Where, when and how to vote in Montgomery County

Early voting: Oct. 22 – Oct. 29

You can vote at any of Montgomery County's 14 early voting centers, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day from Thursday, Oct. 22, through Thursday, Oct. 29, including Saturday and Sunday. To avoid delays, the Board of Elections suggests voting on the weekend; it says waits are usually longest on the last day.

Not registered, or moved? You can register, or update your address, and vote the same day at an early voting center. Bring one of these to prove where you live:

• Your MVA-issued license, permit or ID card
• Your change of address card
• A paycheck, bank statement, utility bill or other government document with your name and new address

Election Day: Tuesday, Nov. 3

Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. On Election Day you vote at your assigned polling place: one of 230 that serve the county's 257 precincts. If you're in line at 8 p.m., you can still vote. Enter your address in the guide above to find yours, or use the State Board of Elections' polling place lookup.

You can also register and vote on Election Day at the polling place for your address, with the same proof of where you live. If you vote at another precinct's polling place, you'll cast a provisional ballot.

Voting by mail

Any registered voter can vote by mail; you don't need a reason. To have a mail-in ballot mailed to you, request it by Tuesday, Oct. 27: online, or by mail, fax or email so it's received by then. To download and print your ballot instead, request it by Friday, Oct. 30. You can also request one in person at the Board of Elections office, 18753 N. Frederick Ave., Suite 210, Gaithersburg, until 8 p.m. on Election Day. Request a ballot online.

Return your ballot by mail, postmarked by Election Day; it must arrive by 10 a.m. Friday, Nov. 13, and the return envelope is postage-paid. Or put it in any of the county's 58 ballot drop boxes, open around the clock until 8 p.m. Nov. 3, including one at every early voting center and drive-up boxes at Rockville City Hall and the Board of Elections office. You can also hand it to an election judge at any early voting center during early voting, or at any polling place on Election Day until 8 p.m.

Sign the oath on the return envelope, or your ballot won't count. If you forget, the Board will contact you, and you have until 10 a.m. Friday, Nov. 13, to send a signed oath. If you requested a mail-in ballot and decide to vote in person, you'll vote a provisional ballot unless you've canceled your request. More from the Board of Elections.

What to bring

Most Maryland voters don't need to show ID: an election judge confirms who you are by your month and day of birth and your address. Some first-time voters will be asked for ID. If you are, show one of these:

• A current and valid photo ID: a Maryland driver's license, MVA ID card, student, employee or military ID card, U.S. passport, or any other state or federal government-issued ID card
• A current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or other government document that shows your name and address, dated within three months of the election

Getting there

Where a Ride On or Metro stop is within a quarter-mile of an early voting center or polling place, the guide names it and the routes that serve it, and the directions links open your maps app with transit directions. Ride On buses, including Flash, are free.

Accessibility

Every early voting center and polling place has a ballot marking device, with an audio ballot, large print and high-contrast displays; ask an election judge. You can bring someone to help you vote, as long as it isn't your employer or an agent of your employer, an officer or agent of your union, or a challenger or watcher, or you can ask two election judges to help. If you run into a barrier while voting, tell an election judge or call the Board of Elections at 240-777-8500 (Maryland Relay: 711). Ballots and voting materials in Montgomery County are also in Spanish.

About this guide

Early voting centers, polling places and drop boxes come from the Montgomery County Board of Elections; the early voting center list, each precinct's polling place, city and ZIP code, and the voting rules from the Maryland State Board of Elections; precincts and districts from the Maryland Department of Planning; stops and routes from Ride On's and WMATA's published timetables; map geography from the U.S. Census Bureau. The Washington Clarion is not affiliated with the Board of Elections. Confirm details at 777vote.org.