Published on: Thursday, October 25, 2012

By Christa Puccio

ROCKVILLE, More than 660,000 Montgomery County residents registered to vote this election year and the Democrats still enjoy a majority among registered voters, with about 56 percent of all voters, but the independents jumped from 118,041 in 2008 to 151,007 this year.

“I just ran the report,” said Marjorie Roher, public information officer for the Montgomery County Board of Elections.  “There are 660,884 registered voters, of which 368,016 are democrat, 134,948 are republican and 151,007 are unaffiliated.”

Election Day is November 6, but early voting begins Saturday, Oct. 27 and ends Thursday, Nov. 1. During early voting days, eligible voters can cast their ballots from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (except Sunday, 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.). Voters may cast their ballots at the Bauer Recreation Center, Executive Office Building, Germantown Recreation Center, the Marilyn Praisner Recreation Center and Silver Spring Civic Building.

The deadline for receipt of an absentee ballot application is Tuesday, Oct. 30.  Written requests must reach the elections office by 8:00 p.m. or, if already registered, those requests may be faxed to 240-777-8560 or e-mailed to absentee@montgomerycountymd.gov no later than 11:59 p.m.  The absentee ballot application may be found online at the Board of Elections website at www.777vote.org or www.montgomerycountymd.gov/elections.

“Early Voting returns will be tabulated on Election Day and will be available as soon after 8:00 p.m. as possible,” said Roher.  “Returns from Election Day polling places will be available beginning at 9:20 p.m. on November 6 and will be updated every 20 minutes.  Citizens who do not have internet access are invited to visit the Board of Elections, 18753 N. Frederick Avenue, Suite 210, Gaithersburg, where election results will be displayed in the lower level training room as the votes are counted.”

For more information on the election, a list of all candidates and questions on the Montgomery County ballot and links to polling places, absentee voting information, and district maps, as well as a link to the Maryland State Board of Elections for a listing of candidates for other state and federal offices, please visit  www.777vote.org or www.montgomerycountymd.gov/elections.