By CALEY FOX SHANNON
Capital News Service
WASHINGTON – The Maryland State Board of Elections completed the installation Wednesday of 286 ballot drop boxes across the state for the general election.
Marylanders can use any drop box to cast their mail-in ballots, which may arrive in homes as early as next week.
“What you see now is a huge shift towards mail-in voting,” Maryland’s State Administrator of Elections Jared DeMarinis told Capital News Service.
The COVID-19 pandemic led to a significant expansion of mail-in voting in Maryland. During lockdown, the state sent all eligible voters mail-in ballots for the 2020 primary election. In that election, 97 percent of ballots were cast by mail.
Although the share of ballots cast by mail diminished as voters returned to the polls in 2022 and the 2024 primary, mail-in voting remains far more popular than it was before the pandemic. And according to DeMarinis, it’s here to stay.
“It looks like, from those past three statewide elections, post-COVID, that it’s something that Marylanders have liked and are going to use,” DeMarinis said, referring to the 2022 primary and general elections as well as this year’s primary. “And I think they see that mail-in voting offers flexibility to a lot of people. They get to choose when they want to vote.”
Marylanders can mark the calendar for upcoming deadlines to vote by mail in the general election.
Monday, Sept. 23: Ballots begin to arrive in the mail for permanent mail-in voters
Maryland provides the option for all voters who request a mail-in ballot to voluntarily join a permanent mail-in ballot list.
Those who have opted in to the permanent mail-in ballot list can expect to see ballots arriving in the mail as early as Monday. Ballots may be returned by mail or dropped off at a drop box or a board of elections office as soon as ballots are completed.
Tuesday, Oct. 15: Deadline to register to vote for those voting by mail
While Maryland has same-day registration for voters who cast their ballots in person at a polling place, those who plan to vote by mail must register in advance either online or by mail.
For online registration, visit the Maryland State Board of Elections website to register to vote for the first time or update an existing registration if a name, address or political party affiliation has changed.
For registration by mail, print and complete a voter registration application, then mail it to a local board of elections.
Those not sure of their registration status can check online to see the current registration information and ballot drop box locations in each county.
Tuesday, Oct. 29: Deadline to request a mail-in ballot to be delivered by mail
Voters must fill out a form to request a ballot in the mail. Maryland is not an “all-mail” jurisdiction, like the District of Columbia, which sends every eligible voter a ballot.
The form to request a mail-in ballot can be found online. Print, complete and mail the application to a local board of elections office.
Voters also may visit a local board of elections office by the deadline to request a mail-in ballot.
Friday, Nov. 1: Deadline to request a mail-in ballot to be delivered online
Fill out this form online to request that a mail-in ballot to be delivered via email. The ballot still must be physically mailed in or taken to a drop box.
Tuesday, Nov. 5: Election Day and deadline to complete and return mail-in ballots
Completed ballots can be either mailed to a board of elections office, handed in at a board of elections office, or dropped in an official ballot drop box. On Election Day and during early voting hours, ballots also can be turned in at a polling place.
Ballots must be postmarked or dropped off by the close of polls at 8 p.m. on Nov. 5.
Twenty-five boards of elections offices manage voting across the state in Annapolis, Baltimore City and all 23 counties.The Maryland State Board of Elections is located at 151 West Street, Suite 200, Annapolis, MD 21401. Check online for the location and hours of local board of elections offices.
DeMarinis said that a common mistake that Maryland voters make on mail-in ballots, especially those voting by mail for the first time, is forgetting to sign the oath on the envelope containing the completed ballot. In that case, the State Board of Elections will contact the voter to provide the opportunity to sign the ballot before the count is concluded.
Questions about voting can be directed to the Maryland State Board of Elections at 410-269-2840. The state board is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Editor’s note: This article has been updated to clarify where the oath is located that voters must sign.
