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Important deadlines for the upcoming 2012 Presidential Primary Election are approaching.  The deadline to register to vote or change party affiliation and the deadline for certain voters to request a polling place change for this election is 9:00 pm on Tuesday, March 13, 2012

To vote in the upcoming primary election, Maryland residents who are eligible to vote but are not yet registered – including 17 year olds who will be 18 years old or older on or before the November 6, 2012, General Election – must complete a voter registration application and hand-deliver or mail the application to the St. Mary’s Board of Elections.  A hand-delivered application must be received by this office by 9:00 pm on March 13, 2012, and a mailed application must be postmarked by March 13, 2012.  This is also the deadline for registered voters who have moved since the last election to provide updated address information to the St. Mary’s Board of Elections and for registered voters who wish to change their party affiliation.

Voter registration applications are available at the following locations:

Local boards of elections
Motor Vehicle Administration offices
State Department of Health offices
Local Department of Social Services offices
Offices of Aging
Division of Rehabilitation Services

Public Institutions of higher education
Marriage license bureaus
Post offices
Public libraries
State Board of Elections
 

*1-800-222-8683 to request an application by mail

*Go to www.elections.state.md.us (click “Voter Registration Information” under Quick Links)

Most of Maryland’s polling places are accessible to voters with disabilities.  An elderly voter or a voter with a disability who is assigned to an inaccessible polling place may request reassignment to an accessible polling place.  This request must be submitted in writing by 9:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 13, 2012.  The form to request reassignment is available at www.elections.state.md.us (type “polling place reassignment” in the Search field).  On receipt of a timely request, the St. Mary’s Board of Elections will review the request and determine whether there is an accessible polling place with the same ballot as the voter’s home precinct and notify the voter of the status of his or her request.    

On the State Board of Elections’ website, a voter can verify his or her voter registration status and find out if the polling place to which he or she has been assigned is accessible.  To find this information, a voter can visit www.elections.state.md.us and click on the “Find Out Here” link.

The 2012 Presidential Primary Election will be held on Tuesday, April 3, 2012, and the General Election will be held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012.  Starting the 2nd Saturday before the election through the Thursday before the election, voters can vote in person at the designated early voting center(s) in their county of residence.  Early voting locations and hours and additional election-related dates and information are available at www.elections.state.md.us(click “Early Voting” under Quick Links).

For more information, voters may contact the St. Mary’s County Board of Elections at 301-475-7844 ext. 1100 or the State Board of Elections at 1-800-222-VOTE (8683) or visit www.elections.state.md.us.