Mail-in Voting: Information and Instructions

Any registered voter may vote by mail-in ballot. You don't need a reason to vote by mail-in ballot. It's another way to vote if you don't want to or can't go to an early voting center or your polling place.

If you do not know if you are registered to vote, use our Voter Look-up to find out. If you are not registered to vote, find out how to register to vote.

IMPORTANT: If you want to vote in-person, please do not sign up for mail-in voting. Once we issue your mail-in ballot, if you later change your mind and show up to vote in-person you will have to vote a provisional ballot

There are three ways you can request a mail-in ballot:

• Go Online if you have a Maryland’s driver’s license or MVA-issued ID card.
• Complete and return one of the forms below. Read the instructions, enter the required information, print the form, sign it, and return it to your local board of elections. You can return it by mail, fax, in-person, or email with an attached image of your signed request to your local board. Your signature is required on any returned request.
  • mail-in ballot application (PDF)
  • Solicitud de Papeleta de Votante Ausente(PDF)
• Go to your local board of elections and receive a mail-in ballot in person.

If you want to get a mail-in ballot for all future elections, you can sign up for the permanent mail-in ballot list when you request a mail-in ballot. Once you are on this list, we will send you your mail-in ballot for each future election you are eligible to vote in. You won't have to submit a request for each election.

Please note: Requests for mail-in ballots may take approximately a week to process.

IMPORTANT: If you want to vote in-person, please do not sign up for mail-in voting. Once we issue your mail-in ballot, if you later change your mind and show up to vote in-person you will have to vote a provisional ballot.

If you want to receive and vote a mail-in ballot for all future Federal and State elections, you can sign up for the Permanent mail-in ballot list using the mail-in ballot application.

Once you are on the Permanent mail-in ballot list, we will send you your mail-in ballot for each future Federal and State election that you are eligible to vote in. You won't have to submit a request for each election.

Once you are on the Permanent mail-in ballot list, it is important that you update your voter registration anytime you move or make other changes related to your voter registration record.

If you sign up for the Permanent mail-in ballot list and then do not return your mail-in ballot for 2 consecutive General Elections (4 year period), you will be removed from the Permanent Mail-In Ballot list. You will then need to vote in-person or reapply for a mail-in ballot.

The deadlines to request a mail-in ballot for the 2026 elections depend on how you want to receive your ballot:

Primary Election:
• To receive your ballot by mail or fax, you must submit your request by Tuesday, June 23, 2026
• To receive your ballot as an emailed link*, you must submit your request by Friday, June 19, 2026

General Election:
• To receive your ballot by mail or fax, you must submit your request by Tuesday, October 27, 2026
• To receive your ballot as an emailed link*, you must submit your request by Friday, October 30, 2026

*Please note: If you choose to receive your ballot as an emailed link, you will need to print out the ballot and oath, use your own envelope, and return everything by mail, ballot dropbox, or in person (please see more details in “How will I receive my mail-in ballot? below”

Requests for mail-in ballots may take approximately a week to process

Visit the voter look-up website to verify if your local board of elections received your request for a ballot and the status of your mail-in ballot. If you have more questions, please contact your local board of elections.

Yes. You can designate someone to be your agent. This person will take your completed mail-in ballot application to your local board of elections, pick up your ballot, and deliver it to you. To get your ballot this way, you and your agent must complete the mail-in ballot: Designation of Agent Form (Papeleta de Votante Ausente: Formulario para Designar un Representante). This form can also be obtained from your local board of elections.

You decide how you want to receive your ballot. You can receive it:

• By mail. We can send it to your home or where you’ll be when ballots are sent out about 30-45 days before an election
• By a link in an email. We will send you an email about 30-45 days before the election with a link to your ballot. Please note:
  • You will need to create an online username and password to access and download your ballot materials.
  • You will need to print out your ballot and oath, and provide your own return envelope.
  • You will need to return your voted ballot and signed oath by mail (requires postage), ballot dropbox, or in person - You cannot return your voted ballot online, by email, or fax.
  • Election workers will duplicate your voting choices onto ballot materials that are scannable.

Please note: Requests for mail-in ballots may take approximately a week to process.

There are instructions with your ballot. Please review the instructions carefully before starting to vote.

If you received your ballot by mail or fax, you need a black pen to vote. Review your ballot before voting as your ballot may be multiple pages. Carefully fill in the oval to the left of your choice, and do not vote for more candidates than the number specified in the contest heading. If you wish, you may vote for fewer candidates than specified.

If you download your ballot from the State's website, you can print the blank ballot and mark your ballot by hand.

Do not sign your name or make any other mark on your ballot.

Write-in voting is only allowed in general elections. A general election ballot has spaces for write-in votes. To cast a write-in vote by hand, fill in the oval to the left of the space for the write-in vote, and write the first and last names of the person in the appropriate space.

You must mail or hand deliver your mail-in ballot to a voting location, a ballot drop off box, or your local board of elections. You cannot email or fax your voted mail-in ballot.

You must return your ballot, in a properly addressed envelope, by mail, ballot dropbox, or hand delivery

IMPORTANT: You can not return your voted ballot online, by email, or fax

We recommend that you return your ballot as soon as you have voted it, if you:

• Mail your ballot, your ballot must be postmarked on or before election day
• Use a ballot dropbox, your ballot must be in a ballot dropbox by 8pm on Election Day. The ballot dropbox locations are included when we send you your ballot
• Hand deliver your ballot, you must deliver your ballot by 8 pm on election day

All mail-in ballots must be returned in an envelope (please use the return envelope we mailed you, or use the envelope template we include with ballots sent by emailed link)

Yes, you may have help requesting a mail-in ballot and voting. Any person can help you except:

• A candidate on your ballot;
• Your employer or an agent of your employer; or
• An officer or agent of your union.

The mail-in ballot application is now ready.

If you need help voting your ballot, the person helping you must mark the ballot according to your wishes and cannot make an effort to influence your vote. This person must also complete the Certification of Person Assisting Mail-in Voter (provided with your mail-in ballot). This certification must be returned with your voted ballot.

Contact your local board of elections for more information on this process.

...I haven't received my ballot?

Ballots are typically mailed or available for download about 3 weeks before an election.

If you requested a ballot but have not received it, and have verified on the voter look-up website that your ballot has been sent, wait a few days. Your ballot may be in transit. If the election is one week away and you haven't received your ballot, please contact your local board of elections. A representative of your local board can help you.

...my ballot is damaged or I made a mistake on my ballot?

If you received your ballot by mail or fax, contact your local board of elections, and request a replacement ballot.

If you downloaded your ballot, log back into the website using the link that was emailed to you. If you made your selections in the system, make your selections again and print the ballot. (We do not save your marked ballot, so you must make your selections again.) If you printed a blank ballot and marked your ballot by hand, print another ballot and mark the ballot.