Have you ever wondered if you are registered to vote for the upcoming elections? Do you even know if you are eligible to register? I, myself was unsure of my voting status until very recently; however, it is very simple to find out how.
A lot of people know that the voting age in the United States is 18, but that’s not the earliest you are able to register to vote. If you are in a government class you might have already been told about registering to vote and if you are on a College Board service they might have already notified you about registering. But it can be something that many push aside as it’s not of the utmost importance to you. The present is a better time than ever so here is what to know.
The State Board of Elections shares that in the state of Maryland to vote you have to:
- at least 16 to register to vote
- be a Maryland resident
- be a U.S. citizen
- have a clean criminal record
To register it can be done online or mailed in directly. Whatever way you prefer.
To register online use The Maryland State Board of Elections website which is also where you can find forms to print out to directly mail in. The website also informs visitors of polling locations, voter info, and ballot requests.
There are many other ways to register to vote The State Board of Elections informs, such as completing a voter registration process at:
- Local Board of Elections
- The State Board of Elections
- Local department of health
- Maryland Department of Human Services local offices
- Maryland Voter Administration offices
- MTA Paratransit Certification office
- All public institutions of higher education
- Recruitment offices of the U.S. Armed Forces
- Marriage license offices; and
- Offices for students with disabilities at all Maryland Colleges and universities.
(You can also register on the day of the election or during early voting.)
What prospective voters should bring to register is a Maryland’s driver license or MVA ID card. If you don’t have either, know the last four digits of your social security number.
When you register you have the choice to affiliate with a political party, but if you can’t make a choice or don’t want to, you will be labeled “unaffiliated”. Keep in mind if you are unaffiliated you will generally not be able to vote for the primary elections.
Once you are registered to vote you cannot vote in state or federal elections until you are 18–a legal adult–but there are other elections you may be able to participate in before then. Cities can choose the lower the voting age through a city council vote, for all local elections.
Cities that have done this are:
- Greenbelt
- Hyattsville
- Mount Rainier
- Riverdale Park
- Takoma Park
If you aren’t sure if you have registered to vote already or still need to, The Maryland State Board of Elections has a section that allows for voter lookup. You enter simple information about yourself and it searches the voter registration record.
Registering to vote is something that should be considered by anyone who is eligible so by the time the elections roll around you will be prepared to vote. Every vote matters and make your voice heard with your vote.
