How to vote in Maryland
Maryland voter registration guide
Maryland voter registration deadlines
- Register to vote (online): 21 days before Election Day
- Register to vote (by mail): Postmarked 21 days before Election Day
- Register to vote (in person): Election Day
Check your Maryland voter registration status
- If you can't remember if you're registered to vote, or you want to make sure your information is correct, you can check your Maryland registration using the Maryland voter registration lookup tool.
- If you're not registered to vote, or you need to update your voter registration information, follow the instructions below.
Maryland voter registration rules
To register in Maryland you must:
- be a U.S. citizen
- be a Maryland resident
- be 18 years old by the next General Election (you may pre-register if you are 16)
- not be under guardianship for mental disability
- not have been convicted of buying or selling votes
- not have been convicted of a felony, or if you have, have completed serving a court ordered sentence of imprisonment, including any term of parole or probation for the conviction.
Maryland online voter registration
- You can register to vote online if you have a Maryland driver's license, driver's permit, or state-issued ID card.
- Visit the Maryland online voter registration tool.
- Fill out all the required fields.
- You will be registered to vote as soon as you finish the workflow.
- You should receive your voter registration card in the mail within 2-3 weeks. If not, you might want to follow up with your local election office.
- The deadline to register to vote online is 21 days before Election Day.
Maryland by-mail voter registration
- Download and fill out the National Voter Registration Form.
- Box 6 - ID Number: If you have a current and valid Maryland driver's license or state ID card, please provide that number. If you don't have either of these forms of ID, please provide the last four digits of your social security number.
- Box 7 - Choice of Party: You must register with a party if you want to take part in that party’s primary election.
- Box 8 - Race or Ethnic Group: Leave blank.
- Print, date, and sign the form. If you do not have a printer, you can print the form out at any local library. If you do not have a stamp, you can buy one from any grocery store: just ask the cashier to sell you one.
- Mail your voter registration form to the mailing address below. For faster delivery, send the form directly to your local election office.
- Your voter registration form must be postmarked 21 days before Election Day
Maryland in-person voter registration
- Contact your local election office to find where to register to vote in person.
- Bring your Maryland driver's license or Maryland state ID card with you. If you don't have one, bring one document that shows your name and current address. Acceptable documents include a recent utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, residential lease, or any government document that shows your name and address.
Maryland same day registration
- Summary: Maryland has same day registration. You can register and vote during the early voting period and on Election Day.
- Where to go:
Go to your designated voting location. Click here to find out where to vote.
- What to bring:
Bring your Maryland driver's license or Maryland state ID card with you. If you don't have one, bring one document that shows your name and current address. Acceptable documents include a recent utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, residential lease, or any government document that shows your name and address.
- Need help? Contact your local election office if you have questions.
Registering to vote in Maryland with a felony conviction
If you have been convicted of a felony and would like to register to vote, please visit Restore Your Vote. They will help you determine your eligibility and guide you through the process.
Maryland absentee and mail ballot guide
Maryland absentee ballot overview
Absentee ballots and mail ballots are the same thing, and the process for getting one is straight forward.
- Request your ballot by the deadline
- Receive your in ballot in the mail
- Return your ballot by the deadline
Maryland absentee deadlines
- Earliest day to apply: January 1
- Request deadline (online): 7 days before Election Day
- Request deadline (by mail): Received 7 days before Election Day
- Request deadline (in person): Election Day
- Deadline to return your ballot (by mail): Postmarked by Election Day
- Deadline to return your ballot (in person): Received by Election Day
Maryland absentee ballot rules
Any registered Maryland voter can request an absentee ballot and vote by mail.
Maryland online ballot request
Maryland does not allow you to request your ballot online.
Maryland by-mail ballot request
- Download the Maryland absentee ballot application.
- Fill out all of the required fields.
- Print the application.
- Sign and date your application. This is very important.
- Mail or hand-deliver your completed application directly to your local election office as soon as possible, but no later than the deadline.
- If it’s close to the deadline, call your local election office and see if they will let you submit your application via email or fax.
- The deadline to apply by mail is: Received 7 days before Election Day.
Maryland in-person ballot request
- Visit your local election office.
- Ask the clerk to give you an absentee ballot application.
- Fill out all of the required fields.
- Sign and date your application.
- The deadline to apply in person is: Election Day.
After you receive your ballot
- Carefully read and follow the instructions, and fill out all required fields.
- Sign and date the outside envelope.
- Mail or hand-deliver your ballot to your local election office. You can also hand-deliver your ballot to a state-provided dropbox. You can use our Find Out Where To Vote tool to find an official dropbox.
- If you mail your ballot, it must be postmarked by Election Day.
- If you hand-deliver your ballot, it must be received by Election Day.
- If you miss the deadline – or forget to sign the outside envelope – your vote will not be counted.
Maryland absentee ballot ID requirements
- ID required when requesting a mail-in ballot: * Online applications: you will need to provide your Maryland driver's license number, state ID number, or learner's permit number. * Paper applications: the signature on your application will be compared to the signature on your voter registration card to ensure they match.
- ID required when returning a mail-in ballot: Your signature on the return envelope will be compared to the signature on your voter registration card to ensure they match. If you forget to sign the return envelope, your ballot might be rejected.
Maryland early voting guide
Maryland early voting dates
- Early voting starts: 12 days before Election Day
- Early voting ends: 5 days before Election Day
What to bring
Only first-time voters need to show ID. You can show a driver's license from any state, a US passport or passport card, a tribal ID, a military ID, or any other government-issued photo ID. You can also show an student ID from an accredited college or university. If you don't have a photo ID, you can show a recent utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, or official government document that shows your name and current address.
Maryland voter ID guide
ID requirements for voting in person
Only first-time voters need to show ID. You can show a driver's license from any state, a US passport or passport card, a tribal ID, a military ID, or any other government-issued photo ID. You can also show an student ID from an accredited college or university. If you don't have a photo ID, you can show a recent utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, or official government document that shows your name and current address.
ID requirements when requesting an absentee or mail ballot
- Online applications: you will need to provide your Maryland driver's license number, state ID number, or learner's permit number.
- Paper applications: the signature on your application will be compared to the signature on your voter registration card to ensure they match.
ID requirements when returning an absentee or mail ballot
Your signature on the return envelope will be compared to the signature on your voter registration card to ensure they match. If you forget to sign the return envelope, your ballot might be rejected.
ID requirements to register to vote online
You can register to vote online if you have a Maryland driver's license, driver's permit, or state-issued ID card.
ID requirements for same day registration
Bring your Maryland driver's license or Maryland state ID card with you. If you don't have one, bring one document that shows your name and current address. Acceptable documents include a recent utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, residential lease, or any government document that shows your name and address.
Local election office
Contact your local election office if you have questions.
Statewide election office
This is the statewide agency that is ultimately responsible for Maryland elections. You can contact them with questions, but your local election office will probably respond faster.
State Board of Elections P.O. Box 6486 Annapolis, MD 21401‐0486
External resources
- Maryland online voter registration
- Maryland voter status lookup
- Maryland absentee ballot tracker
- Maryland provisional ballot tracker
- Maryland polling place locator