MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. — The drop box is the newest alternative to casting your vote in the age of pandemic social distancing and after doubt has been sowed by President Donald Trump about voting by mail.
Montgomery and Prince George’s County are rushing now to get even more drop box locations approved, according to the State Board of Elections.
According to their applications, Montgomery county is seeking approval for 40 more drop box sites to put mostly at early voting centers and 25 high schools.
Prince George’s wants 36 more sites, their application shows.
The State’s board of elections must approve the applications.
The sites are not yet final.
The boxes will be under 24-hour surveillance and will be opened and emptied for final counting only by poll workers, one Republican and one Democratic, according to Montgomery County’s board of elections.
Here’s what you need to do to use a drop box in Maryland.
- Register to vote by October 13
- Request a ballot:
- Ballot applications can be obtained online from the Maryland State Board of Elections, by texting VBM to 77788 or by waiting until you receive a ballot in the mail. (By order of Gov. Larry Hogan, every registered voter will be sent an application to the address on file by the end of August).
- Ballot applications must be completed online, by text, or by mail by October 20.
- Once you receive your ballot, you may vote at any time.
- Drop your ballot in a drop box in your jurisdiction by the end of voting on Nov. 3
An important detail: The ballot must be put in the envelope it came with, which is bar coded and tracked for security. THE OUTSIDE OF THE ENVELOPE MUST BE SIGNED to verify the voter's identity.
You can also send the ballot by US mail, as long as its postmarked no later than November 3rd.
Maryland election authorities warn that the number of voting sites for in-person voting will be sharply curtailed due to the pandemic.
Currently, only 277 voting sites have been approved by the Maryland State Board of Elections.
By contrast, in 2016 there were more than 2000 polling places on Election Day.
Early in-person voting at Maryland voting sites begins on October 26th.