It was super easy for me to vote this year, so I encourage anyone reading to go out and vote! The General Election is on November 8^th, but there is the option of in-person early voting from October 27^th to November 3^rd. Which early voting center you vote at depends on your county. Montgomery County alone has 14 early voting centers, which can be found here, along with information about the centers in other Maryland counties.

Of course, you can also vote on Election Day at your assigned polling place. If you don’t know where your polling place is, you can find that information here.

Before you vote, it’s a great idea to review the policies of the candidates and what they stand for to ensure you’re making an informed decision. Presidential elections draw significant attention around the nation, but local elections almost always see less voter turnout. Low turnout means that important local issues are determined by a smaller group of voters, making a single vote, your vote, even more meaningful!

If you do decide to vote in this election, you’ll be voting on so many important positions, including Maryland’s next governor. Even if you aren’t registered to vote, you can still register during early voting and on Election Day! I personally decided to vote by mail since I’m already registered to vote. I requested a mail-in ballot back in September just to get it out of the way because I didn’t want to forget to request one later in the semester. It was convenient because all I had to do was wait for the ballot to come in the mail this month. Last Friday, I dropped off my ballot at my old high school that happened to have a ballot drop box. And that was it! You can still request a mail-in ballot up until November 1^st, which is sooner than you may think. 

Click here for more details and a step-by-step guide to voting in this year’s election!