Maryland voter guide: What you need to know about this historic 2024 election
This year’s race for the White House is going to be a historic one, with Vice President Kamala Harris squaring off against former President Donald Trump.
But the race for the U.S. Senate in Maryland could make history too, as Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks vies for the chamber in a battle against former Gov. Larry Hogan. If Alsobrooks wins, she’d be the state’s first Black senator. If Hogan wins, he could shift the balance of power in the Senate.
Here’s what you need to know.
Dates at a glance
- Deadline to register to vote online or by mail: Oct. 15
- Deadline to apply for mail-in ballot: Oct. 29
- In-person early voting: You can register to vote the same day. Early voting runs from Oct. 24 to Oct. 31 — and that includes Saturday and Sunday.
- Election Day: Nov. 5. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. As long as you’re in line by 8 p.m., you’ll be able to cast your vote.
- Deadline to return your mail-in ballot: You’ve got two ways to return your mail-in ballot: By mail: Make sure your mail-in ballot is postmarked by or before 8 p.m. on Nov. 5. To make sure your ballot is counted, the Board of Elections recommends you return it as soon as you have filled it out. By hand: You also have the option of hand-delivering your ballot to an approved drop box or local board of elections by 8 p.m. on Election Day.
Visit WTOP’s Election 2024 page for our comprehensive coverage.
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Voting in-person
The Maryland State Board of Elections said that due to a change in the law, “we now mail every voter an application for a mail-in ballot. The best time to vote in person is on weekends during early voting and between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. on election day.”
The full list of early voting centers is available online from the Maryland Board of Elections.
Of course, in-person voting is available on Election Day. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. As long as you’re in line by 8 p.m., you’ll be able to cast your vote.
And you can search for your polling place online.
Voting absentee
These are your mail-in ballots, but the board said they must, by law, refer to absentee ballots as “mail-in ballots,” in case there’s some confusion there.
If you’re voting via mail-in, your ballot has to be mailed, dropped in a ballot drop box location, taken to a polling place, early voting center or local board by 8 p.m. on Nov. 5 for the Presidential General Election. If you mail your ballot, it must be postmarked on or before Election Day to be counted.
Who’s on the ballot?
Presidential race
Democratic ticket: Kamala Harris/Tim Walz
Republican ticket: Donald Trump/JD Vance
U.S. Senate
Democratic ticket: Angela Alsobrooks
Republican ticket: Larry Hogan
U.S. House
District 1
Democratic ticket: Blane H. Miller III
Republican ticket: Andy Harris (incumbent)
Libertarian ticket: Joshua O’Brien
District 2
Democratic ticket: Johnny Olszewski
Republican ticket: Kimberly Klacik
District 3
Democratic ticket: Sarah Elfreth
Republican ticket: Robert Steinberger
District 4
Democratic ticket: Glenn Ivey (incumbent)
Republican ticket: George McDermott
District 5
Democratic ticket: Steny Hoyer (incumbent)
Republican ticket: Michelle Talkington
District 6
Democratic ticket: April McClain-Delaney
Republican ticket: Neil Parrott
District 7
Democratic ticket: Kweisi Mfume (incumbent)
Republican ticket: Scott Collier
District 8
Democratic ticket: Jamie Raskin (incumbent)
Republican ticket: Cheryl Riley