaney (D) of Potomac and former Maryland General Assembly member Neil Parrott (R) of Hagerstown are competing for the 6th Congressional District seat currently held by Rep. David Trone (D).
U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D) of Takoma Park is running for re-election for his fifth term in the 8th Congressional District race. He faces Republican challenger Cheryl Riley of North Bethesda.
Voters will also make choices about three nonpartisan Board of Education seats. Incumbent Lynne Harris faces challenger and parent Rita Montoya in the at-large race, former MCPS teacher Brenda Diaz and current MCPS teacher Natalie Zimmerman face off in the District 2 race, and longtime education activist Laura Stewart challenges incumbent Shebra Evans in District 4.
A couple of referendums will also appear on the ballot. Voters across the state will be asked whether abortion should be enshrined as a right in the Maryland Constitution, and county voters will decide whether the county executive should be limited to two terms instead of three.
