93,000 Marylanders Cast Early Ballots in Montgomery County

Montgomery County residents have cast ballots at a rate far ahead of previous midterm cycles. Approximately 93,000 registered voters in the county voted during the early voting period. This figure represents more than 13% of the total registered electorate. The state board of elections reported these numbers as the election approaches.

The current turnout exceeds the 8% early voting rate recorded in the 2022 midterms. David Naimon, president of the county elections board, described the increase as a source of excitement for local officials. He noted the roughly five-point jump from the last midterm election. However, Naimon cautioned that the final tally will depend on mail-in ballots and Election Day votes. He said it is too early to determine if the rise reflects new voters or those who used other methods in previous years.

Early voting ran from October 22 through Thursday in Maryland. Montgomery County’s participation rate currently matches the 14% statewide average for this general election. Mail-in voting remains a major component of the process. Naimon stated that about 72,000 county residents have returned their mail-in ballots. Tens of thousands more have received ballots but have not yet sent them back. Voters must postmark these envelopes by Tuesday to have them counted. Naimon advised voters to take undelivered mail-in ballots to the post office immediately.

The county’s political landscape features several high-profile contests. In the race for county executive, Democrat Will Jawando will face Republican Esther Wells. Jawando secured the Democratic nomination by defeating two other council members in the primary. A separate nonpartisan race draws significant attention. Brenda Diaz, who has Republican backing, competes against Omar Lazo, a Montgomery County College trustee, in that contest.

The state elections board reports that over 700,000 people are registered to vote in Montgomery County. Demographic data shows 58% of registrants are Democrats. Republicans make up 14% of the registered voters. Unaffiliated voters account for 27%, while fewer than 2% belong to other parties. Early voting options are available at polling places across the county. Naimon encouraged Election Day voters to go to their specific local precincts. Voters can find their location by texting the word FIND to 77788.

Voters may cast provisional ballots at precincts outside their own, though this process delays the counting of their vote. In the past 25 years, many states have adopted early voting to increase turnout and reduce lines. The Center for Election Innovation & Research reports that 97% of voting-age citizens in 2026 live in states offering at least one pre-Election Day voting option.