Cecil County
Home MenuFrequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I vote in-person?
During Early Voting, you can vote at one of two locations in Cecil County (see below) from 7:00 am to 8:00 pm. On Election Day, you can vote at your polling place at one of 19 locations county-wide, (depending on your address) from 7:00 am to 8:00 pm.Where are the Early Voting Centers?
Cecil County Administration Building
200 Chesapeake Boulevard / Elkton
and
The Church of the Nazarene
2626 Jacob Tome Memorial Highway / Colora
Where are the Election Day Polling Places?
A list of Cecil County's 19 polling locations is here. Primary Election Day voting will be held on Tuesday, June 23, 2026 and General Election Day voting will be held on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. On these dates, polls are open from 7:00 am to 8:00 pm. Voters can vote the correct ballot at their assigned voting location.How can I request a Mail-In Ballot (MIB)?
There are three ways you can request a mail-in ballot.
- Online if you have a Maryland’s driver’s license or MVA-issued ID card.
- Complete and return one of the forms below. Read the instructions, enter the required information, print the form, sign it, and return it to your local board of elections. You can return it by mail, fax, or email (scanned as an attachment).
- Go in-person to the Cecil County Board of Elections, complete the MIB request form, and return the form for processing.
If you want to get a mail-in ballot for all future elections, you can sign up for the permanent mail-in ballot list when you request a mail-in ballot. Once you are on this list, we will send you your mail-in ballot for each future election you are eligible to vote in. You won't have to submit a request for each election.
When does my MIB Application need to be received by the Board of Elections?
The deadline depends on how you want to receive your ballot.
- If you want to receive your ballot by mail, your request must be received (not just mailed) by Tuesday, June 16, 2026 (Primary) or Tuesday, October 27, 2026 (General).
- If you want to receive your ballot via email, your request must be received by Friday, June 19, 2026 (Primary) or Tuesday, October 30, 2026 (General).
- If you hand deliver your MIB request and the ballots are ready, you can pick up your mail-in ballot. You may take your mail-in ballot with you and return it by mail, or you can vote it at the local board office and give it to an election official. The deadline to request a mail-in ballot in person is 8:00 pm on Tuesday, June 23, 2026 (Primary) or Tuesday, November 3, 2026 (General).
- If you miss the deadlines to receive your ballot by mail, fax, or via the web -- but still want to vote by mail-in ballot -- you or your agent must apply in person at the Cecil County Board of Elections.
*Please note that a ballot received via web/email must still be printed and then returned by hand, by mail, or dropped at a ballot drop off box. Voters cannot vote online.
Under the federal Uniformed and Overseas Citizens mail-in Voting Act, military voters and voters who live outside the U.S. can also vote by mail-in ballot. If you are a military voter or live outside the U.S., learn more about mail-in voting.
What is the deadline to return my Mail-In Ballot to the Board of Elections?
All ballots must be postmarked no later than the day of the Primary or General Election, respectively. You must mail, hand deliver to the Board of Elections office or drop your voted ballot into one of the five (5) secured, locked ballot drop boxes provided throughout Cecil County during the election cycle. You cannot submit your voted ballot online, by email or fax.2026 Gubernatorial Primary Election
Use the envelope provided with your MIB ballot. Don't forget to seal the envelope and sign your oath on the back. Your ballot will not be counted without a signed oath on the ballot envelope. You can:
- Mail your ballot. We recommend that you mail your ballot as soon as you have voted it. It must be postmarked on or before Primary Election Day -- Tuesday, June 23, 2026. Any ballots physically received by the Cecil County Board of Elections after 10:00 am on Monday, July 6, 2026 will not be counted.
- Take your ballot to one of Cecil County’s five (5) locked, secure ballot drop boxes. When you receive your ballot, you will also receive a list of the ballot drop box locations in Cecil County. Your voted ballot must be delivered to a ballot box no later than 8:00 pm on Tuesday, June 23, 2026 to be counted.
- Hand deliver your ballot. You must deliver it to the Cecil County Board of Elections by 8:00 pm on Election Day, or you may take it to a Cecil County early voting center/polling site before the polls close. If you have specific questions, please contact the Cecil County Board of Elections or the State Board of Elections.
Understanding Primary Elections vs. General Elections
Primary Elections occur within a political party before general elections. The purpose of a Primary Election is to narrow the field of candidates within a political party. Voters accomplish this goal by electing a single candidate to represent their party. Once each party elects an individual in the Primary Election to represent them, the candidates move on to compete in the General Election. The person who wins the General Election will hold whichever political office the election was intended to fill. For example, the winners of a Presidential Primary will compete in the Presidential General Election. The person who wins the Presidential General Election will become President.
What’s the difference between an Open and Closed Primary?
An Open Primary is a primary election that does not require voters to be affiliated with one of the major political parties to vote. In traditional open primaries, voters are able to select one party's ballot and vote for that party's nominees.
In a Closed Primary, currently only people registered with the Republican or Democratic party can vote in their party's primary election. For example, if you're a Democrat, you can only vote in a Democratic primary. If you're a Republican, you can only vote in a Republican primary.
Is Maryland a Closed Primary state?
Generally, Maryland has Closed Primary elections; therefore, voters must be affiliated with either of the major parties to vote in that party’s Primary. However, if there are non-partisan offices that are included on a Primary Election ballot (i.e. school board), any voter can vote for these offices.
Maryland state law allows political parties to choose whether to hold an Open or Closed primary. If a political party chooses to open their Primary Election, they must provide notice to the State Board of Elections at least six months before the Primary Election is held.
Do I have to affiliate with a political party? Can I vote in the Primary Election?
No, you do not have to affiliate with a specific party. If you choose not to select any political party on your voter registration application, you will be "Unaffiliated" with any political party. Because Maryland has a Closed Primary system, Unaffiliated voters will generally not be able to vote in the major party Primary Elections -- but they will be able to vote in any nonpartisan Primary Election that is held in their jurisdiction (i.e., selecting nominees for the Board of Education).
May I change political parties?
Yes, except during the 21 days prior to the Primary Election. For the 2026 Primary Election, the deadline to change your party affiliation is Tuesday, June 2, 2026 at 5:00 pm.
If a party affiliation change request is submitted past the deadline, the Board of Elections will be unable to process the request until registration reopens after the Primary Election is certified by the State of Maryland. This means that the party affiliation change will not go into effect until several weeks after the Primary Election.
To change your party affiliation, use Maryland's Online Voter Registration System (OLVR) or submit a Voter Registration Application or written request (signature required) to the Cecil County Board of Elections.
2026 Gubernatorial General Election
Use the envelope provided with your ballot. Don't forget to seal the envelope and sign your oath on the back. If the oath is not signed, your ballot cannot be counted. You can:
-
Mail your ballot. We recommend that you mail your ballot as soon as you have voted it. It must be postmarked on or before General Election Day -- Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Any voted ballots physically received by the Cecil County Board of Elections after 10:00 am on Friday, November 13, 2026 will not be counted.
-
Take your ballot to one of the county's five (5) locked, secure ballot drop boxes. When you receive your ballot, you will also receive a list of the ballot drop box locations in Cecil County. Your voted ballot must be delivered to a ballot drop box no later than 8:00 pm on Tuesday, November 3, 2026 to be counted.
-
Hand deliver your ballot. You must deliver it to the Cecil County Board of Elections by 8:00 pm on Election Day, or you may take it to a Cecil County Early Voting center – or to a Cecil County polling site before the polls close.
FAQ's about Maryland's Voting System