Voter Smarts Guide 2020
Click here for a list of resources curated by our team.
Check out this Community Resource Guide: 2020 Election, compiled by the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
2020 Election Results
- Local Howard County Election Results (2020 Presidential General Election – unofficial)
- Statewide Election Results (2020 Presidential General Election – unofficial)
- Ballot Reporting Status by Voting Center & Ballot Type | Maryland State Board of Elections
- 2020 Presidential General Election Canvass Schedule & Locations – Howard County Canvassing is open to the public, as long as all procedures set forth by the Howard County Board of Elections are followed. Procedures for the public can be found here: Rules of Conduct for Canvass Observers (PDF)
- When Will We Know The Winner? Time Frames For Key States | NPR
Stress Management
Lynda.com course: Managing Stress with Todd Dewett (22 minutes)
Gale Course: Certificate in Stress Management (14 hours)
Fact Checking
FactCheck.org– Nonpartisan, nonprofit advocate for voters that helps to “monitor the factual accuracy of what is said by major U.S. political players in the form of TV ads, debates, speeches, interviews, and news releases.”
Politifact – A fact-checking website with a rigorous and transparent process used to independently scrutinize claims by political officials, candidates, campaigns, and media.
Campaign Finance
Campaign Finance Database – Maryland resource for information about campaign and committee contributions and expenditures.
Government Sites
Maryland State Board of Elections – The comprehensive resource on Maryland election rules, practices, and records. Also offers information for individuals interested in running for elected office.
U.S. Election Assistance Commission – The national independent bipartisan commission that promotes effective systems and practices for federal elections, and provides voter resources.
COVID-19 & Mail-in Voting
- Request a Mail-In Ballot Online if you are already registered to vote
- Mail a printed request: Maryland Application for a Mail-In Ballot – PDF (Solicitud de Maryland para la boleta de votación por correo)
Howard County Residents should mail applications to:
Howard County Board of Elections
9770 Patuxent Woods Dr #200
Columbia, MD 21046
**The deadline to request a mail-in ballot be sent to you is Tuesday, October 20, 2020.
CDC Recommendations for Voters
Maryland Department of Health – Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Information
Register to Vote
All Marylanders are encouraged to vote by mail in 2020, but Marylanders may choose to vote in person during early voting or on election day. Voter registration is the first step for any means of voting.
- Voter Lookup – check your voter registration status and information
- Register to Vote – Online or update your registration for name/address changes
- Register to Vote – By Mail – download, print, complete, sign, and mail in:
Howard County Residents should mail applications to:
Howard County Board of Elections
9770 Patuxent Woods Dr #200
Columbia, MD 21046
- Howard County Residents call (410) 313-5820 to request a voter registration application be mailed to you from the Howard County Board of Elections Office
**The deadline to register to vote ahead of the election is Tuesday, October 13, 2020.
Important Dates & Locations
Tuesday, October 13, 2020 | Last day for voter registration by mail (postmarked) Last day for voter registration online (before 9 PM)**NEW for 2020: Same Day Voter Registration also available on Election Day in addition to during early voting** |
Tuesday, October 20, 2020 | Last day to request a mail-in ballot online by 5 PM
Last day for requests of mail-in ballots to be received by mail at local board of elections by 8 PM (NOT just postmarked, allow at least 5 days for USPS delivery) |
Monday, October 26, 2020 – Monday, November 2, 2020 | Early Voting – Presidential General Election 2020
Early Voting Centers open 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM Howard County Early Voting Center Locations Any Howard County voter can vote at any Early Voting Center |
Tuesday, November 3, 2020 | Election Day – Presidential General Election 2020
Voting Centers open 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM Howard County Election Day Voting Center Locations
Early Voting Centers also open 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM Howard County Early Voting Center Locations
**NEW for 2020: Any Howard County voter can vote at any voting center on Election Day**
Mail-In Ballots must be postmarked on or before this date or placed in a designated drop box by 8:00 PM |
Thursday November 5, 2020 | Opening/Scanning of Mail-In Ballots – Lake Elkhorn Gymnasium & Board of Elections Office |
Sunday November 8, 2020 | Opening/Scanning of Mail-In Ballots – Lake Elkhorn Gymnasium & Board of Elections Office |
Thursday November 12, 2020 @ 9:00 AM | Provisional Canvass & Opening/Scanning of Mail-In Ballots – Lake Elkhorn Gymnasium & Board of Elections Office |
Friday November 13, 2020 | Opening/Scanning of Mail-In Ballots – Lake Elkhorn Gymnasium & Board of Elections Office |
Dates are subject to change at any time due to workload and/or availability of resources. Please monitor the Howard County Board of Elections website for up-to-date information on canvassing of ballots in Howard County.
Voting Tips & Accessibility
Access by Voters with Disabilities – All early voting centers in Maryland are accessible to voters with different abilities. Accessibility information for in-person and mail-in voting available.
Election Day Questions – Find answers to questions like “Can I use my phone while voting?” and “I’m a first-time voter, do I need to bring an ID?”
FAQs about Mail-In Voting & Voting Centers – The Baltimore Sun answers readers’ questions to clear up confusion about 2020 election changes.
Learn About Maryland’s Voting System – FAQs about Maryland’s voter-verifiable paper record voting system and procedures for in-person voting.
Candidates / Ballot Measures
Howard County Local Candidates List – Updated regularly by the Maryland State Board of Elections.
2020 Statewide Ballot Measures – Two state ballot questions & summaries for Maryland voters
2020 Local Ballot Measures – Three local ballot questions (scroll to pages 34, 35, 36) for Howard County voters
Informed Voter Resources & Guides
Project Vote Smart – A nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization that compiles information on candidates for public office. Find data on positions, voting record, public statements, and ratings.
Student Voting Guide – A nonpartisan guide designed by BestColleges.com for college students. Includes a key issues guide tailored to young Americans and links to voting tools and resources.
ProCon.org – Compare the pros and cons of current issues using this nonpartisan resource. Many perspectives on each topic are researched and compiled using rigorous editorial standards from the Britannica Group.
SIRS Issues Researcher – Learn about the many sides of important issues and explore hot topics in society through articles that are presented in a pro/con format. From the link, select “Homework Assistance & Tutoring” and then select “SIRS Issues Researcher.” Enter your HCLS card number and PIN to access this resource outside an HCLS Branch. If you need a library card click here.
Presidential Election Process – Official website of the U.S. government about the presidential election process, from caucuses and primaries to conventions and the Electoral College.
Books and films about voting history in the HCLS collection
Books and films about the history of women in politics in the HCLS collection
Debate Schedule
September 29, 2020 at Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Clinic (Cleveland, Ohio)
October 15, 2020 at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts (Miami, Florida)
October 22, 2020 at Belmont University (Nashville, Tennessee)
Vice Presidential
October 7, 2020 at The University of Utah (Salt Lake City, Utah)
*All debates are scheduled to begin at 9 PM ET and run for 90 minutes.
Political Parties
- Democratic Party
(National website | Maryland website | Howard County website) - Republican Party
(National website | Maryland website | Howard County website) - Bread and Roses Party
(National website) - The Working Class Party
(National website)