News You Can Use from the Beltsville Citizen’s Association:
Prince George's County Board of Elections 2020 Presidential General Election FAQs
Here you may find the answers to many frequently asked questions concerning the Prince George's County 2020 Presidential General Election:
1. How do I know what information I receive is true? If you are unsure about something you have received, please contact the Prince George’s County Board of Elections by phone 301.341.7300 or email election@co.pg.md.us
2. What are the dates for the 2020 Presidential General Election and Early Voting?
• Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2020 (7 am–8 pm).
• Early Voting begins on Monday, October 26 and ends on Monday, November 2, 2020 (7 am–8pm each day).
• Prince George’s County will have 11 Early Voting Centers and approximately 40 Election Day Vote Centers. The list of centers will be published in the near future.
3. What is the safest way to vote? To reduce the risk of spreading the COVID-19, we encourage voters to vote by mail. An application will automatically be mailed to your home during the week of August 24.
4. Will I be mailed an actual ballot like in the 2020 Primary Election? No, only a request form. You will not automatically be mailed a ballot.
5. When will I receive my ballot once my application is processed? Ballots will be mailed in mid-September.
6. What is the deadline to submit the application to receive a mail-in ballot? All ballot applications must be returned to no later than Monday, October 20. The application must be physically in the office by 4:30 pm on that date. To ensure that you receive a ballot in a timely manner, it is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that you submit your ballot application much earlier than the deadline.
7. What kind of ID is required to cast a ballot by mail? If you are a registered voter and have voted before, no ID is required. A very small number of newly registered voters may need to provide ID with their voted ballots. If you have to provide ID, there will be instructions with your ballot.
8. I am hearing a lot of negative information about the United States Post Office and no longer trust it. Can I drop my ballot in a Board of Elections Drop Box? Yes. The Prince George’s County Board of Elections will have drop boxes in various locations
throughout the county. Any ballots dropped in those boxes will be picked up by Board of Elections’ staff and delivered directly to the Prince George’s County Board of Elections Office. The locations are TBA.
9. Can I vote in person? Yes. You can vote in person at one of Prince George’s County’s eleven early voting sites. You can also vote at one of the limited vote centers on Election Day (Due to COVID-19). The list of early voting and Election Day sites will be published soon. If you choose to vote in person, please be prepared because there may be long lines.
10. How do I know if I am registered to vote? On the web at https://voterservices.elections.maryland.gov/VoterSearch . If you do not have internet access, call 301.341.7300 and ask a representative to check your registration or text CHECK to 77788.
11. Can voters register to vote online? Voters can register online if they have a Maryland driver’s license or Motor Vehicle Administration state ID by clicking on the following link: https://elections.maryland.gov/voter_registration/index.html
The deadline to register to vote is 5 pm on Tuesday, October 13.
12. Is ID required to register to vote? No, but you must provide some information so election officials can verify your identity. If you use the State Board’s online system to register, you must enter your Maryland driver’s license number or Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) issued state ID number, the date MVA issued your license or ID card, and the last 4 digits of your Social Security number. If you reside outside of the United States or are a member of the military or spouse or dependent of a member of the military, you must enter the last 4 digits of your US social security number. If you provide a license or State ID number, your signature on file with the MVA will become your official voter registration signature. If you provide a social security number, it will be used as your official voter registration signature.
I will update the voting information on The Beltsville News website, Facebook page, and Nextdoor.
The first meeting of the 2020-2021 year will be a virtual meeting on Wednesday, September 16, at 7 pm. You can participate online or by calling in. To receive the link to the virtual meeting and/or call-in phone number, I can be reached at 301.937.3490 or karenmcoakley@msn.com.