Maryland's official website for
voter registration, voting, and
access to election-related data.
State Board of Elections:
  * Robert L. Walker, Chairman    * Bobbie S. Mack, Vice Chairman    * Rachel T. McGuckian    * David J. McManus, Jr.    * Charles E. Thomann   

State Administrator of Elections:  * Linda H. Lamone
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How to Register

Please see our updated section on Voting Rights for 17 Year Olds.

These are the most frequently asked questions Voter Registration.

  1. Am I eligible to vote?
  2. Can I fax my completed voter registration application?
  3. How do I apply if I am a non-Maryland resident?
  4. Where may I apply to register to vote?
  5. May I apply to register to vote by mail?
  6. When may I apply to register to vote?
  7. Can I register to vote if I am in the military or live overseas?
  8. What information do I need to provide on the application?
  9. I've received mailings from the State telling me that information in my application
    could not be verified. What does this mean?
  10. How do I affiliate with a political party?
  11. What are the recognized political parties in Maryland?
  12. May I change parties?
  13. What should I do if I move to another county within the State or to Baltimore City?
  14. How do I verify my registration?
  15. How do I update my voter registration information?

Am I eligible to vote?

  To register, you must:

  • Be a U.S. citizen;
  • Be a Maryland resident;
  • Be at least 16 years old*
  • Not have been found by a court to be incapable of voting by reason of mental disability;
  • Not have been convicted of buying or selling votes;
  • Not have been convicted of a felony, or if you have, you have completed serving a court ordered sentence of imprisonment, including any term of parole or probation for the conviction.

*you may register to vote if you are at least 16 years old but cannot vote unless you will be at least 18 years old by the next general election.

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Can I fax my completed voter registration application?

No -- Under Maryland election law, a voter registration application must contain the original signature.

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How do I apply if I am a non-Maryland resident?

If you are not a Maryland resident, you may register to vote in your home state using the National Voter Registration Form.

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Where may I apply to register to Vote?

You may complete a voter registration application (aplicación en español) in person at:

  • Your local board of elections;
  • The State Board of Elections;
  • The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene;
  • The Department of Social Services;
  • The Motor Vehicle Administration;
  • Offices on Aging;
  • The MTA Paratransit Certification Office;
  • All public institutions of higher education;
  • Recruitment offices of the U.S. Armed Forces;
  • Marriage License offices; and
  • Offices for students with disabilities at all Maryland colleges and universities.
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May I apply to register to vote by mail?

Yes. You may print a voter registration application (aplicación en español) from this website or contact your local board of elections or the State Board of Elections to request an application.

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When may I apply to register to vote?

A voter registration application may be submitted to your local board of elections or the State Board of Elections at any time. However, an application must be postmarked by March 13, 2012, to vote in the Primary Election and October 16, 2012, to vote in the General 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. For the 2012 elections, registration will be closed from March 13, 2012 to April 16, 2012, and October 16, 2012 to November 19, 2012.

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

Certain U.S. 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 U.S. residence was in Maryland. To register, use either the Federal Post Card Application or a Maryland voter registration application.

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What information do I need to provide on the application?

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

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I've received mailings from the State telling me that information in my application could not be verified. What does this mean?

This means that, although you provided your driver's license or social security number on the application, the State was unable to verify this number and requested additional information from you. This could happen for many reasons, including the following: parts of your application were illegible or incorrect; errors occurred in the process of entering data from your application into the State's database; OR older records in other systems used a different name, e.g., the maiden name of a woman who now uses her married name.

If you have not already submitted the requested information, you may do so when you vote in the upcoming election. If you vote in person, please bring one of the following with you to the polls. If you are voting by absentee ballot, please include a copy of one of the following with your absentee ballot.

Current and valid photo identification (a Maryland driver's license or MVA-issued ID card; student, employee or military ID card; United States passport; or any other State or federal government-issued ID card); or

Current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows your name and address.

At the polls, you will be required to vote by provisional ballot. Providing the above requested information will complete your registration. Your provisional ballot will be counted if your application is complete and your ballot is properly cast.

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How do I affiliate with a political party?

You have the option to register with any of Maryland's recognized political parties. If you do not choose to register with a party, you will be considered 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.

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What are the recognized political parties in Maryland?

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May I change parties?

Party affiliation impacts a Primary election where you must be affiliated with a principle party in order to participate in the election. Once the primary election is over, there are no party affiliation deadlines, only voter registration deadlines. The deadline for the upcoming Primary election is Tuesday, March 13, 2012. You certainly may change your party affiliation after the Primary election, however, it will not impact the ballot you receive on General election day.

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

You should provide your new address to the local board of elections in your new jurisdiction.

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How do I verify my registration?

You are considered a registered voter when you receive your Voter Notification Card from your local board of elections. If you do not receive your card three weeks after you submit an application, you should contact your local board of elections.

Registration is permanent as long as you continue to live in Maryland and keep your name and address current with your local board of elections. You do not have to re-register when you move within the State, but you must keep your address current.

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How do I update my voter registration?

You must 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 other signed written notice. 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.

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