Maryland Overseas Voting Guide
If Maryland is your last U.S. residence, this is where your ballot comes from — no matter what country you live in now, and however long you have been away. The deadlines below are for the November 3, 2026 federal general election.
Maryland deadlines at a glance
Maryland deadlines at a glance
Election Day
Nov 3, 2026
Register to vote
PassedSee the rules ↓Deadlines as early as
Oct 13, 2026
Received by Oct 13, 2026.
Varies by how you send it — see below
Request your ballot
PassedSee the rules ↓Deadlines as early as
Oct 27, 2026
Received by Oct 27, 2026.
See the detail below
Return your voted ballot
PassedDeadline
Nov 3, 2026
+10 days to arrivePostmarked by Nov 3, 2026.
These dates and process details come from the Federal Voting Assistance Program's 2026–27 Voting Assistance Guide, the U.S. Department of Defense's official source for Maryland. Deadlines can change after it is published, so confirm anything you are close to with your local election official.
Registering and requesting your ballot
Request your Maryland ballot
One federal form registers you and requests your absentee ballot. Overseas voters file it again every election year, even if you voted last time.
Maryland asks new registrants for the last four digits of your Social Security number or a state-issued ID or driver's license number.
Ballot request deadline: October 27, 2026. If you ask for your ballot by email, Maryland accepts your request until October 30.
Use the backup ballotRegister to voteearliest Oct 13, 2026See the rules
Received by Oct 13, 2026
Postmarked by Oct 13, 2026
Request your ballotearliest Oct 27, 2026See the rules
Received by Oct 27, 2026
Received by Oct 30, 2026
Maryland sets more than one date for this step, depending on how you submit. Meeting the earliest one is safe whichever method you use.
Receiving your ballot
Once Maryland accepts your form, it sends you your ballot. Federal law required states to send ballots to overseas voters by September 19, 2026 for requests already on file. A request made now is sent once it is processed.
What your Maryland ballot email looks like
- From
MDElections.SBE@info.maryland.gov- Subject
Your Ballot is Ready!- Inside
- A link to a site where you log in and download your ballot, oath and instructions to print.
- Maryland does not accept voted ballots by email or fax. Print it and send it by post or courier, in an envelope you supply.
Not in your inbox? Search your whole mailbox, spam and junk included, for Your Ballot is Ready. What to do if it still has not arrived
From the Maryland State Board of Elections and Maryland's published election rules, September 2026.
Still waiting for your ballot?
Let us know. We track delivery issues and raise them with election officials.
Returning your Maryland ballot
Maryland accepts a voted ballot by post only. International mail can take two to three weeks each way, so post it as early as you can rather than close to the deadline.
Return your ballot according to the instructions that came with it — the envelopes, the signature and any witness or ID requirement are set by your state. If anything is missing or you are not sure what they want, your local election official is the person to ask.
2 ways to return it — choose one
Post
Post your voted ballot in the return envelope from your packet. International postage from your country applies, and delivery takes two to three weeks from most places.
Postmarked by Nov 3, 2026
It must still arrive within 10 days of Election Day.
By courier — DHL, FedEx or UPS
Faster, costs moreA courier takes a few days instead of a few weeks and gives you tracking. It costs more than international postage, and how much depends on the country you are sending from.
Same deadlines as returning by post:
Postmarked by Nov 3, 2026
It must still arrive within 10 days of Election Day.
After you send it
- Check it arrived
Shows when your ballot is received and counted.
- If there is a problem
- If you forgot to sign the oath, your local board will contact you with ways to fix it, including by text message. The deadline is 10 AM on November 13, 2026.
From the Maryland State Board of Elections and Maryland's published election rules, September 2026.
Additional resources
The official places to check your ballot, reach the office that handles it, and read the rules in full.
Maryland overseas voting questions
What is the Maryland ballot deadline for overseas voters?
Postmarked by November 3, 2026. It must still arrive within 10 days of Election Day.
What if my Maryland ballot has not arrived?
If your ballot has not arrived and your deadline is close, the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot is the federal backup ballot. You can fill it in for federal offices and send it now; if your real ballot turns up later, complete and return that too — only one of them is counted. In Maryland, the backup ballot can also register you to vote, though registration deadlines may fall earlier than ballot deadlines.
How will my Maryland ballot arrive?
Maryland emails you from MDElections.SBE@info.maryland.gov with the subject "Your Ballot is Ready!". It links to a site where you log in and download your ballot, oath and instructions to print. Maryland does not accept voted ballots by email or fax.
Can I email or fax my ballot back in Maryland?
No. Maryland accepts a voted ballot by post only.
When is the Maryland registration deadline for overseas voters?
As early as October 13, 2026.
How do I check that my Maryland ballot was counted?
Maryland offers an online ballot-status lookup where you can check that your ballot was sent and that your voted ballot came back. Here's the link: Check your Maryland ballot status (opens in a new tab)
What if there is a problem with my returned Maryland ballot?
If you forgot to sign the oath, your local board will contact you with ways to fix it, including by text message. The deadline is 10 AM on November 13, 2026.
Who is my local election official in Maryland?
Your local election official is the county or municipal office that handles registration and ballots for your last U.S. address in Maryland. You can look up their contact details on our election-office finder.
More questions?
Our team answers questions from overseas voters every day. Ask us anything this page did not cover.
Ready to request your Maryland ballot?
One form registers you and requests your ballot.