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Can I vote by mail in Maryland?
Yes. Anyone can request a mail ballot.
Any registered voter can request a mail (absentee) ballot, no reason needed. There's a deadline, so request early.
- Voter registrationTue, Oct 13Passed
Same-day registration is available in person.
- NextAsk for your mail ballot. Your request must arrive byTue, Oct 272 days
received, not just mailed (Oct. 30 if you pick the print-at-home ballot) Ask now: a request on the last day leaves no time to mail the ballot back.
Request it on the official site ↗Track my ballot ↗
Missed the request deadline?
- Any voter (or the voter's duly authorized agent) who missed the Oct. 27 mail/fax or Oct. 30 internet request deadline. Deadline: Tue, Nov 3, 8 p.m. (until the polls close), in person. Apply in person at the local board of elections office (voter, or an agent designated on the Designation of Agent Form, SBE 9-307); the ballot is issued on the spot and may be voted there or taken and returned by mail/drop box/hand by 8 p.m. source
- Mail it byTue, Oct 272 days
USPS says allow 7 days. Your ballot must be postmarked by Tue, Nov 3; mailing earlier avoids a late postmark. Or use a drop box.
- Returning it:
Postmarked by Election Day, or in a drop box, at a polling place, an early voting center, or your local board by 8 p.m. on Election Day. Mailed ballots are counted if received by 10 a.m. Nov. 13; if the postmark is missing or illegible, your affidavit that you mailed it by Election Day counts (SB 949, 2026).
Dropping it off? Drop boxes are widely available here, and using one skips the mail entirely. Maryland drop box locations.
Who can return it for you: A person you designate may return it. Official SBE page says return by mail, ballot drop box, or hand delivery to a polling place, drop box, early voting center or local board by 8 p.m., and is silent on whether a friend or relative may carry it. Election Law §9-307 lets the voter designate in writing an agent (18+, not a candidate on the ballot) who picks up the ballot, watches the voter seal it, executes an affidavit and returns it to the local board. No numeric limit stated on the official pages. Whether an agent or other person may use a drop box is not stated. source
- Election DayTue, Nov 39 days
If your ballot gets flaggedDeadline: Fri, Nov 13 · 19 days
If your ballot was flagged
- Read the letter, email or text from your county. It says what's wrong.
- Only a missing signature on the oath can be fixed: provide a signed oath by mail, in person or email by 10 a.m. on Nov. 13, the second Friday after the election. Deadline: Fri, Nov 13 · 19 days
- Call your county election office. You can say:
Hi, I voted by mail and my ballot was flagged. What do I need to do to fix it, and by when? Can I do it today?
Trouble voting? Free, nonpartisan hotline: 866-OUR-VOTE · 888-VE-Y-VOTA · 888-API-VOTE · 844-YALLA-US
Good to know in Maryland Requests take about a week to process, so ask early. Want your ballot faster? The print-at-home option has a later deadline (Oct. 30). Permanent mail-in list available. Already requested one but want to vote in person? Cancel it online first.
Where are you with your ballot?
Where are you with your ballot?
Will your ballot count in Maryland?
Will your ballot count in Maryland?
- Is this your first time voting by mail?
- Have you moved since you last voted?
- Has your signature changed much since you registered?
Why ballots get rejected in Maryland, and how to avoid it
- Sign the envelope. An unsigned envelope is the most common fixable mistake.
- Use the secrecy sleeve if one is included, then the return envelope. Don't tape anything.
- Your state goes by the postmark. Automated postmarks can lag a day, so hand it to a clerk at the post office counter and ask for a manual postmark (free).
- Keep the phone and email on your registration current. If there's a problem, that's how they reach you to fix it.
Voting in person insteadpolling place, early voting, ID
Polling place and sample ballot: Your state's voter portal shows where you vote in person, what's on your ballot, and your registration status, all from your address. Open the voter portal
Open now through Thu, Oct 29. Locations and hours
You don't need to show ID to vote in person. Exception: if you registered by mail and this is your first federal election in the state, federal law says bring ID the first time.
Accepted: None for most voters; some first-time voters (mail registrants without DL/MVA ID/SSN) must show a current photo ID or a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or government document with name and address Without one: Most voters are never asked. A flagged first-time voter without ID votes a provisional ballot.
More about your statepermanent list, counting, alerts
Maryland has a permanent mail-in ballot list for any voter. Sign up once and you won't have to request again. Sign up on the mail-in ballot application. Dropped if you don't return a mail ballot in two consecutive general elections.
Maryland can start processing mail ballots 8 days before Election Day, so most results come in on election night. Results are certified Tue, Dec 8.
- Military or overseas. You're covered by federal law (UOCAVA), which usually gives you longer deadlines and electronic delivery. Use the Federal Post Card Application to register and request a ballot in one step. If your ballot doesn't arrive, the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot is your backup. FVAP.gov
- College student. You can register at your school address or your family's, not both. If you're registered back home and away at school, request a mail ballot from home early; campus mail is slow. Some states require a specific reason for students to vote absentee, so check your state's rule above. Student voter guide
- Disability or need help marking a ballot. Every state must offer an accessible way to vote. Most have an accessible mail-ballot option you can mark on a screen reader or your own device, and all allow a person of your choice (not your employer or union rep) to assist. Ask your county election office for the accessible absentee ballot. If illness, a hospital stay or a disability keeps you from the polls AFTER the request deadline, most states still have a way to get you a ballot: see "Missed the request deadline?" under your state's dates, and "Who can return it for you" for whether a family member or helper may carry it back. EAC: voters with disabilities
- Moved recently. Your registration is tied to your address. If you moved within your state, update it before the registration deadline; if you've moved across state lines, register in the new state. Moved after the deadline? Many states let you vote at your old precinct one last time or update in person; call your county. vote.gov
- Past felony conviction. Rules vary widely: some states restore rights automatically on release, others after probation or parole, a few require a separate process. Don't assume you can't vote. Check your state before the registration deadline. NCSL: restoration of voting rights
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Verified against the official page 2026-09-25. Rule checked 2026-09-09. Deadlines checked 2026-09-09. Request deadlines are "received by," not postmarked. The official site wins if anything differs. Spot something wrong? We check every report against the state's own page and fix errors as soon as they're reported. Email fix@ballotbymail.org or use the report form.