What you need to know about mail-in ballots in Maryland

Listed below are solutions to ceaselessly requested questions on mail-in ballots in Maryland.

What’s the distinction between absentee ballots and mail-in ballots? 

It’s the identical factor. Traditionally absentee ballots have been utilized by members of the U.S. armed companies serving abroad or individuals who anticipate to be out of city or in any other case unable to vote in-person on Election Day. Nonetheless, mail-in ballots have been extra broadly adopted among the many basic public lately, particularly because the begin of the coronavirus pandemic.

When is the deadline to submit a mail-in poll? 

Mail-in ballots should be postmarked or delivered to an official drop field within the jurisdiction the place you reside by 9 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 8.

When are native state boards of elections throughout Maryland anticipated to start canvassing ballots? 

The next jurisdictions are anticipated to start counting mail-in ballots earlier than Election Day: Allegany County, Baltimore Metropolis, Baltimore County, Calvert County, Frederick County, Howard County, Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, Saint Mary’s County, and Washington County.

The next counties gained’t start processing mail-in ballots till Nov. 10, based on the Maryland State Board of Elections: Anne Arundel County, Caroline County, Carroll County, Cecil County, Charles County, Dorchester County, Garrett County, Harford County, Kent County, Queen Anne’s County, Somerset County, Talbot County, Wicomico County, and Worcester County.

What occurred through the authorized battle about mail-in voting? 

Over the last legislative session, Maryland lawmakers handed a invoice that might permit mail-in ballots to be counted earlier than Election Day, however it was vetoed by Gov. Larry Hogan.

In August, the Maryland State Board of Elections voted unanimously to pursue an emergency courtroom order to permit counties statewide to start counting mail-in ballots as early as Oct. 1. The state board was involved that a big quantity of mail-in ballots would delay ultimate election outcomes till January 2023.

The Montgomery County Circuit Court docket dominated that county election officers might start canvassing mail-in ballots earlier than Election Day, however Republican nominee for governor Dan Cox appealed the ruling. Cox finally took his enchantment to the state’s highest courtroom, however misplaced in early October.

Though native election officers can now canvass ballots early, mail-in poll outcomes gained’t be shared till after the polls shut at 8 p.m. on Nov. 8.

What has voter turnout seemed like for mail-in ballots?  

Throughout a typical midterm election, mail-in ballots account for a small fraction of votes.

For instance, through the 2018 midterm basic election, mail-in ballots accounted for 118,215 — simply over 5% — of the greater than 2.3 million ballots canvassed statewide.

However this 12 months, state election officers anticipate to obtain extra mail-in ballots than in any prior election apart from the 2020 election, which occurred on the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Greater than 1.5 million Marylanders submitted mail-in ballots within the November 2020 election.

As of Nov. 2, 629,110 Maryland voters have been despatched mail-in ballots for the overall election, and election officers have acquired 308,580 accomplished ballots again. Voters can request mail-in ballots in particular person at their native boards of election workplaces as late as Election Day.

A small share of mail-in ballots are rejected throughout every election cycle for numerous causes, state information exhibits.

In the course of the July main this 12 months, there have been 514,570 ballots despatched to voters, 346,114 returned, and 342,655 accepted statewide.