St. Mary's County elections staff tell youth commission 16-year-olds can register, urge teens to serve as election judges

Representatives from the St. Mary's County Board of Elections told the County Youth Advisory Commission on Feb. 3 that 16-year-olds may register to vote and that the office is actively recruiting young people to serve as paid election judges.

The presentation, led by Tae Fre and Sarah Leavitt of the St. Mary's County Board of Elections, explained who is eligible to register and work at polling places, key deadlines for the 2020 primaries and practical steps for students who want to participate.

"Did you know that 16 year olds can register to vote?" Fre asked the commission. She said 16-year-olds can register when they get their driving permit; they will not be able to vote until they turn 18, but will be automatically eligible for the next election once they reach voting age.

The nut of the presentation was that registration is straightforward but that there are other hurdles that affect turnout. "The deadline is April 7th to register to vote," Leavitt said, referring to the county's deadline ahead of the April 28 primary, and she encouraged early registration to avoid any same-day uncertainties.

Elections staff said 16- and 17-year-olds may work at polls (17-year-olds most commonly), and that election judges are paid: "You get paid starting about $200, $30 for training," Fre said. Staff noted some positions require the person to be at the polling place from about 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., which can conflict with athletics or other commitments.

Leavitt and Fre described the basic documentation needed to register online or in person: a driver's license or state ID is preferred for online registration, or the last four digits of a Social Security number, plus date of birth and physical address. They emphasized checking entries carefully to avoid input errors that delay processing.

On the question of students with unstable housing, Fre said the elections office will allow two local addresses to be used for registration; she mentioned the option of using the board's office address or a local site in Lexington Park for cases without a consistent residence. The presenters said staff will work with registrants to resolve address questions.

The presenters also reviewed rules about primaries: Maryland parties set primary participation rules. "Maryland is a party state," Fre said; in most cases unaffiliated voters cannot vote in a party primary unless that party allows it. Leavitt encouraged students to consider party registration if they want to vote in primaries but noted registrants can change party affiliation later.

Other items covered: early voting (eight days before the primary), absentee ballots (no excuse required), and ID policy (Leavitt said staff may request ID when registering; at the polling place they confirm name, birth date and residential address rather than routinely requiring photo ID). The presenters gave their office location—on Tudor Hall adjacent to the Circuit Court in Leonardtown—and listed contact information: tae.fre@maryland.gov and sarah.leavitt@maryland.gov and phone 301-475-4210 ext. 71625.

Commission members asked about turnout and barriers for young voters; Marsha Greenberg and youth commissioners discussed misinformation on social media as a contributing factor to confusion about voting rights. "Fear and ignorance," Greenberg said, "are spread most commonly where you all are often reading, which is social media." She encouraged students to correct false claims and to consult the Maryland State Board of Elections website for verified information.

Fre and Leavitt invited students to apply as election judges, noting their offices particularly welcome technically skilled young people and that training is paid. They said applicants must be registered voters and U.S. citizens to serve as judges.

Ending: Commissioners and staff discussed next steps for outreach, and the elections office left registration forms and judge-application materials for the commission to distribute to local schools and youth networks.