Program Description

  Election Operations

The Election Operations program consists of three independent sections that ensure that both early voting and Election Day is successful. These sections are Polling Place Management, Election Judge Recruitment and Training, and Outreach.

The Polling Place Management section is responsible for leasing early voting locations and Election Day polling places, assigning all Montgomery County voters to Election Day polling places that are in the same or an adjacent precinct to the voter's home address, ensuring each polling place complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and other State and Federal requirements, ensuring all polling places have adequate ballots and supplies, and providing the Board of Elections with information about the cost of facilities, the accessibility of voting sites, and other criteria.

The timeline of Montgomery County's election process is dictated by the Maryland State Election Calendar and begins with the establishment of early voting centers and Election Day polling places. As Polling Place Management is preparing the supplies and equipment necessary to facilitate an election, other sections within Election Operations are preparing Election Judges, and providing voter outreach to the public.

Election Judge Recruitment and Training is responsible for the recruitment of registered Maryland voters to serve as Election Judges during Early Voting and Election Day. This section also provides training, assigns Election Judges to sites, and provides payment to each volunteer. Recruitment of volunteers is done year-round utilizing a variety of methods, with increased effort and focus in the six months preceding an election. A database of interested volunteers is managed by the section to maintain the efficiency of the selection process.

Training for all election workers is required by State law and is necessary for successful operations on Election Day. The training program includes both on-line and in-person class instruction throughout the County over a period of approximately 12 weeks. Each precinct team includes volunteers that are registered in different political parties, have various levels of experience, and have bilingual language capabilities. Following each election, the Election Judge Recruitment and Training staff completes payroll processing and conducts a thorough precinct performance review and audit.

Montgomery County is required under Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act to provide voting information in Spanish as well as English, and the Outreach section is responsible for meeting the cultural and linguistic needs of Montgomery County voters. This section is responsible for working with community groups and providing direct assistance to eligible residents, including those who are unregistered, for whom English is a second language, who have special needs or disabilities, who are homeless, or who live in underserved communities. With over 170 recognized languages, Montgomery County is a nationally recognized leader in providing effective voter outreach through voter-focused planning and community engagement. A key asset for the Outreach section is its national award-winning Future Vote Initiative that has recruited over 48,000 students to participate in elections since 2004. The Initiative has also recruited nearly 11,000 students that are at least 16 years old to serve as Election Judges.