Who may vote by absentee ballot?

Any registered voter may vote by absentee ballot.

Important Note: If you complete and submit this form, you must affirm on the oath that is returned with your voted ballot that you "will be absent or unable to vote in person in the election." If you will not be absent or are able to vote in person in the election, you should not complete and submit this form and should plan on voting at your polling place on election day.

How do I request an absentee ballot for the 2008 Presidential Elections?

You may request an absentee ballot by completing the Absentee Ballot Application (formulario y instrucciones disponibles también en español). To use this form, enter the required information, print the form, sign it, and send it to your local board of elections.

Submit a request by mail or by fax: You may request an absentee ballot for the 2008 Presidential General Election by mail or by fax as long as the request is received by:

• 4:30 p.m. on October 28, 2008, if the application is mailed; or
• 11:59 p.m. on October 28, 2008, if the application is faxed.

After the deadline, a Late Application for Absentee Ballot must be completed in person at the board of elections.

Under the federal Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, military and overseas voters can vote by absentee ballot. If you are a military or overseas voter, learn more about absentee voting and the FVAP's On-line Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot.

Submit a request in person:

You may also go to your local board of elections, submit an absentee ballot application, and pick up your absentee ballot. You may either take your absentee ballot with you and return it by mail or you may vote it at the local board office and give it to an election official. Please visit your local board of elections' website for hours of operation.

If you are unable to go to your local board of elections, you may designate someone to serve as your agent and submit your absentee ballot application and pick up and deliver your absentee ballot. If you wish to do this, you and the person you are designating as your agent must complete the Absentee Ballot: Designation of Agent Form. This form can also be obtained from your local board of elections.

Note: Maryland does not have a permanent absentee list. If you wish to vote by absentee ballot, you must apply for an absentee ballot each primary and general election cycle.

When will I receive my absentee ballot?

Ballots are typically available for mailing approximately three weeks before an election.

How do I vote by absentee ballot?

After you receive your absentee ballot and read the instructions, vote the ballot and return it to your local board of elections.

To be counted, the voted ballot must be:

For the Presidential General Election on November 4, 2008

• Received by the local board of elections by 8:00 p.m. on election day; or
• Mailed on or before election day, bearing a postmark verifying that fact, and received from the postal service or private mail carrier by 10:00 a.m. on November 14, 2008.

Important Note: Do not take your voted absentee ballot to the polls on election day. A voted absentee ballot turned in at the polls will not be counted. On election day, you must deliver your voted absentee ballot to your local board of elections.

Voters with specific questions should contact their local board of elections or the State Board of Elections.

Assistance

A voter who requires assistance in casting an absentee ballot by reason of disability, inability to write, or inability to read the ballot may be assisted by any individual other than:

• A candidate who on the voter's ballot;
• The voter's employer or an agent of the employer; or
• An officer or agent of the voter's union.

A person assisting a voter in completing an absentee ballot must execute a certification and include that certification with the completed ballot.

Contact the local board of elections in the county of residence of the voter for details on this process.

How do I fill out my absentee ballot?

Examine your ballot before voting. If both sides are printed, vote both sides. If there are four columns on a side, vote all four columns.

• To record a vote, completely fill in the oval to the left of your choice.
• WARNING: Use only a No. 2 pencil. Other marking instruments may not produce a mark that will be accurately counted.
• Do not vote for more candidates than the number specified over the names of the candidates for each office. (You may vote for fewer than specified if you wish.)
• Write-in voting is permitted only in general elections. General Election ballots provide a designated space in each contest for casting a write-in vote. To cast a write-in vote, you must (a) record the last name and first name, or at least the last name and the initial of the first name, of the person for whom you wish to vote on the appropriate line, and (b) completely fill in the oval to the left of the name you have written.
• Do not place any mark of identification on the ballot.