Voting laws in Maryland
From Ballotpedia
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Each state has its own series of election laws. The separation of powers clause in the constitution has largely placed the responsibility for conducting on state governments. Each state has its own election law enforcement agencies, oftentimes part of the executive branch, sometimes a part of the state judiciary. The following are basic guidelines for voting in Maryland. Note: Before taking any action, or if you have any questions, contact your state election agency.
Polling Place Hours
Hours: 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Voter Registration Information
Deadlines
The voter registration application must be received by a Maryland election office no later than 9 p.m., 21 days before an election.
Identification Required for Registration
On the voter registration application the voter must provide a Maryland driver's license or MVA ID Card number or, if the voter does not have a driver's license number, at least the last four digits of the voter's social security number. The voter registration application will not be processed unless the voter provides this information or affirms, under penalty of perjury, that the voter does not have a driver's license or social security number.
How to Check Registration
Visit the University of Maryland's Voter Registration Lookup webpage.
Voting Information
Identification Required to Vote
A voter will be asked to provide identification if:
- He or she is voting for the first time in Maryland;
- He or she registered to vote by mail on or after January 1, 2003; and
- He or she has not previously met the identification requirements of the federal Help America Vote Act.
If a voter registered to vote after January 1, 2006, he or she most likely satisfied the identification requirement during the registration process. If the voter did not satisfy the requirement, their local board of elections will have notified them and requested information to satisfy the identification requirement. (See list below.)
The voter can satisfy the identification requirement by providing, at the polls, one of the following:
- Driver's license number, MVA-issued ID card number or at least the last four digits of the voter's social security number, and the election official will attempt to verify this number with MVA or the Social Security Administration. The voter will be contacted if election officials were unable to verify the information;
- A copy of a current and valid photo ID (i.e., Maryland driver's license, MVA-issued ID card, student, employee, or military ID card, U.S. passport, or any other State or federal government-issued ID card); or
- A copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or other government document that shows the voter's name and address.
If the voter does not satisfy the identification requirement before voting for the first time, the voter will be required to present identification at the time of voting.
How to Find Your Polling Place
Visit the University of Maryland's Voter Registration Lookupwebpage.
Absentee Voting
- Any registered voter may vote by absentee ballot but you must affirm an oath that you "will be absent or unable to vote in person in the election."
- An application for an absentee ballot, signed by the voter, may be made in person, by mail on a form provided by the local board or under federal law, or by written request including the voter's name and address, and the address to which the ballot is to be mailed.
- No more than one absentee ballot will be issued to a voter, unless the election director reasonably believes that the ballot previously issued to the voter has been lost, destroyed, or spoiled.
- Applications for an absentee ballot for the November 4, 2008 election must be received no later than Tuesday, October 28, 2008.
Early Voting
Maryland does not allow early voting, but allows in-person absentee voting.
You may also go to your local board of elections, submit an absentee ballot application, and pick up your absentee ballot. You may either take your absentee ballot with you and return it by mail or you may vote it at the local board office and give it to an election official. Hours of operation can be found on your local board of elections' website.
Information For People who have Moved or Changed Addresses
If the voter has moved from one residence to another residence within the State since registering to vote and has not provided written confirmation to the election director, the voter may vote in the election precinct of previous or new residence, as determined by the State Board, if the voter signs a written affirmation that he/she remains a resident of the State. However, if the voter has failed to vote before or in the second general election following his/her move, the voter shall be removed from the registry.
Registration is permanent as long as you continue to live in Maryland and notify your new local board of elections of your new address. You do not have to re-register when you move within the State, but you must keep your address current. Upon receiving information that a voter currently registered in the State has moved to a different address within the State, the appropriate election official shall change the voter's record and send the voter a confirmation notice.
If the election judge is able to locate your name on the precinct register in your new county of residence, or in the state-wide register, you should be permitted to vote a regular ballot; if not, the voter must be permitted to vote a provisional ballot.
Information for People with Felony Convictions
If you have been convicted of a felony and have completed serving a court-ordered sentence of imprisonment, including any term of parole or probation for the conviction, you are eligible to register to vote. You do not qualify to register to vote if you have been convicted of buying or selling votes.
See also
- Help America Vote Act (HAVA) of 2002
- State by State Provisional Ballot Laws
- State by State Voter ID Laws
- Recount laws in Arkansas
- Felon vote fraud
- Arkansas election agencies
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