Benjamin L. Cardin

09/20/2022 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/20/2022 12:32

On National Voter Registration Day, Cardin Urges All Marylanders to Check their Voter Registration Status

"Every ballot matters and it is important that all Marylanders to review their registration status and make their voices heard."

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Maryland's senior senator, is asking all Marylanders to check their voter registration status today, National Voter Registration Day. Election Day is Tuesday, November 8.

"Today is National Voter Registration Day. It is a day to reaffirm our commitment to democracy and the right to vote. Voting is a civic duty that gives each citizen a voice in the direction of our government and our nation. It is a chance to hold elected officials accountable for their actions and the policies they support, and protect the rights we value individually and as a community. As the November election draws closer, every adult should make sure they are registered to vote and that the information on their voter card is up-to-date. Remind family, friends, and coworkers to check their registration status or register to vote, if they have not already. This is one of the most consequential elections of our lifetime. No eligible voter should sit this out.

"This day also is an opportunity to spotlight the dangerous changes taking place in states to deny eligible voters their opportunity to cast a ballot in the election. I am gravely concerned that after the 2020 election many states enacted laws that made it harder to vote, including new criminal penalties that could deter legitimate voter turnout efforts. Many states also have passed laws that could increase partisan interference in elections, citing baseless claims of widespread voter fraud. Congress must take steps to reform the Electoral Count Act after the Jan. 6 insurrection, as well as prohibit the use of deceptive practices and voting restrictions on returning citizens which are targeted to suppress the vote in minority communities."

Marylanders can register through Maryland's Online Voter Registration System. The deadline to register online for the 2022 Maryland Gubernatorial General Election is October 18, 2022. You may also register or update your registration information in-person during the early voting period from October 27, 2022 through November 3, 2022 or on Election Day itself. If you intend to register in-person on Election Day, please visit your assigned polling station and bring a document proving your Maryland residence. For further information please visit the Maryland Board of Elections' website.