10.6.2020 HOW TO SUCCESSFULLY VOTE-BY-MAIL

The Montgomery County Board of Elections makes every effort to ensure that your ballot counts. In the 2020 primary election, less than one tenth of one percent of timely ballots were rejected for any reason. If you do make a mistake, and you return your ballot in time, the staff of the Board of Elections will try to contact you to cure the issue.

The Board of Elections encourages you to cast your ballot as soon as possible and has some suggestions for steps that you may take to help the voting process go smoothly and ensure your right to vote.

1. OPEN VOTE-BY-MAIL BALLOT PACKET AND READ MATERIALS CAFEFULLY - Read the contests on the ballot and the information and forms sent with it carefully. Section 203 of the 1975 Voting Rights Act requires that voting materials and ballots in Montgomery County are printed in English and Spanish.
2. VOTE YOUR BALLOT - Use a black or blue ball point pen. Do not use a sharpie or marker.
3. ID MAY BE REQUIRED – Most voters do not need to provide ID to vote. If you do, the Board of Elections will let you know. A small percentage of voters may need to verify their driver’s license number or the last four digits of their Social Security Number, or may be required to submit a copy of proper identification such as a Maryland driver’s license, Permit, MVA ID or official document including your name and address. You do not need to provide ID unless the words “ID REQUIRED” appear on your return envelope.
4. IF YOU NEED HELP, SIGN AND RETURN THE ENCLOSED CERTIFICATION OF PERSON ASSISTING VOTER - If you need help voting your ballot, the person helping you must mark the ballot according to your wishes and cannot make an effort to influence your vote. You may not be assisted by your employer or an agent of your employer or union. There is a form that any person helping you must complete and return with your voted ballot. It is called the Certification of Person Assisting Voter.
5. USE REPLY ENVELOPE PROVIDED TO RETURN BALLOT - Place voted ballot into Postage Paid return envelope, along with any forms that apply to you, such as a Certification of Person Assisting Voter. If you choose to receive your ballot electronically, you will need to use your own envelope and pay for postage.
6. SIGN, PRINT NAME & DATE VOTER OATH - Sign and date the Oath of Absentee Voter on the back of the return envelope or it will not be counted. To protect the health of election workers, we encourage you to seal the envelope with a wet sponge or cloth. You can also use a piece of tape. “Whether healthy or sick, please don’t lick.”
7. RETURN YOUR BALLOT - No postage is necessary. We strongly encourage all voters to fill out their ballot and mail it as soon as possible. Please do not wait to return your ballot. You can find the nearest USPS collection box or Post Office by using the following USPS website https://tools.usps.com/find-location.htm.

Voters who do not want to use U.S. Mail may use a Board of Elections drop box . Voters who wait to drop off their ballot until Election Day should use a Board of Elections drop box to prevent any delay in having your ballot postmarked. If you use U.S. Mail, your ballot must be postmarked by November 3. If you use a drop box, your ballot must be in the box by 8PM on November 3. You can find the nearest Board of Election ballot drop box by texting the word BOX plus Zip Code (Example: BOX 20879) to 77788 or by visiting https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/Elections/dropbox.html.

 

The Montgomery County Board of Elections has the following drop boxes available now:

Activity Center at Bohrer Park 506 South Frederick Avenue, Gaithersburg, MD 20877

 

City of Rockville 111 Maryland Avenue, Rockville, MD 20850 (City Hall Parking Lot/Drive-up Box)

 

Clarksburg High School 22500 Wims Road, Clarksburg, MD 20871

 

Col. Zadok Magruder High School 5939 Muncaster Mill Road, Rockville, MD 20855

 

Damascus Community Recreation Center 25520 Oak Drive, Damascus, MD 20872

 

Executive Office Building 101 Monroe Street, Rockville, MD 20850

 

Germantown Community Recreation Center 18905 Kingsview Road, Germantown, MD 20874

 

Jane E. Lawton Community Recreation Center 4301 Willow Lane, Chevy Chase, MD 20815

 

Marilyn J. Praisner Community Recreation Center 14906 Old Columbia Pike, Burtonsville, MD 20866

 

Mid-County Community Recreation Center 2004 Queensguard Road, Silver Spring, MD 20906

 

Montgomery County Board of Elections 18753 North Frederick Avenue, Gaithersburg, MD 20879 (Drive-up Box)

 

Montgomery Blair High School 51 University Boulevard East, Silver Spring, MD 20901

 

Montgomery Co. Conference Center Marriott Bethesda North, 5967 Executive Boulevard, North Bethesda, MD 20852

 

Nancy H. Dacek N. Potomac Community Recreation Center, 13850 Travilah Road, Rockville, MD 20850

 

Poolesville High School 17501 West Willard Road, Poolesville, MD 20837

 

Potomac Community Recreation Center 11315 Falls Road, Potomac, MD 20854

 

Sandy Spring Volunteer Fire Department 17921 Brooke Road, Sandy Spring, MD 20860

 

Silver Spring Civic Building 1 Veterans Place, Silver Spring, MD 20910

 

Springbrook High School 201 Valley Brook Drive, Silver Spring, MD 20904

 

Takoma Park Community Center 7500 Maple Avenue, Takoma Park, MD 20912

 

Walt Whitman High School 7100 Whittier Boulevard, Bethesda, MD 20817

 

Watkins Mill High School 10301 Apple Ridge Road, Gaithersburg, MD 20879

 

Wheaton High School 12401 Dalewood Drive, Silver Spring, MD 20906

 

Wheaton Library & Community Recreation Center 11701 Georgia Avenue, Wheaton, MD 20902

 

White Oak Community Recreation Center 1700 April Lane, Silver Spring, MD 20904

 

Drop boxes at the following locations will be available by October 15th:

Albert Einstein High School 11135 Newport Mill Road Kensington, MD 20895 

 

Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School 4301 East-West Highway, Bethesda, MD 20814

 

Damascus High School 25921 Ridge Road, Damascus, MD 20872

 

Gaithersburg High School 101 Education Boulevard, Gaithersburg, MD 20877

 

James Hubert Blake High School 300 Norwood Road, Silver Spring, MD 20905

 

John F. Kennedy High School 1901 Randolph Road, Silver Spring, MD 20902

 

Northwest High School 13501 Richter Farm Road, Germantown, MD 20874

 

Northwood High School 919 University Boulevard West, Silver Spring, MD 20901

 

Paint Branch High School 14121 Old Columbia Pike, Burtonsville, MD 20866

 

Quince Orchard High School 15800 Quince Orchard Road, Gaithersburg, MD 20878

 

Richard Montgomery High School 250 Richard Montgomery Drive, Rockville, MD 20852

 

Rockville High School 2100 Baltimore Road, Rockville, MD 20851

 

Seneca Valley High School 19401 Crystal Rock Drive, Germantown, MD 20874

 

Thomas S. Wootton High School 2100 Wootton Parkway, Rockville, MD 20850

 

Walter Johnson High School 6400 Rock Spring Drive, Bethesda, MD 20814

 

Winston Churchill High School 11300 Gainsborough Road, Potomac, MD 20854

 

Drop boxes at the following locations will be available by October 24th:

Bette Carol Thompson Scotland Neighborhood Recreation Center 7700 Scotland Drive, Potomac, MD 20854

 

East County Community Recreation Center 3310 Gateshead Manor Way, Silver Spring, MD 20904

 

Friendship Heights Village Center 4433 South Park Avenue, Chevy Chase, MD 20815

 

Gwendolyn E. Coffield Community Recreation Center 2450 Lyttonsville Road, Silver Spring, MD 20910

 

Longwood Community Recreation Center 19300 Georgia Avenue, Brookeville, MD 20833

 

Margaret Schweinhaut Senior Center 1000 Forest Glen Road, Silver Spring, MD 20901

 

Robertson Park Youth Center 801 Rabbitt Road, Gaithersburg, MD 20878

 

Sherwood High School 300 Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Sandy Spring, MD 20860

 

Upper County Community Recreation Center 8201 Emory Grove Road, Gaithersburg, MD 20877