More than 230,000 Marylanders have requested a mail-in ballot for the November 3 general election.
As previously reported on Conduit Street, Governor Larry Hogan last week approved a State Board of Elections (SBE) plan to designate each of Maryland’s high schools as vote centers — places where any county resident can vote, regardless of their precinct — for the November 3 election.
Additionally, 80 early voting centers will be open across the state from Monday, October 26 to Monday, November 2 (including Saturday and Sunday) from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. On Election Day, approximately 350 vote centers will be open statewide.
Voters may cast their ballot at any vote center in their county of residence. SBE also plans to make at least 127 ballot drop boxes available statewide.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, state and local officials are encouraging voters to vote-by-mail. Each registered voter who has not already requested a mail-in ballot will be mailed a mail-in ballot application. In the meantime, voters who know they want to vote-by-mail may request a mail-in ballot via SBE.
According to SBE, as of August 17, 2020, 234,380 Marylanders have requested a mail-in ballot.
How to Request a Mail-In Ballot
Any registered voter may vote by mail-in ballot. Marylanders do not need a reason to vote by mail-in ballot. It is simply another way for residents to vote if they do not want to or cannot vote an early voting center or vote center.
There are three ways a resident can request a mail-in ballot.
- Online if you have a Maryland driver’s license or MVA-issued ID card.
- Complete and return one of the forms below. Read the instructions, enter the required information, print the form, sign it, and return it to your local board of elections. You can return it by mail, fax, or email (scanned as an attachment).
- Go to your local board of elections and fill out and turn in the form.
* SBE will mail this form to each eligible voter who hadn’t already requested a ballot. If you already submitted a form, you do not need to submit another one. Use our Voter Look-Up website to check that you submitted a request.
In order to receive a mail-in ballot for the general election, SBE must receive the request by October 20, 2020.
Stay tuned to Conduit Street for more information.
Useful Links
Previous Conduit Street Coverage: State Board Approves Early Voting Days for General Election
Previous Conduit Street Coverage: Hogan Approves Plan to Open Vote Centers for Nov 3 Election
Letter from MAEO (July 23, 2020)
Conduit Street Podcast: Wrestling With Reopening
Previous Conduit Street Coverage: State Board Seeks Additional $20M for Nov Election
Letter from State Administrator LindaLamone (July 21, 2020)
County Letter to Governor Hogan (July 14, 2020)
Maryland Congressional Delegation Letter to Governor Hogan (July 9, 2020)
State Board of Elections: Report on June 2 Election & Recommendations for November 3 Election
MAEO Letter to Governor Hogan (July 6, 2020)
Conduit Street Podcast: A View From the Senate
Previous Conduit Street Coverage: Senate Leaders Outline Roadmap for November Election
Letter to State Board of Elections from Senate Republican Caucus
