Residents’ questions on voting answered
The Capital asked Anne Arundel residents what they wanted to know about the upcoming election. Obviously, President Donald Trump’s case of COVID-19 has unleashed waves of uncertainty, but things are currently operating as expected. Here are some answers to the questions.
How can I register to vote? When is the deadline? Residents can text “VOTE” or “VOTA” to 77788 to be sent a link to register online. The deadline to register to vote in Maryland is Oct. 13, but there are also options for same-day registration at the polls during early voting and Election Day with the correct identification and materials.
How can I request an absentee/mail-in ballot? When is the deadline? Residents who are already registered and would like to request an absentee ballot can text “VBM” or “VPC” to be sent a link to the online request form. The deadline to request an absentee or mail-in ballot is Oct. 20.
I received my ballot. Now what? Fill your ballot out. Make sure your votes are marked and there is no other writing on your ballot. Make sure to sign the oath page with your ballot, or your ballot will not count. If someone helps you vote or even sign your name, they need to fill out and sign the “Certification of Person Assisting Voter” form. Anyone can help you except your employer, a representative of your employer, or a representative or officer of your union.
Anyone who does help can’t try to influence your vote. Put your completed ballot, your signed and dated oath, and your assistance form in the envelope, if applicable. If you printed an envelope, all you have to worry about is postage. If your envelope misprints, or if you did not print an envelope, make sure your mail-in ballot number is under your return address and write “mail-in ballot enclosed,” and make sure you include adequate postage. Voters can drop off ballots in one of the 32 secure drop boxes in Anne Arundel County, the Board of Elections office in Glen Burnie, or mail it to: P.O. Box 490 Glen Burnie, Maryland, 21060-0490. If you request an absentee ballot but then change your mind, you can still vote in person. The only difference will be that you have to vote a provisional ballot, as a measure to ensure that no one votes twice.
When is the deadline to return my ballot? Ballots submitted by mail must be postmarked by 8 p.m. Nov. 3. If you are down to the wire, Elections Director Joe Torre recommends taking your ballot to the post office directly, rather than sticking it in a blue mailbox since mail from those boxes is OLIVIA SANCHEZ/CAPITAL GAZETTE Election judges Dan Earhart and Bill Shepard retrieve ballots from the Brock Bridge Elementary School drop box last week. not always retrieved the same day. Ballots submitted by drop box must be submitted by 8 p.m. on Nov. 3. Torre said if there are people in line to drop their ballot at 8 p.m., they will allow everyone in line to vote. The same will go for voting centers, Torre said.
Are the ballot box drops secure? The ballot boxes are made of metal and secured with multiple locks. Each ballot box is monitored with a 20-foot tall security camera at all hours of the day and night. The ballots are retrieved at least twice a day by a bipartisan team of Board of Elections employees.
Should I give my ballot to a stranger offering to collect absentee ballots? No. The Anne Arundel County Board of Elections recently received a report of someone going door to door, trying to collect completely filled out ballots. This is not authorized or sanctioned by the Board of Elections, Torre said. He said they worry someone might collect them only to throw them away.
What do I need for same-day voter registration? You can register to vote during early voting or on Election Day by bringing identification and proof of residency to the voting center.
If you have a Maryland driver’s license or identification card, bring that. If not, bring a paycheck, bank statement, utility bill or another official document with your name and address on it.
If I want to vote in person, do I have to wear a mask? Yes. Anne Arundel County Board of Elections will have masks to provide if a voter doesn’t have one, but if they refuse to wear a mask, they will be asked to go to the Glen Burnie office to vote in isolation.
When and where is early voting? Anne Arundel County voters who wish to vote in person can visit any of the seven early voting sites during the week before the election. Early voting will run from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Oct. 26 through Nov. 2, including Saturday and Sunday.
¦ Arundel High School, 1001 Annapolis Road Gambrills, MD 21054 ¦ Crofton Middle School, 2301 Davidsonville Road Gambrills, MD 21054 ¦ North County High School, 10 East 1st Avenue Glen Burnie, MD 21061 ¦ Northeast High School, 1121 Duvall Highway Pasadena, MD 21122 ¦ Pip Moyer Recreation Center, 273 Hilltop Lane Annapolis, MD 21403 ¦ Severna Park High School, 60 Robinson Road Severna Park, MD 21146 ¦ South River High School, 201 Central Avenue East Edgewater, MD 21037 Where are the ballot drop boxes and voting centers located in the county? Anne Arundel County will have 32 ballot drop boxes open until 8 p.m. on Nov. 3; seven early voting centers open from Oct. 26 through Nov. 2; and 31 voting centers open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day. The drop boxes are open at all hours of the day and night until 8 p.m. on Nov. 3. The following is a list of all the voting centers and drop boxes. Note that the Anne Arundel County Board of Elections is only a drop box and is not a voting center.
¦ Annapolis High School, 2700 Riva Road Annapolis, MD 21401 ¦ Anne Arundel County Board of Elections, 6740 Baymeadow Drive Glen Burnie, MD 21060 ¦ Broadneck High School, 1265 Green Holly Drive Annapolis, MD 21409 ¦ Brock Bridge Elementary School, 405 Brock Bridge Road Laurel, MD 20724 ¦ Chesapeake High School, 4798 Mountain Road Pasadena, MD 21122 ¦ Crofton Middle School, 2301 Davidsonville Road Gambrills, MD 21054 ¦ Earleigh Heights Volunteer Fire Hall, 161 Ritchie Highway Severna Park, MD 21146 ¦ Glen Burnie High School, 7550 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd Glen Burnie, MD 21060 ¦ Pip Moyer Recreation Center, 273 Hilltop Lane Annapolis, MD 21403 ¦ South River High School, 201 Central Avenue East Edgewater, MD 21037 ¦ Arundel High School, 1001 Annapolis Road Gambrills, MD 21054 ¦ Meade High School, 1100 Clark Road Ft.
Meade, MD 20755 ¦ North County High School, 10 East 1st Avenue Glen Burnie, MD 21061 ¦ Northeast High School, 1121 Duvall Highway Pasadena, MD 21122 ¦ Old Mill High School, 600 Patriot Lane Millersville, MD 21108 ¦ Severna Park High School, 60 Robinson Road Severna Park, MD 21146 ¦ Southern High School, 4400 Solomons Island Road Harwood, MD 20776 ¦ Van Bokkelen Elementary School, 1140 Reece Road Severn, MD 21144 Ballot drop boxes opening by Oct. 20: ¦ Arnold Elementary School, 95 E Joyce Lane Arnold, MD 21012 ¦ Bates Middle School, 701 Chase Street Annapolis, MD 21401 ¦ Brooklyn Park Middle School, 200 Hammonds Lane Brooklyn Park, MD 21225 ¦ Chesapeake Science Point Charter School, 7321 Pkwy Drive S Hanover, MD 21076 ¦ Corkran Middle School, 7600 Quarterfield Road Glen Burnie, MD 21061 ¦ Crofton Elementary School,1405 Duke of Kent Drive Crofton, MD 21114 ¦ Heritage Community Church, 8146 Quarterfield Road Severn, MD 21144 ¦ Lindale Middle School, 415 Andover Road Linthicum, MD 21090 ¦ Magothy River Middle School, 241 Peninsula Farm Road #1052 Arnold, MD 21012 ¦ Marley Middle School, 10 Davis Court Glen Burnie, MD 21060 ¦ Millersville Elementary School, 1601 Millersville Road Millersville, MD 21108 ¦ Rolling Knolls Elementary School, 1985 Valley Road Annapolis, MD 21401 ¦ Solley Elementary School, 7608 Solley Road Glen Burnie, MD 21060 ¦ Southern Middle School, 5235 Solomons Island Road Lothian, MD 20711 If you have a question we haven’t answered, email osanchez@capgaznews.com, and we will do our best to make the information accessible.
How can I register to vote? When is the deadline? Residents can text “VOTE” or “VOTA” to 77788 to be sent a link to register online. The deadline to register to vote in Maryland is Oct. 13, but there are also options for same-day registration at the polls during early voting and Election Day with the correct identification and materials.
How can I request an absentee/mail-in ballot? When is the deadline? Residents who are already registered and would like to request an absentee ballot can text “VBM” or “VPC” to be sent a link to the online request form. The deadline to request an absentee or mail-in ballot is Oct. 20.
I received my ballot. Now what? Fill your ballot out. Make sure your votes are marked and there is no other writing on your ballot. Make sure to sign the oath page with your ballot, or your ballot will not count. If someone helps you vote or even sign your name, they need to fill out and sign the “Certification of Person Assisting Voter” form. Anyone can help you except your employer, a representative of your employer, or a representative or officer of your union.
Anyone who does help can’t try to influence your vote. Put your completed ballot, your signed and dated oath, and your assistance form in the envelope, if applicable. If you printed an envelope, all you have to worry about is postage. If your envelope misprints, or if you did not print an envelope, make sure your mail-in ballot number is under your return address and write “mail-in ballot enclosed,” and make sure you include adequate postage. Voters can drop off ballots in one of the 32 secure drop boxes in Anne Arundel County, the Board of Elections office in Glen Burnie, or mail it to: P.O. Box 490 Glen Burnie, Maryland, 21060-0490. If you request an absentee ballot but then change your mind, you can still vote in person. The only difference will be that you have to vote a provisional ballot, as a measure to ensure that no one votes twice.
When is the deadline to return my ballot? Ballots submitted by mail must be postmarked by 8 p.m. Nov. 3. If you are down to the wire, Elections Director Joe Torre recommends taking your ballot to the post office directly, rather than sticking it in a blue mailbox since mail from those boxes is OLIVIA SANCHEZ/CAPITAL GAZETTE Election judges Dan Earhart and Bill Shepard retrieve ballots from the Brock Bridge Elementary School drop box last week. not always retrieved the same day. Ballots submitted by drop box must be submitted by 8 p.m. on Nov. 3. Torre said if there are people in line to drop their ballot at 8 p.m., they will allow everyone in line to vote. The same will go for voting centers, Torre said.
Are the ballot box drops secure? The ballot boxes are made of metal and secured with multiple locks. Each ballot box is monitored with a 20-foot tall security camera at all hours of the day and night. The ballots are retrieved at least twice a day by a bipartisan team of Board of Elections employees.
Should I give my ballot to a stranger offering to collect absentee ballots? No. The Anne Arundel County Board of Elections recently received a report of someone going door to door, trying to collect completely filled out ballots. This is not authorized or sanctioned by the Board of Elections, Torre said. He said they worry someone might collect them only to throw them away.
What do I need for same-day voter registration? You can register to vote during early voting or on Election Day by bringing identification and proof of residency to the voting center.
If you have a Maryland driver’s license or identification card, bring that. If not, bring a paycheck, bank statement, utility bill or another official document with your name and address on it.
If I want to vote in person, do I have to wear a mask? Yes. Anne Arundel County Board of Elections will have masks to provide if a voter doesn’t have one, but if they refuse to wear a mask, they will be asked to go to the Glen Burnie office to vote in isolation.
When and where is early voting? Anne Arundel County voters who wish to vote in person can visit any of the seven early voting sites during the week before the election. Early voting will run from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Oct. 26 through Nov. 2, including Saturday and Sunday.
¦ Arundel High School, 1001 Annapolis Road Gambrills, MD 21054 ¦ Crofton Middle School, 2301 Davidsonville Road Gambrills, MD 21054 ¦ North County High School, 10 East 1st Avenue Glen Burnie, MD 21061 ¦ Northeast High School, 1121 Duvall Highway Pasadena, MD 21122 ¦ Pip Moyer Recreation Center, 273 Hilltop Lane Annapolis, MD 21403 ¦ Severna Park High School, 60 Robinson Road Severna Park, MD 21146 ¦ South River High School, 201 Central Avenue East Edgewater, MD 21037 Where are the ballot drop boxes and voting centers located in the county? Anne Arundel County will have 32 ballot drop boxes open until 8 p.m. on Nov. 3; seven early voting centers open from Oct. 26 through Nov. 2; and 31 voting centers open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day. The drop boxes are open at all hours of the day and night until 8 p.m. on Nov. 3. The following is a list of all the voting centers and drop boxes. Note that the Anne Arundel County Board of Elections is only a drop box and is not a voting center.
¦ Annapolis High School, 2700 Riva Road Annapolis, MD 21401 ¦ Anne Arundel County Board of Elections, 6740 Baymeadow Drive Glen Burnie, MD 21060 ¦ Broadneck High School, 1265 Green Holly Drive Annapolis, MD 21409 ¦ Brock Bridge Elementary School, 405 Brock Bridge Road Laurel, MD 20724 ¦ Chesapeake High School, 4798 Mountain Road Pasadena, MD 21122 ¦ Crofton Middle School, 2301 Davidsonville Road Gambrills, MD 21054 ¦ Earleigh Heights Volunteer Fire Hall, 161 Ritchie Highway Severna Park, MD 21146 ¦ Glen Burnie High School, 7550 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd Glen Burnie, MD 21060 ¦ Pip Moyer Recreation Center, 273 Hilltop Lane Annapolis, MD 21403 ¦ South River High School, 201 Central Avenue East Edgewater, MD 21037 ¦ Arundel High School, 1001 Annapolis Road Gambrills, MD 21054 ¦ Meade High School, 1100 Clark Road Ft.
Meade, MD 20755 ¦ North County High School, 10 East 1st Avenue Glen Burnie, MD 21061 ¦ Northeast High School, 1121 Duvall Highway Pasadena, MD 21122 ¦ Old Mill High School, 600 Patriot Lane Millersville, MD 21108 ¦ Severna Park High School, 60 Robinson Road Severna Park, MD 21146 ¦ Southern High School, 4400 Solomons Island Road Harwood, MD 20776 ¦ Van Bokkelen Elementary School, 1140 Reece Road Severn, MD 21144 Ballot drop boxes opening by Oct. 20: ¦ Arnold Elementary School, 95 E Joyce Lane Arnold, MD 21012 ¦ Bates Middle School, 701 Chase Street Annapolis, MD 21401 ¦ Brooklyn Park Middle School, 200 Hammonds Lane Brooklyn Park, MD 21225 ¦ Chesapeake Science Point Charter School, 7321 Pkwy Drive S Hanover, MD 21076 ¦ Corkran Middle School, 7600 Quarterfield Road Glen Burnie, MD 21061 ¦ Crofton Elementary School,1405 Duke of Kent Drive Crofton, MD 21114 ¦ Heritage Community Church, 8146 Quarterfield Road Severn, MD 21144 ¦ Lindale Middle School, 415 Andover Road Linthicum, MD 21090 ¦ Magothy River Middle School, 241 Peninsula Farm Road #1052 Arnold, MD 21012 ¦ Marley Middle School, 10 Davis Court Glen Burnie, MD 21060 ¦ Millersville Elementary School, 1601 Millersville Road Millersville, MD 21108 ¦ Rolling Knolls Elementary School, 1985 Valley Road Annapolis, MD 21401 ¦ Solley Elementary School, 7608 Solley Road Glen Burnie, MD 21060 ¦ Southern Middle School, 5235 Solomons Island Road Lothian, MD 20711 If you have a question we haven’t answered, email osanchez@capgaznews.com, and we will do our best to make the information accessible.
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