April 23, 2024

Are You Registered to Vote?

Posted by on Sunday, September 27, 2020 · Leave a Comment 

Vote

If you aren’t registered to vote, now would be a good time to do so. It’s also a good time to make sure that your voter information on file is up to date.

The Maryland State Board of Elections offers answers to some frequently asked questions:

Am I eligible to register to vote?

To register to vote in Maryland, you must be:

  • A US citizen
  • A Maryland resident
  • At least 16 years old. (You may register to vote if you are at least 16 but cannot vote unless you will be at least 18 by the next general election)

You cannot have been:

  • Convicted of buying or selling votes
  • Under guardianship for mental disability and found by a court to be unable to communicate a desire to vote
  • Convicted of a felony and currently serving a court-ordered sentence of imprisonment. (Effective March 10, 2016)

Can I register to vote if I am in the military or live overseas?

Certain US citizens who live overseas or are in the military are eligible to register and vote in Maryland. If you are an overseas citizen, military personnel, or dependent of military personnel, you may register to vote in Maryland if your current or last US residence was in Maryland. To register, you can use the Maryland’s Online Voter Registration System or use the Federal Post Card Application available at www.fvap.gov.

Can I register to vote if I have been convicted of a crime?

Effective March 10, 2016, if you have been convicted of a felony, you are eligible to register to vote once you have completed the court-ordered sentence of imprisonment. For the purposes of eligibility to register to vote, convictions include federal, state and out-of-state convictions.

You are not eligible to vote if you have been convicted of buying or selling votes.

The Registration Process

When may I apply to register to vote?

You can use Maryland’s Online Voter Registration System or submit a voter registration application to your local board of elections or the State Board of Elections at any time. However, an application must be postmarked by the voter registration deadline in order to vote in the next scheduled election. If you submit a voter registration application during the period that registration is closed, your application will be held at the local board of elections and processed when registration reopens. The close of voter registration is:

You can also register to vote on election day. To make the voting process quicker for you, we encourage you to register to vote by the close of voter registration. If you can’t register by that date:

  • Go to an early voting center in the county where you live during early voting, or go to an election day voting center in the county where you live and bring a document that proves where you live.

To prove where you live, bring your MVA-issued license, ID card, or change of address card, or your paycheck, bank statement, utility bill, or other government document with your name and new address.

Where may I apply to register to vote?

You can use Maryland’s Online Voter Registration System to register to vote or, you may complete a voter registration application in person at:

IMPORTANT: Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, many of the offices listed above may not be open to the public, or may have reduced hours or require an appointment. Please check with these offices before going there to complete a voter registration application.

You can also register to vote on election day. To make the voting process quicker for you, we encourage you to register to vote by the close of voter registration. If you can’t register by that date:

  • For the 2020 Presidential General Election, go to an early voting center in the county where you live during early voting or an election day voting center on election day, and bring a document that proves where you live.

To prove where you live, bring your MVA-issued license, ID card, or change of address card, or your paycheck, bank statement, utility bill, or other government document with your name and new address.

May I apply to register to vote online or by mail?

Yes. You may register to vote online using Maryland’s Online Voter Registration System (OLVR) or you may print an application from our website or contact your local board of elections or the State Board of Elections to request an application.

What information do I need to provide on the application?

In addition to basic identifying information, federal law requires that you provide on your voter registration application a Maryland driver’s license number or MVA ID Card number or, if you do not have a Maryland driver’s license or MVA ID Card, the last four digits of your Social Security number. Your application will NOT be processed unless you provide this information or affirm, under penalty of perjury, that you do not have a Maryland driver’s license, MVA ID Card, or Social Security number.

How do I affiliate with a political party?

You have the option to register with any of Maryland’s recognized political parties. If you choose not to register with a party, you will be registered as “unaffiliated.” If registered as unaffiliated, you will generally not be able to vote in primary elections, but you will be able to vote in any nonpartisan primary election held in your jurisdiction, such as a primary election to select nominees for the board of education, and any general election.

Updating your Registration Information

How do I update my name and address?

You can use Maryland’s Online Voter Registration System (OLVR) to update your name and address or you can notify the local board of elections where you currently live if your voter registration information has changed. If you complete a change of address form at the MVA, this information will be sent to your local board of elections for processing, unless you indicate that you do not want to change your voter registration information. You can also send changes on a voter registration application or on any signed written notice.

For the 2020 Presidential General Election, you can also update your address during early voting. While you can change your address during early voting, we encourage you to make this change before the close of voter registration. Your voting process will be quicker if you update it before this deadline. If you can’t do it before the election, go to an early voting center in the county where you live. An election official will process your change of address.

If you do not receive a Voter Notification Card with your updated information three weeks after you submit information, you should contact the local board of elections where you now live to ensure that your records are up-to-date. You can also verify whether the local board of elections has your new information by visiting our voter service website.

What should I do if I move to another county within the State or to Baltimore City?

You can use Maryland’s Online Voter Registration System (OLVR) or immediately provide your new address to the local board of elections in your new jurisdiction.

Political Parties

May I change parties?

Yes. To change your party affiliation you can use Maryland’s Online Voter Registration System (OLVR) or submit a new voter registration application or a signed written request to your local board of elections.

The deadline to change your party affiliation is:

  • For the Presidential General Election, October 13, 2020.

What parties are recognized in Maryland?

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