As Maryland continues to wrestle with the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, Howard County’s Board of Elections is working diligently to ensure a safe, secure voting experience for all. Every registered voter should already have received an absentee ballot application. If you have not received an application, you may request one now from the Board of Elections. (If you’re a non-Howard County resident, find your local BOE here.) Important: The deadline to request an absentee ballot for this election is October 20, 2020.
If mailing in your ballot, please be sure to make no extraneous marks beyond selecting your candidates. Do not add notes. Do not make political commentaries. Do not sign or initial the ballot itself. Only sign the Oath in the space provided–and be sure to sign that! In the primaries, that space was on the outside of the envelope. Check carefully for its location on ballots for the general election. If making a correction, simply strike through the error and mark the correction. If you think your markings may be misinterpreted, request a new ballot. Incorrectly marked ballots cannot be counted under Maryland law.
Mail-in (absentee) ballots may be sent via US Mail, but we strongly encourage the use of the more secure drop boxes maintained and operated by the Board of Elections. Ballots placed in these receptacles are handled only by BOE employees, and all locations are closely monitored. Drop box locations are listed at the link below.
The Howard County GOP encourages in-person voting, and it’s easier than ever in 2020. The Board of Elections has established Voting Centers, where any Howard County resident may vote regardless of their assigned district. The list of election centers is available from the link below.