Voting in Maryland – Critical Voter Guide to Making Your Voice Count

Understanding Maryland’s Closed Primary System

Maryland has a closed primary, which means you can only vote in a primary election if you are registered with a political party. Independent or unaffiliated voters cannot participate in party primaries when voting in Maryland.

Why Primary Elections Matter

Primaries Often Decide the Outcome

In many Maryland districts, one political party has a strong advantage. When this happens, the primary election effectively determines who will win in November. Your vote in the primary may be more consequential than your vote in the general election.

Local Races Are on the Ballot

Even if a high-profile race seems uncompetitive, your primary ballot includes important races such as:

• House of Delegates representatives
• State Senate seats
• Congressional representatives
• County officials
• Judges
• School board members (in some jurisdictions)
• Party committee positions

Primary voter turnout is typically very low (often 15-20%), which means each vote carries significantly more weight than in general elections.

For example, in the 2022 election, 4,272 of the 31,155 registered voters in District 35B voted in the primary and 116 votes determined the winner for the entire race. That’s a 28.2% voter turnout. (The winner received 1,648 votes; 38.6% of the votes) Of the 31,155 registered voters only 23,431 were eligible to vote in the closed primary.

The official breakdown by voting method in the 2022 election:

• Early voting: 849 votes
• Election Day: 2,789 votes
• Mail-in Ballot 1: 395 votes
• Provisional: 131 votes
• Mail-in Ballot 2: 108 votes

_{Source: https://elections.maryland.gov/elections/2022/election_data/index.html}

Voter Registration Statistics & Data for the 2022 Gubernatorial Election:

District	County	Democratic	Republican	Bread and Roses Party	Green Party	Libertarian Party	Working Class Party	Other Party	Unaffiliated	Total
35B	Cecil	8,305	15,126	0	46	189	42	325	7,122	31,155

_{Source: https://elections.maryland.gov/voter_registration/stats.html}

How to Ensure You Can Vote in a Primary

Step 1: Register to Vote

If you’re not already registered, you must register to vote. You can register:

• Online at https://voterservices.elections.maryland.gov/OnlineVoterRegistration
• By mail using a voter registration form
• In person at your local Board of Elections or MVA office

Registration deadline: 21 days before any election

Step 2: Choose a Party Affiliation

To vote in a primary, you must register with a political party. Maryland’s major parties are:

• Republican Party
• Democratic Party

You can also register with minor parties, but their primaries may not always have contests.

Important: If you register as “unaffiliated” or “independent,” you will NOT be able to vote for any party in primary elections.

Step 3: Know the Party Affiliation Deadline

• You must be registered with a party 21 days before the primary election
• If you want to change your party affiliation, you must do so at least 21 days before the primary
• You can change your party affiliation as often as you want, as long as you meet the deadline

Step 4: Verify Your Registration

Check your voter registration status to confirm:

• You are registered to vote
• Your party affiliation is correct
• Your address is current

Check online: https://voterservices.elections.maryland.gov/VoterSearch

Step 5: Know When and Where to Vote

Primary Election Date: The 2026 primary is scheduled for June 23, 2026 from 7am to 8pm

Find your polling place: Use the voter lookup tool at https://voterservices.elections.maryland.gov/VoterSearch

Voting options:

• Vote in person on Election Day
• Vote early during the early voting period (typically 8 days before Election Day)
• Vote by mail (request an absentee ballot: https://voterservices.elections.maryland.gov/onlinemailinrequest)

Step 6: Research the Candidates

Before the primary:

• Identify which races appear on your ballot
• Research candidates’ positions and backgrounds
• Consider attending candidate forums or town halls
• Check local news coverage and candidate websites

Primary elections often feature multiple candidates from the same party with different perspectives and priorities. Your research helps you make an informed choice.

Key Dates to Remember

• June 2, 2026 (21 days before primary): Deadline to register or change party affiliation
• June 11-18, 2026 (7am – 8pm): Primary Election early voting period
• June 23, 2026: Primary Election Day (7am – 8pm)
• October 22-29, 2026 (7am – 8pm): General Election early voting period
• November 3, 2026 (7am – 8pm): General Election Day

Additional Resources

• Interactive Maryland District 35B Cecil County Map: Maryland District 35B Cecil County
• Maryland State Board of Elections: https://elections.maryland.gov
• Voter registration and information: https://voterservices.elections.maryland.gov
• Local Board of Elections: Contact information available at state website
• Election hotline: 1-800-222-8683

Remember

Your vote is powerful. In many districts, the primary election determines who will represent you in office. By registering with an eligible party and participating in primaries, you exercise your most meaningful influence over who governs at the state and local level.

Make your voice heard: register, research, and vote in primary elections.