Maryland

Find nonpartisan voter education and local coverage for Maryland. A summary of Maryland voting rules is below, and each county on the map has its own page.

Explore Maryland Counties

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All 24 Maryland counties (A–Z)

Voting in Maryland

Voting rules are set by each state. This is a summary of Maryland voting rules, checked Nov. 4, 2026, from Vote.gov (U.S. government), the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) and Ballotpedia. Rules and dates can change, so confirm with Maryland’s official election website or your local election office before each election.

Registering to vote

Online: by 21 days before Election Day.
By mail: must be postmarked 21 days before Election Day.
In person: available through Election Day (same-day registration).
Register or check your registration (Maryland on Vote.gov)

Primary elections

Maryland has closed primaries: only voters registered with a party can vote in that party’s primary.

Voter ID

Maryland does not require most voters to show an ID document to vote in person; election workers confirm identity in other ways, such as checking a signature or personal information. First-time voters who registered by mail may need to show ID under federal law.

Early voting

Starts: On the second Thursday before an election. Ends: Thursday before an election. Locations and hours are set locally.

Voting by mail

Any Maryland voter can request an absentee/mail ballot. No excuse is needed.

Your local election office

Find contact information for your local election office on Maryland’s official election website.

Sources: Vote.gov (registration deadlines); NCSL voter ID (updated Sept. 3, 2026), early voting (updated Aug. 11, 2026) and absentee voting (updated July 17, 2026); Ballotpedia primary types (as of Aug. 2026).