For voters heading to the polls this year, the process is different this year because of COVID-19.
Here’s how to navigate the process.
How does registering to vote work?
Only Montgomery County residents can register to vote in the county. They must be U.S. citizens, and have not been convicted of a felony or, if they have, must have completed their court-ordered sentence of imprisonment, parole or probation. To register, residents must be at least 16 years old. But they cannot vote unless they will be at least 18 by the next general election.
The deadline to register to vote is Oct. 13. An application can be submitted online or applications can be picked up from the county’s Elections Office at 18753 N. Frederick Ave., suite 210, in Gaithersburg. A form can be mailed to residents if they call 240-777-VOTE or a registration link can be sent by texting VOTE to 77788. Registration statuses are provided by texting CHECK to 77788.
How do residents vote with mail-in ballots?
Voters may cast a mail-in ballot or leave their ballot at a drop-off box. They also may vote in person during early voting period (Oct. 26 to Nov. 2) or on Election Day on Nov. 3.
The state sent a mail-in ballot (or absentee) application to every registered voter. The application can also be filled out online. Absentee ballot requests must be received by Oct. 20.
County officials have urged residents to select “in the mail” as their delivery for the mail-in ballot when submitting a request for one. Other methods, such as having it emailed to voters, require election judges to hand copy those votes to actual ballots, which will delay the counting process.
The status of mail-in ballots can be checked through the voter lookup tool on the Maryland State Board of Elections’ website.
Postage is prepaid on mail-in ballots requested through the mail. Those ballots can be returned through the mail and must be postmarked by Nov. 3. County residents can also drop off their ballots at the Elections Office or at one of 25 drop boxes across the county.
Sixteen more drop boxes will be available starting Oct. 15, then nine more on Oct. 24.
For those who do not mail their ballot to have it postmarked by Nov. 3, they can drop off their ballots at a drop box by 8 p.m. that day. Otherwise, residents have to vote in person using a provisional ballot, which is not counted until after Election Day to make sure residents did not already vote some other way.
When filling out a ballot, a black or blue ballpoint pen should be used. Residents must sign their names to the oath and date their signature on the back of the return voted ballot envelope. Do not sign the ballot.
What drop boxes are available now?
Bethesda:
• Walt Whitman High School: 7100 Whittier Blvd.
Burtonsville:
• Marilyn J. Praisner Recreation Center: 14906 Old Columbia Pike
Chevy Chase:
• Jane E. Lawton Community Recreation Center: 4301 Willow Lane
Clarksburg:
• Clarksburg High School: 22500 Wims Road
Damascus:
• Damascus Community Recreation Center: 25520 Oak Drive
Gaithersburg:
• Board of Elections: 18753 N. Frederick Ave.
• Activity Center at Bohrer Park: 506 S. Frederick Ave.
• Watkins Mill High School: 10301 Apple Ridge Road
Germantown:
• Germantown Community Recreation Center: 18905 Kingsview Road
North Bethesda:
• Montgomery County Conference Center (Marriott Bethesda North): 5967 Executive Blvd.
Poolesville:
• Poolesville High School: 17501 W. Willard Road
Potomac:
• Potomac Community Recreation Center: 11315 Falls Road
Rockville:
• Rockville City Hall parking lot: 111 Maryland Ave.
• Executive Office Building: 101 Monroe St.
• Col. Zadok Magruder High School: 5939 Muncaster Mill Road
• Nancy H. Dacek North Potomac Recreation Center: 13850 Travilah Road
Sandy Spring:
• Sandy Spring Volunteer Fire Department: 17921 Brooke Road
Silver Spring:
• Mid-County Community Recreation Center: 2004 Queensguard Road
• Montgomery Blair High School: 51 University Blvd. East
• Silver Spring Civic Building: 1 Veterans Place
• Springbrook High School: 201 Valley Brooke Drive
• Wheaton High School: 12401 Dalewood Drive
• White Oak Community Recreation Center: 1700 April Lane
Takoma Park:
• Takoma Park Community Center: 7500 Maple Ave.
Wheaton:
• Wheaton Library and Recreation Center: 11701 Georgia Ave.
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What drop boxes will be available on Oct. 15?
Bethesda:
• Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School: 4301 East-West Highway
• Walter Johnson High School: 6400 Rock Spring Drive
Burtonsville:
• Paint Branch High School: 14121 Old Columbia Pike
Damascus:
• Damascus High School: 25921 Ridge Road
Gaithersburg:
• Gaithersburg High School: 101 Education Blvd.
• Quince Orchard High School: 15800 Quince Orchard Road
Germantown:
• Northwest High School: 13501 Richter Farm Road
• Seneca Valley High School: 19401 Crystal Rock Drive
Kensington:
• Albert Einstein High School: 11135 Newport Mill Road
Potomac:
• Winston Churchill High School: 11300 Gainsborough Road
Rockville:
• Richard Montgomery High School: 250 Richard Montgomery Drive
• Rockville High School: 2100 Baltimore Road
• Thomas S. Wootton High School: 2100 Wootton Parkway
Silver Spring:
• James Hubert Blake High School: 300 Norwood Road
• John F. Kennedy High School: 1901 Randolph Road
• Northwood High School: 919 University Blvd. West
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What drop boxes will be available on Oct. 24?
Brookeville:
• Longwood Recreation Center: 19300 Georgia Ave.
Chevy Chase:
• Friendship Heights Village Center: 4433 South Park Ave.
Gaithersburg:
• Robertson Park Youth Center: 801 Rabbitt Road
• Upper County Community Recreation Center: 8201 Emory Grove Road
Potomac:
• Bette Carol Thompson Scotland Recreation Center: 7700 Scotland Drive
Sandy Spring:
• Sherwood High School: 300 Olney-Sandy Spring Road
Silver Spring:
• East County Recreation Center: 3310 Gateshead Manor Way
• Gwendolyn E. Coffield Recreation Center: 2450 Lyttonsville Road
• Schweinhaut Senior Center: 1000 Forest Glen Road
***
Drop boxes available for residents of neighborhoods only
• Leisure World
• Asbury in Gaithersburg
• Riderwood Village in Silver Spring
What safety precautions are in place for in-person voting?
Residents must wear a mask when entering a voting center. If they do not have one, poll workers will provide masks to them. If they decline to wear a mask, a ballot will be brought outside to them so they can vote.
Poll workers will wear masks and have the option of wearing face shields and gloves. Plexiglass will be installed in front of poll workers sitting at tables and interacting with the public. There are also cleaning and sanitary guidelines in place.
Voters will be physically distanced in poll lines.
Where and when will early voting take place?
Early voting begins Oct. 26 and runs through Nov. 2. The hours are from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at 11 early voting locations. Residents can go to any of the locations to vote.
● Activity Center at Bohrer Park: 506 S. Frederick Ave., Gaithersburg
● Damascus Community Recreation Center: 25520 Oak Drive, Damascus
● Executive Office Building: 101 Monroe St., Rockville
● Germantown Community Recreation Center: 18905 Kingsview Road, Germantown
● Jane E. Lawton Community Recreation Center: 4301 Willow Lane, Chevy Chase
● Marilyn Praisner Community Recreation Center: 14906 Old Columbia Pike, Burtonsville
● Mid-County Community Recreation Center: 2004 Queensguard Road, Silver Spring
● Potomac Community Recreation Center: 11315 Falls Road, Potomac
● Sandy Spring Volunteer Fire Department: 17921 Brooke Road, Sandy Spring
● Silver Spring Civic Building: 1 Veterans Place, Silver Spring
● Wheaton Library & Community Recreation Center: 11701 Georgia Ave., Wheaton
Where and when will voting take place on Election Day?
On Nov. 3, voters can cast their ballots at one of 39 voting centers across the county. Residents can go to any of the centers to vote.
Voting begins at 7 a.m. and ends at 8 p.m. As long as voters are in line by 8 p.m., they can vote. The Montgomery County Board of Elections recommends voting between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. and arriving by 4 p.m. to avoid lines.
The Election Day voting centers will be:
● Activity Center at Bohrer Park: 506 S. Frederick Ave., Gaithersburg
● Damascus Recreation Center: 25520 Oak Drive, Damascus
● Executive Office Building: 101 Monroe St., Rockville
● Germantown Recreation Center: 18905 Kingsview Road, Germantown
● Jane E. Lawton Recreation: 4301 Willow Lane, Chevy Chase
● Marilyn J. Praisner Recreation: 14906 Old Columbia Pike, Burtonsville
● Mid-County Recreation Center: 2004 Queensguard Road, Silver Spring
● Nancy H. Dacek Recreation: 13850 Travilah Road, Rockville
● Potomac Recreation: 11315 Falls Road, Potomac
● Sandy Spring Volunteer Fire Department: 17921 Brooke Road, Sandy Spring
● Silver Spring Civic Building: 1 Veterans Place, Silver Spring
● Wheaton Recreation: 11701 Georgia Ave., Wheaton
● White Oak Community Recreation Center: 1700 April Lane, Silver Spring
● All public high schools except Thomas Edison High School of Technology
What’s on the ballot?
A sample ballot is available online and Bethesda Beat has published a 2020 General Election Voters Guide that includes bios about candidates for Montgomery County Board of Education, Circuit Court judge and U.S. Congress seats that represent the county, plus their answers to questionnaires.
The ballot includes four Montgomery County and two statewide ballot questions.
Of the four county ballot questions, two propose changes to the county’s tax policy and the other two address the County Council’s structure.
The state questions are about the state budget process and whether to allow sports and event wagering in the state.
Questions?
More information on the election can be found at the county Board of Elections website or by calling 240-777-8500.
Briana Adhikusuma can be reached at briana.adhikusuma@moco360.media.