Register to Vote

Verify if you are registered to vote. You can use the voter lookup tool to find your sample ballot once available.

ELIGIBILITY

To register to vote, you must be:

  • A U.S. citizen
  • A Maryland resident
  • At least 16 years of age—You may register to vote if you are at least 16 years old but cannot vote unless you will be at least 18 years old by the next general election.

You cannot have been:

  • Convicted of buying or selling votes
  • Under guardianship for mental disability and found by a court to be unable to communicate a desire to vote
  • Convicted of a felony and currently serving a court-ordered sentence of imprisonment—Effective March 10, 2016, if you have been convicted of a felony, you are eligible to register to vote once you have completed the court-ordered sentence of imprisonment. For the purposes of eligibility to register to vote, convictions include federal, state and out-of-state convictions.

HELP AMERICA VOTE ACT

Federal law requires that new applicants who register by mail after January 1, 2003 provide identification information upon application or before casting his or her vote at the polls. To streamline the process at the polls, we require the applicant to send the Board of Elections one of the following:

  • A copy of a current or valid photo identification
  • A copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or government document that shows the voter's name and address

Note: If the voter is required to provide identification information, but fails to do so at the polls, the voter will be issued a provisional ballot. The provisional ballot will only be counted if the voter is duly registered and provides the identification information before the counting of the provisional ballots occurs. It is vital that the voter provide proof of identification to avoid confusion at the polls and to avoid the hassle of coming to the Board of Elections Office during the counting of paper ballots.

WHEN TO REGISTER

The deadline to register or change your information is April 23 for the Presidential Primary and October 15 for the General.

Baltimore County residents who are eligible to vote but not yet registered can register in person and vote at our early voting centers between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. from Thursday, May 2 to Thursday, May 9 for the Primary, and Thursday, October 24 to Thursday, October 31 for the General.

Learn more about in-person registration during early voting from the Maryland State Board of Elections.

HOW TO APPLY

  1. Gather Information Required for Registration

    Required or requested information to apply for registration includes:

    • Your name, address and telephone number
    • Your date of birth, place of birth and gender
    • Your citizenship status
    • Your party affiliation
    • Your driver's license number or Social Security number
    • If previously registered, the name and address on your prior registration
    • Your original signature—Note: Nothing can be processed without your signature.
  2. Complete an Application

    Voter registration applications can be obtained at the following locations:

    • Complete an online application using Maryland's Online Voter Registration System (OLVR)
    • Download an application from the State Board of Elections directly
    • Baltimore County Board of Elections by phone or in person
    • Local post offices
    • Libraries
    • Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) offices
    • County municipal offices
    • All public assistance offices
    • All offices providing state-funded programs
  3. Receive Your Voter Notification Card

    You are considered a registered voter only upon receipt of your voter notification card from the Board of Elections. Voter notification cards returned from the post office are processed and the applicant is canceled.

ABOUT YOUR VOTER NOTIFICATION CARD

After you register or any time you change your information, you will receive a voter notification card that includes the following information:

  • Your name and address
  • Date issued
  • The affiliation of your choice
  • The name and address of your polling place
  • Your Election District and Precinct, Legislative, Congressional and Councilmanic Districts
  • Voter identification number

Registration is permanent as long as you continue to live in Maryland and keep your name and address current. You do not have to re-register when you move within the state.

MILITARY OR OVERSEAS

Certain U.S. citizens who live overseas or are in the military are eligible to register and vote in Maryland. If you are an overseas citizen, military personnel or dependent of military personnel, you may register to vote in Maryland if your current or last U.S. residence was in Maryland. To register, you can use the OLVR website or fill out a federal post card application.

VOTER REGISTRATION VOLUNTEER

Voter Registration Volunteers (VRVs) help to register voters and return those applications to our office. To become a VRV you must be 18 years old by the General Election and never have been convicted of buying or selling votes. VRVs do not receive compensation.

QUESTIONS

Questions and answers for voter registration are subject to change by the Maryland State Board of Elections. Refer to their voter registration website for the latest changes and revisions.