We are pleased to announce to our members that the Board of LWVMD has approved the following position on Vote by Mail.

League of Women Voters of Maryland VBM position:

Support for Vote By Mail (VBM) for elections in Maryland where all registered voters are automatically sent a ballot in the mail without having to request one first, and in-person voting options are available but limited.

The following best practices should be applied to any VBM legislation:

1. Prepaid postage for return of ballots should be required. 
2. Ballots should be mailed at least three weeks before an election. 
3. Voter Education using all forms of media is essential in preparing voters for the vote by mail process.
4. Ballots should be tracked throughout the process by means such as the use of barcodes.
5. Some form of signature privacy should be made available for returning ballots.
6. Ample drop boxes must be available in all counties and Baltimore City and they must be conveniently located, especially with public transportation access and/or access to rural areas when appropriate. Safety must also be provided for the ballots and the voters.
7. Ample in-person polling places must be available in all counties and Baltimore City and they must be conveniently located, especially with public transportation access and/or access to rural areas when appropriate. Safety must also be provided for the ballots and the voters.
8. Vote counting should start before Election Day.
9. If a signature is missing or required, the voter should have a chance to correct the challenge.
10. Early opportunities for in-person voting should be continued.

Thanks to the hard work of the Vote By Mail Study Committee, our Program Chair Elaine Apter, all the Local League members who participated in consensus meetings and the board, we now have a position that we can use in testimony before the 2021 General Assembly.