Montgomery County residents can cast ballots starting Thursday, Oct. 22, at 14 early voting centers across the county, including a Chevy Chase site minutes from downtown Bethesda.

The closest early voting location for Bethesda and Chevy Chase voters is the Jane E. Lawton Community Recreation Center at 4301 Willow Lane in Chevy Chase. Parking is free on-site, and street parking restrictions on Willow, Elm and 44th Streets will be suspended from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. during early voting. The Potomac Community Recreation Center at 11315 Falls Road is another nearby option.

Early voting runs 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily through Thursday, Oct. 29. The county announced on X on Tuesday, Oct. 13, that Ride On buses are free and that Ride On and Metrobus routes serve polling locations.

The online and mail registration deadline passed Tuesday, Oct. 13, but same-day registration is available at any early voting center and on Election Day. Voters registering in person must bring a valid Maryland driver's license, learner's permit or state ID card. A paycheck, bank statement or utility bill can also prove residency.

What's on the ballot

This year's ballot is three pages long, according to Amie Hoeber, secretary of the Montgomery County Board of Elections.

County Executive: Councilmember Will Jawando, the Democratic nominee, faces Republican Esther Wells, a certified public accountant from Montgomery Village. Wells previously ran for the Board of Education's 1st District seat in 2022. Current County Executive Marc Elrich is not seeking re-election to that post. Seven candidates competed in the primary before the field narrowed to two, Patch reported.

County Council at-large: Five candidates advanced from a field of 18 in the primary for four at-large council seats. Marc Elrich, Scott Evan Goldberg, incumbent Laurie-Anne Sayles, Karla Silvestre (all Democrats) and Republican Sherwin Wells are on the ballot.

Board of Education (non-partisan): Contested races include the at-large seat (Brenda M. Diaz vs. Omar Lazo) and the 3rd District (Sally A. McCarthy vs. Cassandra "Cassi" Sung). Grace Rivera-Oven is running in the 1st District and Elma-Lorraine Diggs in the 5th District.

Constitutional amendments: Three statewide questions appear on the ballot. Question 1 would require the governor's budget to fund all state employee collective bargaining agreements. Question 2 would allow temporary substitute appointments to the Commission on Judicial Disabilities. Question 3, the most contested, would clarify that state redistricting requirements do not apply to congressional district boundaries. Democrats have framed it as a response to mid-decade redistricting in other states, while Republicans call it an effort to gerrymander all eight of Maryland's congressional seats, WTOP reported.

Governor: Incumbent Wes Moore and Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller face Republican challengers Dan Cox and Rob Krop, along with Green Party and Working Class Party tickets.

Mail-in and Election Day details

More than 27,000 mail-in ballots had already been returned as of Wednesday, Oct. 14, and the Board of Elections has begun its bipartisan review, Montgomery Community Media reported. The deadline to request a mail-in ballot by mail or fax is Tuesday, Oct. 27. Online requests are accepted through Friday, Oct. 30. Ballots must be postmarked by Tuesday, Nov. 3, or hand-delivered to a drop box by 8 p.m.

"We count every eligible vote," Board of Elections president David Naimon said in the Montgomery Community Media report. "We don't stop counting when we think we know who won."

On Election Day, polls are open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voters must go to their assigned polling place or cast a provisional ballot. More than 50 drop-box locations are available countywide.

Voters may bring printed material, including a marked specimen ballot, into the voting booth. Cellphones, cameras and computers are not permitted inside polling places, with limited exceptions.

Residents with questions can call the Board of Elections at 240-777-8500.