Leonardtown, MD – Important deadlines for the upcoming 2016 Presidential Primary Election are approaching.  The deadline to register to vote, change party affiliation, update an address, and request an alternate polling place for this election is Tuesday, April 5, 2016 at 9 p.m..

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 8 General Election – must register by the 9 p.m. deadline on April 5.  This is also the last day for registered voters to update their address at their local board of elections or change their party affiliation.

St. Mary’s County residents with a Maryland driver’s license or MVA-issued ID may register to vote, change their address, or change their party affiliation online at https://voterservices.elections.maryland.gov/OnlineVoterRegistration.  Voters and members of the military, their spouses and dependents who are overseas and who do not have a Maryland driver’s license or MVA-issued ID, may also register or change their address or party affiliation online using different identifying information.

Paper voter registration applications must be hand-delivered or mailed to the St. Mary’s County Board of Elections. A hand-delivered application must be received by the St. Mary’s County Board of Elections by 9:00 p.m. on April 5 and a mailed application must be postmarked by April 5.

Voter registration applications are available across Maryland at the following locations:

  • Local boards of elections
  • Motor Vehicle Administration offices
  • State Department of Health offices
  • Local Department of Social Services offices
  • Offices on Aging
  • Division of Rehabilitation Services
  • Public institutions of higher education
  • Marriage license bureaus
  • Post offices
  • Public libraries
  • State Board of Elections

You may also call 1-800-222-8683 to request an application by mail or download and print a voter registration application at www.elections.maryland.gov/voter_registration/application.html

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 ask to be reassigned to an accessible polling place.  This request must be submitted in writing by 9 p.m. on April 5.   The request form is available online at  www.elections.maryland.gov/pdf/request_for_accessible_polling_place.pdf or by calling 1-800-222-8683 to request a form by mail.  On receipt of a timely request, the St. Mary’s County 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. 

To verify voter registration status or to find out if an assigned polling place is accessible, visit https://voterservices.elections.maryland.gov/VoterSearch.

The 2016 Presidential Primary Election will be held on Tuesday, April 26 and the 2016 Presidential General Election is Tuesday, November 8.  Starting Thursday, April 14 up to and including Thursday, April 21, voters can vote in person at the designated early voting center(s) in their county of residence and update their address.  The best days to vote early to avoid delays are Saturday, April 16 and Sunday, April 17.  Early voting locations and hours and additional election-related dates and information are available at www.elections.maryland.gov/voting/early_voting.html.

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