Voter Information Guide: 2024 Election

Who Can Vote in Maryland?

To vote in Maryland, you must be one of the following:

• A registered Maryland resident
• A registered Maryland resident on parole, probation, or awaiting trial
• A registered returning citizen who has completed their felony sentence*

*On March 10, 2016, Maryland Senate Bill 340/HB980 became law, restoring voter rights to citizens who have completed serving their court-ordered sentence of imprisonment.

2024 Election Voting Dates in Maryland

• Election Day: November 5, 2024 7 am – 8 pm (Anyone in line at 8 pm will be allowed to vote.)
• Early Voting: October 24, 2024 through October 31, 2024 (including Saturday and Sunday)
• Mail-in ("Absentee") Voting: Dates vary depending on how you return your ballot.

Mail-in Voting

All registered voters can request a mail-in ballot. You must complete a mail-in ballot request in order to vote by mail. The deadline for submitting requests varies based on how you request your ballot. For details on methods and deadlines to request a mail-in ballot, visit the Maryland State Board of Elections or your local board of elections. Baltimore City residents can submit questions to the Baltimore City Board of Elections.

You can return your mail-in ballot by:

• Mail: postmarked on or before November 5, and received by your local board of elections by 10 am, November 15
• Dropbox: before 8 pm, November 5, at one of these dropbox locations (en espanol) around Maryland
• In person:
  • to an Early Voting Center, October 24 – October 31, 7 am – 8 pm
  • to any polling place, November 5, by 8 pm
  • to your local board of elections, November 5, by 8 pm

You cannot email or fax your completed mail-in ballot.

Follow the directions to vote that you receive with the ballot. Remember: before submitting your ballot, sign the oath on the envelope containing the completed ballot!

How to Register to Vote

You can register to vote in three ways:

• In-person: during Early Voting (10/24 - 10/31) and on Election Day (11/05) at your local voting location
• Online: Register online using Maryland's Online Voter Registration System by 11:59 pm on October 15, 2024
• By mail: Must be postmarked by October 15, 2024 by 5:00 PM. Instructions for registering by mail and downloadable forms are available online at Maryland's Online Voter Registration System

Are you registered? Check that your registration is current and correct.

Registration is not automatic. Individuals must register or re-register to vote.

Who is Eligible to Register?

To be eligible to register to vote, you must be:

• a US citizen
• a Maryland resident
• at least 16 years old and 18 years old by the next general election
• not under guardianship for mental disability and found by a court to be unable to communicate a desire to vote
• not convicted of buying or selling votes
• not currently serving a sentence of imprisonment for a felony conviction*

You can register while on parole, probation, or awaiting trial.

*On March 10, 2016, Maryland Senate Bill 340/HB980 became law, restoring voter rights to citizens who have completed serving their court-ordered sentence of imprisonment.

How to Change Your Party Affiliation

Tuesday, October 15, 2024, is the deadline to change your party affiliation for the 2024 Election.

To change your party affiliation, you can use Maryland's Online Voter Registration System (OLVR), submit an online new voter registration application, or mail a signed written request to your local board of elections.

Political Party Information

Political parties recognized by the State of Maryland, according to the Maryland State Board of Elections:

• Democratic Party
  National website | Maryland website
• Republican Party
  National website | Maryland website
• Libertarian Party
  National website | Maryland website
• No Labels Maryland Party
  National website

Politics1's Directory of U.S. Political Parties provides an extensive list of political parties throughout the nation.

Before You Vote: Candidates & Questions on the 2024 Ballot

Before you vote, take time to educate yourself on the candidates running for federal, state, and local offices, and the questions on the ballot. Below are verified nonpartisan and government sources that give accurate information and context to participate in city, state, and federal governance.

League of Women Voters of Maryland provides information on candidates for local, state, and federal offices and their positions on issues in their online Voters’ Guide.

League of Women Voters of Baltimore City offers their Baltimore City Voters’ Guide online, and as long as supplies last, at all Pratt Library branches, and other local community organizations.

Ballotpedia summarizes the Baltimore City ballot questions for the 2024 election.

Ballotpedia summarizes the state of Maryland’s question for the 2024 election.

Nonpartisan Information to Help You Vote

Below are verified nonpartisan government and nongovernmental sources.

You can use these sources to:

• register to vote online or download an application
• review your voter registration record
• request a duplicate voter registration card
• find what voting district you live in
• find where to vote
• find your local board of elections
• see the status of your absentee or provisional ballot
• view your sample ballot
• receive verified election and voting information and services from local, state, and national government agencies and nonpartisan civic organizations
• research pending bills, existing laws, and history of elections, voter rights, and the political process
• meet your elected representatives in local, state, and federal government offices
• access many, many other resources

Government Sources

Baltimore City Board of Elections provides accurate information relating to voting and elections in Baltimore.

Maryland State Board of Elections provides accurate information relating to voting and elections in Maryland.

Vote.gov is an official government website within the United States General Services Administration.

Congress.gov tracks the legislative activities of members of Congress, state, and local officials. Also available are current bills before Congress, summaries of bills, their current status, roll-call votes, and all public laws passed by Congress since 1973. It also provides directories for officials from the president to local government.

Nongovernmental Sources

Vote411 is an initiative of the League of Women Voters Education Fund, a one-stop source for election information in English and Spanish.

League of Women Voters of Maryland is a state affiliate of the national League, which provides nonpartisan education and support for civic engagement. Sixteen counties of Maryland’s twenty-three counties have local Maryland Leagues.

Baltimore Votes is a coalition of Baltimore community organizations that since 2018 coordinates efforts to build voter engagement, share resources, and support one another to grow together.

Black Girls Vote is a nonpartisan organization designed to represent the concerns and interests of Black women.

Rock the Vote educates and encourages young people to vote and become involved in the political process.

Vote Smart features information about current officeholders and candidates for national and state offices, and on campaign finances, issue positions, voting records, and evaluations by special interest groups.

Nonprofit VOTE provides nonpartisan resources to help nonprofits integrate voter engagement into their ongoing activities and services.

Common Cause is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization and has a website devoted to all aspects of politics, government, and elections.

Campaign Finance

As you consider the candidates on your ballot, you may be interested in learning more about how their campaigns were financed.

OpenSecrets is a nonpartisan, independent, 501(c)3 organization covering campaign finance. This website has data on the size and sources of campaign contributions, and allows you to search in reverse to find out all of the candidates that one business or individual has been supporting.

The Federal Election Commission is charged with administering and enforcing federal campaign finance laws. You can find finance data for all U.S. House and Senate candidates and contributions to each candidate by political action committees and individual contributors.

Voter Rights in the US

It’s important to learn your rights as a voter and the laws and organizations that protect voting rights.

The mission of the Civil Rights Division Voting Section of the U.S. Department of Justice is to enforce "the civil provisions of the federal laws that protect the right to vote, including the Voting Rights Act, the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, the National Voter Registration Act, the Help America Vote Act and the Civil Rights Acts".

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 prohibits any state or local government from imposing any qualification or prerequisites to voting that would result in denial or abridgement of the right to vote on account of race or language minority status.

The Help America Vote Act (HAVA) of 2002 was passed to help "establish minimum standards ... for the administration of Federal and State elections…" The Voting Rights Act of 1965 prohibits any state or local government from imposing any qualification or prerequisites to voting that would result in denial or abridgement of the right to vote on account of race or language minority status.

The Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, and Coretta Scott King Voting Rights Act Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006 amended and extended the special provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 by 25 years. The ACLU Voting Rights Project offers information on a variety of voting rights and related issues.

How Maryland Governs

When voting in local and state elections, it is important to understand the structure and role of local and state governments.

The Maryland Manual Online is the most comprehensive and continuously updated guide to Maryland state and local government.

The Maryland General Assembly website will show you everything you need to know about our elected officials, our laws, and the process in which they are made.

Who are Your Elected Officials? is a website designed by the state of Maryland to help you find your current officials and your districts.

Want to learn more? Or have a question?

Try Pratt Library’s Live Chat with a Librarian service or contact the Social Science & History Department at ssh@prattlibrary.org or by phone at 410-396-5320.

Enoch Pratt Free Library
Social Science & History Department
Central Library
400 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201