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MOVE Act – Absentee Voting

Background

The federal Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment (MOVE) Act requires states to send certain military and overseas voters their absentee ballots at least 45 days before the general election. This requirement posed a challenge for Maryland due to the small window of time between the primary election and general election. Nonetheless, Maryland developed a solution to ensure full compliance with the MOVE Act and provide military and overseas voters with the opportunity to cast their vote in the general election. The plan includes:

  1. Giving priority to processing the absentee ballots requests of military and overseas voters, a requirement of Maryland regulations.
  2. Transmitting federal only ballots to military and overseas voters 45 days prior to the general election.
  3. Expediting delivery of full ballots, including state and local contests, to military and overseas voters.
  4. Providing electronic access to absentee ballots if previously requested by military and overseas voters. These voters will not have to wait for paper ballots to arrive in the mail.
  5. Accepting Federal Write‐in Absentee Ballots for all contests.
  6. Providing extra time to receive absentee ballots that are postmarked on or before election day by counting ballots that are received by the 2nd Friday after the election.
  7. Providing on this website specific information for military and overseas voters.

What to expect

Military and overseas voters will receive a ballot with all federal contests that will appear on the 2010 General Election ballot. This ballot should be voted and returned to the State Board of Elections as soon as it is received.

Except for certain overseas voters who are only permitted to vote a federal ballot*, a full State ballot will be sent by expedited mail as soon as it is completed and certified. When the full State ballot is received, it should also be voted and returned.

If the election office receives only the federal ballot, it will be counted. If the election office receives both the federal and the full State ballot, only the full State ballot will be counted. Accordingly, voters should re-vote the federal contests that are on the full State ballot in order for the votes for federal offices to be counted.

*Why does my ballot have only federal offices?

Congressional District 8

The Republican winner for the 8th Congressional District could not be determined by the 45 day deadline. Accordingly, voters who got a ballot for the 8th Congressional District will see the contest for Representative in Congress listed twice: one box with Michael Lee Phillips as the Republican candidate and one box with Bruce Stern as the Republican candidate.

Voters who received a ballot for the 8th Congressional District should vote both boxes. That is, they should review the candidates in the left box and vote for a candidate in this box. Then, review the candidates in the right box and vote for a candidate in this box. When it is time to count absentee ballots, the local board of elections will count the box with the Republican candidate who won the primary election.

Update (September 30, 2010) - On September 27th the State Board of Elections certified the 2010 Gubernatorial Primary Election results. The winner of the Republican nomination for 8th Congressional District was Michael Lee Phillips.

Green Party Candidate for United States Senate

Natasha Pettigrew, who was the Green Party’s nominee for U.S. Senate, died on September 20, 2010, after being hit by an SUV while riding her bike. The Green Party is permitted to appoint a new nominee to fill the vacancy created by Ms. Pettigrew’s untimely death. The appointment must be made by October 4th.

If a military or overseas voter voted for Ms. Pettigrew on the federal ballot, the voter may request another federal ballot. If requested, a replacement federal ballot will not be sent until after the October 4th deadline for the Green Party to fill the vacancy. If the local board of elections timely receives both the first and second federal ballot from the voter, the board will only count the second ballot.

For military or overseas voters who are eligible to receive the full State ballot, please note that the State ballot will have the name of the Green Party’s new nominee if one is appointed.

Update (September 30, 2010) - On September 27th, the Maryland Green Party selected Kenniss Henry to fill the vacancy in nomination created by the death of Ms. Pettigrew. If you would like to receive a ballot that includes Kenniss Henry, please contact this office (see below). You are entitled to receive a new ballot even if you have already voted and returned your first ballot.

absentee@elections.state.md.us
1-800-222-8683