Poll times
In Maryland, all polling places are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.[1]
Registration
- Check your voter registration status here.
According to the Maryland State Board of Elections, to register to vote in Maryland, one must be a United States citizen and Maryland resident who is at least 16 years old. Although a 16-year-old can register to vote, they cannot vote in an election unless they will be 18 at the time of the next general election (i.e., 17-year-olds are permitted to vote in primary elections, so long as they'll be 18 by the time of the corresponding general election).[2]
Maryland allows same-day voter registration during the early voting period and on Election Day.[2]
Voters may register online, by mail, or in person at one of the following locations:[2]
- Local board of elections
- The State Board of Elections
- Local Department of Health office
- Maryland Department of Human Services local offices
- Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) offices
- Local Area Agency on Aging offices
- MTA Paratransit Certification Office
- All public institutions of higher education
- Recruitment offices of the U.S. Armed Forces
- Marriage license offices
- Offices for students with disabilities at all Maryland colleges and universities
Automatic registration[edit]
- See also: Automatic voter registration
Maryland automatically registers eligible individuals to vote through the Motor Vehicle Administration.[3]
Online registration[edit]
- See also: Online voter registration
Maryland has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.
Same-day registration[edit]
- See also: Same-day voter registration
Maryland allows same-day voter registration.[2]
Residency requirements[edit]
A voter registration applicant must be a resident of the state.[2]
Verification of citizenship[edit]
- See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States
Mayland does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual applying to register to vote must attest that they are a U.S. citizen under penalty of perjury.
Several local jurisdictions in Maryland permit noncitizens to vote in at least some local elections. These jurisdictions maintain separate voter registration systems for noncitizen voters. See here for more information.
All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment.[4] Eight states — Alabama, Arizona, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming — have laws requiring individuals provide proof of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. Two states, Georgia and Mississippi, require a person provide proof of citizenship if their citizenship status cannot be verified by other means. One state, Ohio, requires proof of citizenship only when registering to vote at a Bureau of Motor Vehicles facility. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.
Verifying your registration[edit]
The voter lookup page, run by the Maryland State Board of Elections, allows residents to check their voter registration status online.
Voter ID requirements
Maryland does not require voters to present identification while voting, in most cases.[1]
The federal Help America Vote Act requires that individuals in all 50 states who register to vote by mail and who have not voted previously in a federal election in their state must provide either their driver's license or a paycheck, bank statement, current utility bill, or government document showing their name and address. Individuals voting by mail must include a copy of one of those documents with their absentee/mail-in ballot.[5]
These requirements do not apply if an individual submitted a copy of their identification, their driver's license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number when registering to vote.
A voter will also be asked to show ID in these other circumstances:[6][7]
- The voter’s identity is challenged; or
- The voter registers to vote during early voting or changes his or her address during early voting.
The following list of accepted ID was current as of October 2025. Click here for the Maryland State Board of Elections' voting information page to ensure you have the most current information.
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- The voter’s driver's license number, MVA ID card number or the last four digits of the voter’s social security number, and election officals will attempt to verify this information with MVA or Social Security Administration.
- A copy of a current and valid photo identification (i.e., Maryland driver's license, MVA ID card, student or employee photo ID card, military ID card, passport, or any other State or federal goverment issued ID card).
- A copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or other government document that shows the voter’s name and address.[8]
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