Get the Facts!

Election Day Voting Hours Extended

Rumor:The voting places are so busy President Obama has extended the voting another day for his supporters. That means if your going to vote for President Obama you don't have to fight the crowds today, you can wait till tomorrow.

FACT: The federal government can not extend voting hours. Maryland Election Day polls are open from 7:00am-8:00pm today.

How do I vote a straight party ticket?

Rumor: To vote for all candidates of one political party, press that party's candidate for President and press the screen for "Straight Democratic Ticket" or "Straight Republican Ticket." If you do not vote for a candidate for President, your ballot will be voided.

FACT: In Maryland, there is no button to vote for all candidates of one political party. If you want to vote for all of the candidates from one political party, you select each candidate's name on the ballot.

Absentee Voting

Rumor: Absentee and provisional ballots are not counted unless there is a close contest.

Fact: In Maryland, all qualified absentee and provisional ballots are counted, regardless of whether doing so will change the outcome of a close contest.

Do I need to Re-register?

Rumor: If you haven't voted since the 2008 presidential elections, you are no longer registered to vote and must re-register if you wish to vote in the 2012 presidential election.

Fact: Registration is permanent as long as you continue to live in Maryland and keep your name and address current. Check to make sure that you are registered to vote and that your information is up-to-date. If you need to update your information, you can use Maryland's Online Voter Registration system (OLVR) to do so.

Voting Time

Rumor: There is a time limit for voting.

Fact: There is no time limit for voting. However, after 2 minutes of no activity by the voter, the voting unit display a message to determine whether or not the voting session is still ongoing, or if the voter has left without casting his ballot. If the voter is still in the process of voting, the voter merely responds to the message. If the voter does not respond within 30 seconds, the voting session will end. If the voter failed to complete the voting process or respond to the message, the election judge can confirm that a ballot was not cast and give the voter another opportunity to vote.

Scam Phone Calls

Rumor: In another state, there are reports that calls are being made to voters to warn them of long lines at the polls and then offering the voter the opportunity to vote over the phone.

Fact: You cannot vote over the phone. You must either request an absentee ballot or vote during early voting or on election day.

U.S. votes are counted in Spain

Rumor: President Obama has sold the tabulating of votes in U.S. national elections to Scytl, a Spanish company run by a donor to his campaign.

FACT: In Maryland, the tabulation of votes is conducted in each county by a bi-partisan canvassing board. We have no association with Scytl. Furthermore, the federal government is not responsible for the tabulation of votes in any state. See the EAC website for additional information.

Voting in the General Election

Rumor: If you did not vote in the primary election, you cannot vote in the general election.

FACT: If you are a registered voter, you can vote in the general election even if you did not vote in the primary election. Check to make sure that you are registered to vote and that your information is up-to-date.

Voter Registration

Rumor: The rules have changed. If you have not voted since Nov 2008, you must re-register to vote 30 days prior to Nov or you will not be allowed to vote in the upcoming National election.

FACT: Once you registered to vote in Maryland you remain a registered voter. You are not required to re-register and voters are never removed due to inactivity. Voters do need to keep their registration information current - so if you have moved or changed your name, please submit a voter registration application to update your information. You can check here to determine whether you are registered to vote and confirm that your information is up-to-date.

Early Voting Centers

Rumor: You can vote at an early voting center on election day.

FACT: Early voting centers will not be open for voting on election day. Early voting centers are only open for voting during early voting. On election day, you must vote at the polling place for the address where you live.

Choosing an Early Voting Center

Rumor: During early voting, you must go to the early voting center that is closest to where you live.

FACT: You can go to any early voting center in the county where you reside. Most counties have only one early voting center, but if the county where you live has more than one early voting center, you can go to any of the early voting centers.

Petition Signature Collection at the Polling Place on Election Day

Rumor: Can someone ask me to sign a petition on election day at my polling place?

FACT:Yes. However, the petition circulator must be stationed outside the "No Electioneering Zone."