Local Election 2024

Originally Published: March 13, 2024

Five Things You Need To Know

You already know it’s a Presidential Election year, but what about on the state and local levels? Here are the FIVE things you need to know for the upcoming primary election.

1. Which offices are up for election? At the state level, we will elect a Senator and a Congressperson, as well as Delegates to the Republican and Democratic National Conventions. At the county level, we will elect three members of the Board of Education and a Circuit Court Judge.

2. Who can vote? Anyone who is registered to vote can vote, but who you can vote for will depend on how you are registered. Maryland is a closed primary state, so if you are registered as Independent/Unaffiliated you will only vote for the Board of Education in the primary. This means you are excluded from voting for candidates for President, Senator, Congressperson, Convention Delegates, or Circuit Court Judge.

While the Circuit Court Judge race is technically non-partisan, the candidates appear only on the Republican and Democratic ballots (no matter the candidate’s personal party affiliation). Circuit Court Judge has a 15 year term.

In short, if you are registered Independent (Unaffiliated) you will need to change your party affiliation to Democrat or Republican by April 23, 2024 in order to vote for all offices.

3. Can I vote by mail? Yes! The deadline to request receipt of a mail-in ballot by mail is May 7th, and to receive electronically (e-mai) the deadline is May 10th. Mail-in ballots must be postmarked, or dropped off in a ballot drop box, by May 14th.

4. When can I vote? Early voting for the Primary Election is May 2nd through May 9th, and Primary Election Day is May 14th. Polling location information will be released by the St. Mary’s County Board of Elections.

5. What if I’m not registered? Don’t worry, you have plenty of time! Register to vote by April 23rd in advance of the election, or you can visit any polling location during early voting or on election day and register to vote in person. All you need to bring is a document that proves where you live, like a MVA-issued license, ID card, change of address card, or a paycheck, bank statement, utility bill, or other government document with your name and address.

Register to vote and find more information on the County’s Board of Elections website: https://www.stmaryscountymd.gov/SupervisorOfElections/