Guide to Early Voting in Montgomery County
Tips for voting quickly at one of five locations in the county.
Update (Monday, Oct. 29, 3 p.m.): Early voting has been canceled for Tuesday, Oct. 30, due to Hurricane Sandy, Gov. Martin O’Malley said Monday afternoon.
Update (Sunday, Oct. 28): Early voting has been cancelled for Monday, Oct. 29, due to Hurricane Sandy, according to a Montgomery County email alert.
Original story (Wednesday, Oct. 24): While absentee voting already is occurring (8,414 absentee ballots have been received by the Montgomery County Board of Elections), starting Saturday, Oct. 27, at 10 a.m., Montgomery County residents will be able to cast their votes at one of these five early voting centers around the county:
- Bauer Recreation Center, 14625 Bauer Dr., Rockville, MD 20853.
- Executive Office Building, 101 Monroe St., Rockville, MD 20850.
- Germantown Recreation Center, 18905 Kingsview Rd., Germantown, MD 20874.
- Marilyn Praisner Community Center, 14906 Old Columbia Pike, Burtonsville, MD 20866.
- Silver Spring Civic Building, One Veterans Place, Silver Spring, MD 20910.
County residents may vote at any of the centers during the early voting period during the following hours:
- 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 27, and Monday, Oct. 29, through Thursday, Nov. 1.
- Noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 28.
“We at the Montgomery County Board of Elections encourage people to vote early,” said Marjorie Roher, Montgomery County Board of Elections’ public information officer. “They’ll have the ease of using the same touch screen and can decide which location is easiest.”
Roher offers the following tips for getting your early voting done as quickly as possible:
- Check in on the “Wait Time Dashboard” on the Board of Elections website to help choose the best location.
- Review the sample ballot first and mark it up in advance so you can do the actual touch-screen voting in under a minute.
- Try to avoid visiting the early voting centers first thing in the morning or just after work, as those tend to be the busiest times.
The county hopes to have the “Wait Time Dashboard” available as a smartphone app for the next election cycle.
Additional information on the early voting centers including driving directions can be found on the Montgomery County Board of Elections website.
Bastante
6:46 am on Wednesday, October 24, 2012
And about 1/3 of the county has apparently ceased to exist. There is no early voting anywhere near Bethesda, even though there is a county building in Bethesda. Nice.
Do we in Bethesda not pay our fair share of taxes?
Mary Millls
7:31 am on Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Wow that must be frustrateing
In the know
8:50 am on Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Remember folks, Vote Against Question B on the ballot. Support your local police officers and their families. The County has wasted thousands of dollars of your tax dollars and is even being investigated by the State Prosecutor's Office. http://washingtonexaminer.com/maryland-state-prosecutor-opens-criminal-investigation-into-montgomery-campaigning-practices/article/2511552
Fred Foo
9:55 am on Wednesday, October 24, 2012
On Question B, I've read the literature from both sides and I'm still mystified. In short, they both contradict each other so I don't know what to believe. How does one make a decision on QB? (Yes, the county has spent $$ but is their cause smart or is it stupid?)
Peter Mork
7:09 pm on Wednesday, October 24, 2012
It's probably not the best way to decide, but I figure if Ike is commanding government agencies to push for Question B as hard as he is, I'm going to vote against.
Mary Fairbanks
10:28 am on Wednesday, October 24, 2012
About Question B... The first paragraph of the linked article says "... if passed, would affirm the county's decision to revoke the police union's ability to bargain almost every management decision." Do we really need the FOP involved with management decisions? Voting FOR Question B does NOT take away the FOP's right for collective bargaining for things like salary and pension. As I understand it...
Fred Foo
11:42 am on Wednesday, October 24, 2012
The "almost every" in that phrase ("almost every management decision") is suspicious. The other side claims that it is an exaggeration. Is it? My default inclination is to distrust the County government since they are known to hide things. (The recent Brickyard Road mess is a good example.)
In the know
7:33 pm on Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Question B is a vote over "effects bargaining." Is has nothing to do with daily operations in the police department. It allows the FOP to get a second look at issues that could effect officers well being, safety, and work schedules. Remember, the police department is one of the best in the nation and has had effects bargaining for 30 years. The county has been misinforming the public. Vote Against B.
Bill T.
4:59 pm on Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Bastante. The 101 Monroe St. Rockville location has to be a full 10 minutes from Bethesda, if that.