The expanded voter registration deadline is Tuesday

Expanded voter registration for the Nov. 5 presidential election ends Tuesday, but eligible Montgomery County residents can still register during early voting later this month or on Election Day.

To register, voters must be U.S. citizens and Maryland residents who are at least 16 years old. Voters must be 18 years old on Election Day to vote, according to a news release from the Board of Elections on Tuesday.

Residents can register in person at the Montgomery County Board of Elections in Gaithersburg at 18753 N. Frederick Ave., Suite 210 or online. To register online, the voter's personal information must match the information on file with the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA). This includes the voter's name, date of birth, driver's license number, ID card number or learner's permit number, and the last four digits of their Social Security number. Voters can also check their registration status and precinct using the state database or by texting “CHECK” to 77788.

“Check your voter registration to make sure everything is up to date, especially if there have been some life changes since the primary (in May) or possibly since you last voted,” said Gilberto Zelaya, information officer for the Board of Elections , on Monday during a community Zoom information session. “If it’s a new address, you want to change your party affiliation, you want to change your name, etc., you can do that.”

Zelaya also urged voters to make sure their email addresses and phone numbers are current when registering.

In addition to the presidential race between front-runner Vice President Kamala Harris (D) and former President Donald Trump (R), races for U.S. Senate and House of Representatives as well as district judge and Montgomery County Board are also on the education ballot. Information about the candidates can be found in the MoCo360 2024 Voters Guide.

Election workers and election judges wanted

The election board is still accepting applications for election judges and poll workers, Zelaya said. To participate, you must be registered to vote by Tuesday. Positions are paid and a full pay schedule is available on the Board's website.

Students aged 16 and over are eligible to be poll workers, but must register to vote by Tuesday in order to take part. Depending on the number of days of service, youth may elect to earn up to 25 Student Service Learning (SSL) hours or a stipend of at least $250 per full day of service. Maryland students are required to complete 75 hours of study through student services to graduate.

The training of prospective judges includes an online quiz and paid classroom training. Register on the board's website.

Students in grades 6-12 are eligible to participate as volunteers in the board's Future Voter program, which allows youth to work as poll workers and receive SSL hours. Registration is due by Wednesday and students and their parents are required to attend a training session. Email [email protected] to apply.

Zelaya encouraged prospective election judges and poll workers to be proactive in submitting their applications and participating in training given the proximity to the election.

“The key is not to hesitate. Don’t wait until a week to vote early,” Zelaya said. “Send it in as soon as possible. And if we can’t get you for 2024, we definitely want to get you for 2026.”

Early voting begins October 24th

The county's in-person early voting period runs October 24-31 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voters can cast their vote at any early voting center in the county. A complete list of locations can be found on the board's website or by texting “EV” and your zip code to 77788.

Any interested voter who misses the early voter registration deadline may register the same day during the in-person early voting period and on Election Day.

To register on the same day as voting, voters must provide a document showing where they live. Acceptable options include an MVA-issued license, ID card, learner's permit, or change of address card; or a payslip, a bank statement, a utility bill; or another government document showing your name and current address.

Applications for mail-in ballots must be submitted by October 29th

Registered voters who wish to cast their ballot by mail must submit their application by October 29th. Ballots can be requested at the Board of Elections office or by filling out the online form. Voters have until November 1 to request an electronically delivered mail-in ballot. Voters must print these ballots themselves. To simplify the process, the Board of Elections encourages voters to mail their ballots or drop them in a mailbox as soon as they are confident about their vote. A list of Dropbox sites can be found on the Board of Elections website.

Zelaya also encouraged voters to submit their applications as quickly as possible.

“It’s not instantaneous. Unlike companies like Amazon.com, where you can place an order for an item and have it on your porch the next day, when registering to vote or requesting an absentee ballot, we must confirm that the person placing the order The request is for a registered voter, so it takes some time,” Zelaya said. “So please be patient with us.”

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