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Maryland | Voting Guide
Voting Guide
Maryland
Registration Deadlines and Election Dates
Advance Voter Registration Deadline: 21 days before Election Day.
If registering online, applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. the night of the registration deadline
If registering by mail, applications must be postmarked by the registration deadline
Eligible voters can register to vote and cast a ballot at the same time at their assigned voting location during Early Voting or on Election Day. More information on same-day registration is available at: https://elections.maryland.gov/voting/early_voting.html
2024 Election Information
Primary Election: May 14, 2024
Advance Registration Deadline (online or by mail): April 23
Mail Ballot Application Deadline: May 7, 2024 (if you want to receive ballot by mail or fax) or May 10, 2024 (if you want to receive ballot via the internet) or Election Day (if requesting the ballot in person)
General Election: November 5, 2024
Advance Registration Deadline (online or by mail): October 15
Mail Ballot Application Deadline: October 29, 2024 (if you want to receive ballot by mail or fax) or November 1, 2024 (if you want to receive ballot via the internet) or Election Day (if requesting the ballot in person)
Official Election Websites
More election information at
Online voter registration available at
voterservices.elections.maryland.gov/onlinevoterregistration/
Mail-in PDF voter registration form available at
elections.maryland.gov/voter_registration/documents/English_Internet_VRA.pdf
Register at School or Home
Students have a decision about where to register to vote.
You have a right to register to vote at the address you consider the place where you live, whether that is your family's home or the place where you attend school. You should update your registration anytime this home address changes.
You may only be registered and vote in one location.
What Type of ID Do I Need to Register?
Online Registration: The online voter registration system requires you to have a Maryland-issued driver’s license or ID, unless you currently reside outside of the United States or are a military member or the spouse or dependent of a military member, in which case you may provide the last four digits of your Social Security number. Please see the link above for Maryland’s online voter registration portal.
Paper Voter Registration Application: Maryland’s voter registration form asks for your Maryland driver’s license or ID number, or the last four digits of your Social Security number. Be sure to provide one of these numbers if you have it.
Same Day Registration: Residents of Maryland may register to vote and cast their ballot at the same time at the polls during Early Voting or on Election Day. To register and vote same day, you must provide a document that proves your address. This can be:
A Maryland-issued driver’s license or ID card
An official document that contains your name and address, including a paycheck, bank statement, utility bill, change of address form, or other government document
What Type of ID Do I Need to Vote?
Maryland does not require voter ID, except for some first-time voters who should bring a current and valid photo ID or a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document with the voter’s name and address.
Where Do I Vote?
Make a plan. Look up your voting site and hours at:
How Can I Vote?
By Mail: Any registered Maryland voter can vote by mail. You may request a mail-in ballot by using the state’s online portal if you have a Maryland driver’s license or MVA-issued ID card, by printing and filling out a request form and mailing it to your local board of elections, or filling out a request in-person at your local Board of Elections.
Mail-in Ballot Application Deadline: The deadline for requesting a mail ballot depends on the method of submission and the preferred method of delivery: in-person requests may be made through Election Day; requests to receive a ballot by mail or fax must be submitted by the Tuesday before Election Day; and requests to receive a ballot via the internet must be submitted by 5 p.m. on the Friday before Election Day if submitted by mail or 11:59 pm on the Friday before Election Day if submitted online or by fax.
Completed Mail-in Ballot Return Deadline: Mail-in ballots must be submitted in person or via mail. The deadline for returning a completed mail ballot depends on the method of return: ballots submitted in person must be returned to the local board of elections by 8 p.m on Election Day, or at any early voting center, Election Day polling place, or designed secure drop box by close of polls on Election Day; ballots submitted by mail must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received no later than 10 a.m. on the second Friday after Election Day.
Voters with disabilities may request a mail ballot that can be marked using an online marking tool. More information is available at: elections.maryland.gov/voting/accessibility.html.
Learn more about voting by mail at: https://elections.maryland.gov/voting/absentee.html
Track the status of your mail-in ballot at: https://voterservices.elections.maryland.gov/VoterSearch
Early In-Person: Early in-person voting begins the second Thursday before the election and runs through the Thursday before the election. Voters can vote early at any early voting site in their county. For more information about early voting, including dates and polling hours for upcoming elections, visit: elections.maryland.gov/voting/early_voting.html
Election Day: Voting sites will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day. If you are in line by closing time, then you have a right to vote.
Common Questions/Concerns
Does Registering to Vote Affect My Federal Financial Aid?
Where you register to vote will not affect federal financial aid such as Pell Grants, Perkins or Stafford loans, or your dependency status for FAFSA.
Does Registering to Vote Affect My Status as a Dependent on My Parents’ Taxes?
Being registered to vote at a different address from your parents does not prevent them from claiming you as a dependent on their taxes.
Does Registering to Vote Affect Tuition Status?
Being deemed out-of-state for tuition purposes does not prevent you from choosing to register to vote in your campus community.
Will registering to vote in Maryland affect my driver’s license or car registration?
As a new resident of Maryland, you may be required to obtain a Maryland’s driver’s license or update your car registration, regardless of whether you register to vote there. For more information, you may wish to contact the Maryland Department of Motor Vehicles.
Fair Elections Center and Campus Vote Project intend the information contained herein to be used only as a general guide. This document should not be used as a substitute for consultation with a licensed Maryland legal professional.
Last updated March 2024