MC Votes is a club committed to encouraging voter education and engagement at Montgomery College. As we approach November, the question of how people can cast their vote safely and on time becomes more relevant each day and MC Votes is dedicated to making sure that MC students and staff are ready to cast their ballot.

MC Votes’ main goal is clear: increase voter turnout in the election. This year, however, the scenario looks different. Due to safety concerns imposed by COVID-19, a lot of voters are opting to vote by mail. Besides the fact that most voters are not familiar with the process, the current hostile political climate toward the Postal Service raises insecurity among voters.

According to the Rockville campus service-learning coordinator and MC Votes’ leader Nik Sushka, current circumstances are not preventing the community from paying attention to such a decisive election. “In July, we had over 40 people attend our virtual working group meeting, a record high” said Sushka.

Members of the community who are not allowed to vote can still be politically active by engaging in activities offered by MC Votes. The options include volunteering, becoming a student ambassador, participating in days of action, and viewing weekly virtual workshops that students can access at any time on their own.

Another factor that motivates Maryland voters is how easy it is to vote-by-mail in the state. If already registered with a Maryland state ID or driver’s license, voters can request their ballot at the Maryland State Board of Education website, which can also be visited by those who wish to register to vote.

Sushka reinforces that if you do not have the necessary documents to request a ballot online, you can email MC Votes, and the club will print out and mail you a request.

When asked about the best time to request a ballot, Sushka answered, “The best time was yesterday, the second best time is today!”

MC Votes is hosting remote events to encourage people, who may be concerned with USPS’s ability to manage the influx of voter mail, to walk over and drop off their ballots. To find out the nearest polling or ballot drop-off location, voters can visit the Montgomery County Board of Elections website at https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/elections