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Signs Point to Record Turnout in County
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Daniel Sologuren, who grew up in Potomac and attends Boston College, reflects both trends. At 18, he is voting absentee in his home state. Before heading to college, Sologuren attended Winston Churchill High School and was president of the Churchill Republicans.
He turned 18, the voting age, in September.
Despite Maryland's Democratic majority, he said, he is committed to casting his vote and urges friends to "fight the mentality that your vote won't count." He worked on phone banks to promote McCain's candidacy. "I'm really excited," Sologuren said.
County officials said nearly 50,000 absentee ballots had been issued to voters as of Tuesday night. In comparison, 35,156 people voted absentee in 2004.
Absentee ballots can be requested through Election Day by voters who think they cannot make it to a polling place. The deadline for seeking absentee ballots by mail passed Tuesday, but they can be obtained at the Board of Elections, 751 Twinbrook Pkwy. in Rockville.
The newcomers include Andrew Kiwanuka, 18, of Gaithersburg, a college student who works at Starbucks. "I'm motivated because I'm going to be part of a new age of history," said Kiwanuka, a Democrat who said he wants to help elect Obama.
Before Election Day, voters will receive sample ballots by mail, and they are encouraged to fill them out -- even take them to the polls -- so they can vote as efficiently as possible.
"You need to expect that there is going to be a line and know that we are doing our best to keep the line moving as quickly as possible," Roher said.
During peak times at the busiest polling places, as many as 220 people are expected to vote each hour, election officials said. They expect lines to be shortest from 10 a.m. to noon and from 2 to 5 p.m.
Polls will open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. Those in line before 8 p.m. will be able to vote, regardless of the length of the line.
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