If the constant flow of political news has you primed to vote in the upcoming general election, you can satiate that craving beginning Oct. 25 in Maryland.
That's the day Early Voting begins in the state. The State Board of Elections will open 78 early voting centers across the state from Oct. 25 to Nov. 1. The centers will open from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m., including Saturday and Sunday. The board recommends visiting a center between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. to avoid potential lines.
The Board of Elections maintains a list of locations on their website, and voters may use any early voting place as long as it's in their home county. On Election Day, voters must head to their assigned polling place.
Though voter registration for the upcoming election technically ended Oct. 16, prospective voters can register and vote same day at early voting centers. Maryland residents looking to register and vote the same day at an early voting location should bring their Maryland Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Administration issued identification, either a driver's license or an identification card. Staff at voting places can use MVA rolls to cross reference the IDs and confirm voter eligibility. If you'd like to register and vote but you don't have an MVA-issued identification, you can still vote with a provisional ballot.
"You can register and vote the same day during early voting, not on Election Day" said Katie Brown, the Director of the Baltimore County Board of Elections.
Question 2 on November's ballot asks voters if they would like to allow same day registration and voting in general elections on Election Day. If the measure passes, same day registration will become part of the state's constitution.
The goal of early voting is to increase access and convenience for voters, said Erin Perrone, Director of Election Reform and Management for the State Board of Elections, providing an eight-day window to vote, and more geographic flexibility in poling places.
“So, if a voter is running errands over the weekend and is close to an early voting center in their registered county,” Perrone explained, “he or she can stop by and vote too.”
In 2007, the Maryland General Assembly approved a constitutional amendment that would allow early voting in state run elections. That amendment was approved by state voters in the 2008 general election, passing by a more than 1 million vote margin, thus adding early voting to the Constitution of Maryland.
Voters registered in Maryland who cannot vote in person during Early Voting or on Election Day can also apply for absentee ballots. For a mailed of faxed absentee ballot, a request must be made by Tues., Oct. 30. Electronic absentee ballots must be requested by Fri., Nov. 2. Ballots must be delivered to a voter's local board of elections by 8 p.m. on Election Day or mailed on or before election day and received by Fri., Nov. 16.
Despite the popular misconception, "all absentee ballots are reviewed, regardless of weather or not the absentee ballots will impact the outcome of an election," the State Board of Elections said.
Voters who go to polling places during Early Voting or on Election Day and have issues with voting can fill out provisional ballots, completing both a provisional ballot application and then a paper ballot. All provisional ballots are reviewed, regardless of their effect on the outcome of the election, but provisional ballots are only counted if the local board of elections where the ballot was submitted reviews the application and determines the voter is eligible to vote.
Early voting centers are listed by county below:
Allegany County (1 center)
Allegany County Office Complex – Room 100 • 701 Kelly Road, Cumberland, Md. 21502
Anne Arundel County (7 centers)
-Odenton Regional Library • 1325 Annapolis Road, Odenton, Md., 21113
-Glen Burnie Regional Library • 1010 Eastway, Glen Burnie, Md., 21060
-Severna Park Community Library • 45 West McKinsey Road, Severna Park, Md., 21146
-Roger “Pip” Moyer Recreation Center • 273 Hilltop Lane, Annapolis, Md., 21403
-Edgewater Community Library• 25 Stepneys Lane, Edgewater, Md., 21037
-Crofton Community Library • 1681 Riedel Road, Crofton, Md., 21114
-Anne Arundel County Board of Elections • 6740 Baymeadow Drive, Glen Burnie, Md., 21060
Baltimore City (7 centers)
-Public Safety Training Center • 3500 W. Northern Parkway, Baltimore, Md., 21215 (Enter on Manhattan Ave)
-Southeast Anchor Library • 3601 Eastern Ave., Baltimore, Md., 21224
-Mount Pleasant Church & Ministries • 6000 Radecke Ave., Baltimore, Md., 21206
-The League for People with Disabilities • 1111 E. Coldspring Lane, Baltimore, Md., 21239
-Westside Skill Center • 4501 Edmondson Ave., Baltimore, Md., 21229 (Enter on Athol Ave.)
-University of Maryland at Baltimore Community Engagement Center, 1 North Poppleton St., Baltimore, Md., 21201
-Patapsco Elementary School • 844 Roundview Road, Baltimore, Md., 21225
Baltimore County (11 centers)
-Towson University – Administration Building • 7720 York Road, Towson, Md., 21252
-Arbutus Recreation Center • 865 Sulphur Spring Road, Halethorpe, Md., 21227
-Honeygo Run Community Center • 9033 Honeygo Blvd., Perry Hall, Md., 21128
-Sollers Point Multi-Purpose Center • 323 Sollers Point Road, Dundalk, Md., 21222
-Randallstown Community Center • 3505 Resource Drive, Randallstown, Md., 21133
-Victory Villa Community Center • 404 E Compass Road, Baltimore, Md., 21220
-Center for MD Agriculture & Farm Park • 1114 Shawan Road, Cockeysville, Md., 21030
-Reisterstown Senior Center – Hannah More Campus • 12035 Reisterstown Road, Reisterstown, Md., 21136
-Woodlawn Community Center • 2120 Gwynn Oak Ave., Woodlawn, Md., 21207
-Jacksonville Recreation Center at Sweet Air Park • 3605 B Sweet Air Road, Jacksonville, Md., 21131
-County Campus Metro Centre at Owings Mills • 10302 Grand Central Avenue, Owings Mills, Md., 21117
Calvert County (1 center)
-Community Resources Building – Lower Level • 30 Duke Street, Prince Frederick, Md., 20678
Caroline County (1 center)
-Caroline County Health & Public Services Building – Suite 112 • 403 S. Seventh St., Denton, Md., 21629
Carroll County (2 centers)
-Westminster Senior Activities Center • 125 Stoner Ave., Westminster, Md., 21157
-South Carroll Swim Club • 1900 W. Liberty Road, Westminster, Md., 21157
Cecil County (1 center)
-Cecil County Administration Building – Elk Room • 200 Chesapeake Blvd., Elkton, Md., 21921
Charles County (2 center)
-La Plata Firehouse • 911 Washington Ave., La Plata, Md., 20646
-Gleneagles Neighborhood Center • 4900 Kirkcaldy Court, Waldorf, Md., 20602
Dorchester County (1 center)
-Dorchester County Office Building • 501 Court Lane, Cambridge, Md., 21613
Frederick County (4 centers)
-Frederick Senior Center • 1440 Taney Ave., Frederick, Md., 21702
-Thurmont Regional Library • 76 E. Moser Road, Thurmont, Md., 21788
-Urbana Regional Library • 9020 Amelung St., Frederick, Md., 21704
-Middletown VFD Activities • 1 Fireman’s Lane, Middletown, Md., 21769
Garrett County (2 centers)
-Oakland Community Center (The Armory) • 14 N. 8th St., Oakland, Md., 21550
-Northern Outreach Center • 12601 National Pike, Grantsville, Md., 21536
Harford County (4 centers)
-McFaul Activity Center • 525 W. MacPhail Road, Bel Air, Md., 21014
-Edgewood Library • 629 Edgewood Road, Edgewood, Md., 21040
-Aberdeen Fire Department • 21 N. Rogers St., Aberdeen, Md., 21001
-Jarrettsville Library • 3722 Norrisville Road, Jarrettsville, Md., 21084
Howard County (4 centers)
-The Bain Senior Center • 5470 Ruth Keeton Way, Columbia, Md., 21044
-Miller Branch Library • 9421 Frederick Road, Ellicott City, Md., 21042
-Ridgely's Run Community Center • 8400 Mission Road, Jessup, Md., 21784
-Howard County Fairgrounds • 2210 Fairgrounds Road, West Friendship, Md., 21794
Kent County (1 center)
-Kent County Public Library • 408 High St., Chestertown, Md., 21620
Montgomery County (11 centers)
-Germantown Community Recreation Center • 18905 Kingsview Road, Germantown, Md., 20874
-Marilyn J. Praisner Community Recreation Center • 14906 Old Columbia Pike, Burtonsville, Md., 20866
-Executive Office Building Auditorium • 101 Monroe Street, Rockville, Md., 20850
-Silver Spring Civic Building at Veterans Plaza • One Veterans Place, Silver Spring, Md., 20910
-Activity Center at Bohrer Park Social Hall • 506 S. Frederick Ave., Gaithersburg, Md., 20877
-Damascus Community Recreation Center Social Hall • 25520 Oak Drive, Damascus, Md., 20872
-Jane E. Lawton Community Recreation Center Social Hall • 4301 Willow Lane, Chevy Chase, Md., 20815
-Mid-County Community Recreation Center Social Hall • 2004 Queensguard Road, Silver Spring, Md., 20906
-St. Catherine Laboure Catholic Church • 11801 Claridge Road, Wheaton, Md., 20902
-Potomac Community Recreation Center • 11315 Falls Road, Potomac, Md., 20854
-Sandy Spring Volunteer Fire Department • 17921 Brooke Road, Sandy Spring, Md., 20860
Prince George’s County (11 centers)
-Upper Marlboro Community Center • 5400 Marlboro Race Track Road, Upper Marlboro, Md., 20772
-College Park Community Center • 5051 Pierce Avenue, College Park, Md., 20740
-Bowie Gymnasium • 4100 Northview Drive, Bowie, Md., 20716
-Wayne K. Curry Sports and Learning Complex • 8001 Sheriff Road, Landover, Md., 20785
-Baden Community Center • 13601 Baden-Westwood Road, Brandywine, Md., 20613
-Laurel – Beltsville Senior Activity Center • 7120 Contee Road, Laurel, Md., 20707
-Suitland Community Park School Center • 5600 Regency Lane, Forestville, Md., 20747
-Southern Regional Technology and Recreation Complex • 7007 Bock Road, Fort Washington, Md., 20744
-Accokeek VFD Training and Activity Center • 16111 Livingston Road, Accokeek, Md., 20607
-Kentland Community Center • 2413 Pinebrook Ave., Hyattsville, Md., 20785
-VFW Post 8950, Hansen Hall • 9800 Good Luck Road, Lanham, Md., 20706
Queen Anne’s County (2 centers)
-Kent Island Library • 200 Library Circle, Stevensville, Md., 21666
-Queen Anne’s Office Building, Conference Rm. • 110 Vincit St., Centreville, Md., 21617
Saint Mary’s County (1 center)
-Hollywood Firehouse Main Building • 24801 Three Notch Road, Hollywood, Md., 20636
Somerset County (1 center)
-Somerset County Office Building – Suites 103 & 105 • 11916 Somerset Ave., Princess Anne, Md., 21853
Talbot County (1 center)
-Easton Fire Hall • 315 Aurora Park Drive, Easton, Md., 21601
Washington County (1 center)
-Hager Hall Conference and Event Center • 901 Dual Highway, Hagerstown, Md., 21740
Wicomico County (1 center)
-Wicomico County Youth and Civic Center • 500 Glen Ave., Salisbury, Md., 21801
Worcester County (1 center)
-Gull Creek Senior Living Community • 1 Meadow St., Berlin, MD., 21811
