Remember to Vote on Nov. 6
Register to vote, change party affiliation, or personal information by Oct. 16
It is a little less than a month away from General Election Day, which will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 6. If you are a registered voter, we encourage you to participate in this year’s election. There are several ways you can vote, including absentee voting, early voting, or election day voting.
General Early Voting is held between Thursday, Oct. 25, and Thursday, Nov. 1. During early voting, you can vote at the La Plata Firehouse (911 Washington Avenue, La Plata) or Gleneagles Neighborhood Center (4900 Kirkcaldy Court, Waldorf). If you cannot go to an early voting center or your polling place, consider submitting an absentee vote. You can submit an absentee ballot online on the State Board of Elections website at https:// elections.maryland.gov/voting/ absentee.html, or fill out your absentee ballot and forms and either mail to P.O. Box 908, La Plata, MD, 20646 or provide in-person to the Charles County Board of Elections (201 Charles Street, La Plata).
If you are voting on Election Day, you must visit the voting location specific to where you live. Your Voter Notification Card will provide your precinct number and polling place location. You can also find your polling place by visiting https:// voterservices.elections.maryland.gov/PollingPlaceSearch.
If you would like to register to vote, change party affiliation, update an address, or request an alternate polling place, you must do so by Tuesday, Oct. 16, at 9 p.m. Charles 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.
You can also register to vote by completing an application in-person at several locations including the Charles County Board of Elections, State Board of Elections, Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Department of Social Services, or Motor Vehicle Administration. A full list of voter registration locations is available online at https://elections.maryland. gov/. Paper voter registration applications must be hand-delivered or mailed to the Charles County Board of Elections, 201 Charles Street, La Plata, MD, 20646 and postmarked by Tuesday, Oct. 16, 9 p.m.
To be eligible to register to vote in Maryland, you must be a United States citizen, a Maryland resident, and at least 16 years old. If you are 16 years old, you cannot vote unless you will be at least 18 years old by the next general election. For more information, contact the Charles County Board of Election at 301-934-8972 or State Board of Elections at 1-800-222VOTE (8683) or go to https:// elections.maryland.gov/.
By voting you have an opportunity to choose leaders that represent or support ideas you are passionate about. We hope you consider making your voice heard by coming to the voting polls on Nov. 6 or participating in early voting or absentee voting.
Michael D. Mallinoff is the county administrator for Charles County Government.
Tracy A. Dickerson is the election director for Charles County Board of Elections.