Vote!
Your vote is your power. The officials you vote for determine policies on immigration reform, jobs, health care, education, and more. Voting is your chance to choose and to weigh in on the issues that matter most to you—take a moment to register to vote now!Your vote matters.
Voting brings us together as Americans – it is the one time when we are all equal. Voting is your opportunity to support your community and have a say in America’s future.
Voters’ Guide
Election calendar for 2026
2026 GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION DATES
The 2026 gubernatorial election in Maryland will elect the governor and lieutenant governor, attorney general, comptroller, all seats in the State Senate and General Assembly, and numerous local offices.
Primary Election
- February 24, 2026 - Candidate Filing Deadline
- June 2, 2026 - Close of Registration & Party Affiliation Deadline
- June 11, 2026 - Early Voting Begins
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June 16, 2026 - Mail-in Ballot Request Deadline: Ballot Delivered by Mail or Fax: 8pm (mail) or 11:59pm (fax/email)
- June 18, 2026 - Early Voting Ends
- June 19, 2026 - Mail-in Ballot Request Deadline: Ballot Delivered via Internet: 8pm (mail) or 11:59pm (fax/email)
- June 23, 2026 - Gubernatorial Primary Election
- June 23, 2026 - Mail-in Ballot Request Deadline: Voter Picks up Ballot
- June 25, 2026 - Mail-in Ballot Canvass
General Election
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July 7, 2026 - Voter Registration Reopens
- October 13, 2026 - Close of Registration
- October 22, 2026 - Early Voting Begins
- October 27, 2026 - Mail-in Ballot Request Deadline: Ballot Delivered by Mail or Fax - 5pm (mail) or 11:59pm (email/fax)
- October 29, 2026 - Early Voting Ends
- October 30, 2026 - Mail-in Ballot Request Deadline: Ballot Delivered via Internet - 5pm (mail) or 11:59pm (email/fax)
- November 3, 2026 - Gubernatorial General Election
- November 3, 2026 - Mail-in Ballot Request Deadline: Voter Picks up Ballot
- November 16, 2026 - Voter Registration Reopens
2026 Election Calendar
Gubernatorial Election
To vote by mail, you must request a mail-in ballot from the State Board of Elections or your local board. Your request for a mail-in ballot for the Gubernatorial Primary Election must be submitted as follows:
- If you want to receive your ballot by mail or fax, your request must be received (not just mailed) by Tuesday, June 16, 2026.
- If you want to receive your ballot via the internet, your request must be received by 5 pm, Friday, June 19, 2026 for a request sent in the mail, or by 11:59 pm, Friday, June 19, 2026 for a request sent by fax or submitted online.
- If you hand deliver your request and the ballots are ready, you can pick up your mail-in ballot. You may take your mail-in ballot with you and return it by mail or you can vote it at the local board office and give it to an election official.
- The deadline to request a mail-in ballot in person is election day, June 23, 2026 by 8 pm. Please visit your local board of elections' website for hours of operation.
Mail-in ballots must be postmarked or placed in a designated ballot drop box by 8 pm on June 23, 2026 for the Gubernatorial Primary Election.
Please note the new postmarked change. See here:
To vote in person, Marylanders can vote during early voting or on election day:
- For the 2026 Gubernatorial Primary Election, early voting will be available from Thursday, June 11, 2026 through Thursday, June 18, 2026 (including Saturday and Sunday) from 7 am to 8 pm. You can vote early at any early voting center in the county you live in.
- The Gubernatorial Primary Election day is June 23, 2026 from 7 am to 8 pm. To vote in person on election days, vote at your assigned polling place.
Below you will find information on:
- Vote by Mail (Mail-in Ballot)
- Vote Early (Thursday, June 11, 2026 - Thursday, June 18, 2026)
- Vote on Election Day (Gubernatorial Primary Election Day is June 23, 2026.)
- Accessible Voting
Request a Mail-In Ballot
The deadline for us to receive your request for a ballot using our online system is June 02, 2026 for the Gubernatorial Primary Election. If this deadline has passed and you would like to vote a mail-in ballot, please go to your local board of elections. You can pick up your ballot there and either vote and return it then or take your ballot with you and return it by mail or at a ballot drop box.
Vote by Mail (Mail-in Ballot)
If you chose to receive your mail-in ballot by U.S. Mail, simply follow the instructions with your ballot and return it in the postage-paid return envelope that accompanies your ballot.
Your mail-in ballot must be mailed, dropped in a ballot drop box location, taken to a polling place, Early Voting Center or local board by 8 pm on Election Day, June 23 for the Gubernatorial Primary Election. If you mail your ballot, it must be postmarked on or before each election day to be counted.
If you chose to receive your ballot by email, you will receive an email with a link that will allow you to print and mail your ballot.
Maryland.gov is the primary domain name used by the Maryland State Board of Elections. The email will have the prefix "absentee" or "voterservices" and the suffix "@maryland.gov." The following are domain names that the Maryland State of Election uses:
- mdelections.sbe@info.maryland.gov
- absentee.sbe@maryland.gov
- support@marylandstateboardofelections.zohodesk.com
Ballots are delivered from [email protected]. For example, [email protected] is an email we use to communicate with our voters about mail-in voting.
If you don't see your email, please check your SPAM folder and if you don't see it there, please email us and provide your full name, month and day of your birth, and the county where you are registered to vote.
Important Note: A recent change in the law requires the State Board of Elections and each local board of elections to refer to absentee ballots as "mail-in ballots" and absentee voting as "mail-in voting." Please note that this change in terminology does NOT change the process of mail-in voting.
Completing your Ballot
When filling out your ballot, remember to:
- Use black ink pen to mark your ballot (Do not use a sharpie).
- Sign the return envelope. Do not sign the ballot.
- Seal your return envelope.
- Send your ballot using the postage-paid return envelope.
Canceling Mail-In Ballot/Switching to In-Person Voting
If you have previously requested a mail-in ballot and would like to vote in person, you will need to cancel your mail-in ballot. The easiest way to cancel your mail-in ballot request is online via our Voter Registration Update Page here: Maryland’s Online Voter Registration System (OLUP).
You can find step-by-step instructions on canceling your mail-In ballot and switching to in-person voting (including screenshots) on our Mail-In Voting information page.
Returning your Ballot
First Class Mail – U.S. Post Office
We are urging all Marylanders to return their ballots as soon as possible due to potential delays with the U.S. Postal Service. Your mailed ballot comes with a postage-paid return envelope, so submitting your ballot by mail is free. Your ballot must be postmarked on or before June 23 for the Gubernatorial Primary Election. Putting your ballot in a mailbox on election day does not mean it is postmarked that day.
Ballot Drop Boxes
Marylanders can use a ballot drop box to return their mail-in ballot. Ballot drop boxes will be open until 8pm on June 23 for the Gubernatorial Primary Election.
Voting In Person
The best time to vote in person is on weekends during early voting and between 10 am and 3 pm on election day.
Vote Early
If you prefer to vote in person, for the Gubernatorial Primary Election, early voting centers will be open from Thursday, June 11, 2026 through Thursday, June 18, 2026 from 7 am until 8 pm–Saturday and Sunday too. You may vote early at any early voting center in your jurisdiction of residence.
Vote on Election Day
Election day polling places will be open from 7 am until 8 pm on June 23, 2026. Election day voting will be held at your assigned polling place.
Find your polling location
There have been changes in polling place assignments. Before the election check your voter notification card for your polling place, or check the Maryland Poll Locator to identify your polling place and your congressional, legislative, and councilmanic district numbers.
You can also find your polling location by visiting VOTE411.org. On the VOTE411.org homepage, enter your street address and zip code. You will then use the Maryland Poll Locator to identify your polling place and your congressional, legislative, and councilmanic district numbers.
Vote in person or by mail-in ballot
To vote in person, go to your local polling location for early voting or on election day.
To request and submit a mail-in ballot, download and print the Mail-in Ballot Application form or Solicitud de Maryland para una papeleta para votar por correo.
Mail-in ballots must be postmarked or placed in a designated ballot drop box by 8 p.m. May 14, 2024, to be counted for the 2024 primary election.
Get Involved
Volunteer with the League to promote voter registration and voter outreach. Complete our volunteer form or contact us by calling 410-377-8046, or email [email protected].
Join the League's candidate forums to hear from competing candidates.
Learn about the voting system from the Baltimore County Board of Elections.
Report an election problem by calling:
1-866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683)
1-888-VE-Y-VOTA (en Español)
Conduct poll evaluations
Poll evaluators visit one or two precincts on election day to verify that the polls are following processes and procedures required by the Board of Elections.The evaluator completes a survey document after the visit, which are returned to the Board of Elections. This helps the BOE identify issues at precincts so they can be corrected in future elections.
Volunteers are trained by the Board of Elections staff. The training takes one to two hours and includes an overview of the election judge training. To volunteer, call the League office at 410-377-8046 or email [email protected].
Options For Voters With Disabilities
Voters with disabilities have the options of either voting in person or voting by mail. Voting centers will have ballot marking devices for use by voters who would have difficulty reading and marking a paper ballot. For those who wish to vote by mail, Maryland offers internet delivery of ballots and an online ballot marking tool. This option is compatible with adaptive technology to enable those with disabilities to access the internet. Internet delivery may be requested on a paper application for a mail-in ballot or in an online application. A printer will be required to use this option. Downloaded ballots cannot be returned via the internet. To learn more about the Maryland State Board of Elections voting accessibility options for voters with disabilities, click here.