The Maryland State Board of Elections (SBE) today announced the launch of a multi-pronged voter outreach and education campaign ahead of the Primary Election on May 14, 2024.
Designed to generate broad awareness of the Primary Election among Maryland residents, VOTE! MD encourages all eligible voters to make a plan to vote, while providing critical information on the ways to vote and key deadlines associated with the Primary Election. The digital campaign launched today with ads on Google Search, Programmatic Display, Meta (Facebook and Instagram), Spotify, Snapchat and YouTube and followed by broadcast TV, streaming services, print and radio.
The VOTE! MD website includes a voting checklist, information on the ways to vote and important deadlines that can be added to your calendar. The website, available in English and Spanish, also includes important information about becoming an election judge. The campaign’s website is vote.md.gov/vote2024.
“Our goal is for voters to look to SBE as the trusted source for all things election related and to make the 2024 Primary Election process secure and transparent to ensure voter confidence,” said State Administrator Jared DeMarinis. “We’re excited to launch this Interactive campaign and grateful to everyone who participated in the campaign. So go register to vote, make a plan to vote and VOTE.”
The campaign features a number of recognizable and trusted spokespeople including, but not limited to, Kobi Little, President, NAACP Maryland State Conference; Marco Avila, President and Chairman, Maryland Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; David A. Greenberg, President and CEO, The League for People with Disabilities; Nykidra “Nyki” Robinson, Founder, Black Girls Vote; April Watts, Multimedia Personality and Influencer; Larry “Whaddup” Caudle, musician and entrepreneur; Dr. Gilberto Zelaya, Community Empowerment/Public Information Officer, Montgomery County Board of Elections; Veronica Cool, CEO and Founder, Cool & Associates LLC; Walkiria Pool, President and Founder, Centro de Apoyo Familiar; and Jared DeMarinis, State Administrator of Elections, State Board of Elections.
The campaign’s launch coincides with the release of SBE’s new logo, which integrates the colors and patterns of the Maryland state flag and seven stars to celebrate Maryland’s rich heritage as the seventh state to join the Union on April 28, 1788. The logo’s circular pattern symbolizes the interconnected relationship between SBE, the government, and the citizens of Maryland and the cyclical nature of the democratic process.
The words Verified, Open, Trusted, Empowering (VOTE) underscore SBE’s commitment to an open and transparent election process in Maryland.
The VOTE!MD campaign will run in three phases across a variety of communications channels. The Register to Vote phase will urge non-registered Marylanders to register to vote, including messaging around the registration deadline, and ways to vote. Residents who are not registered to vote can do so using the online registration system.
Those who prefer not to register to vote online may print the registration form (English version and Spanish version) and submit it at the office of their local board of elections. Residents may also register to vote in person during Early Voting and on Election Day. The Ways to Vote phase will drive awareness of all voting methods: vote by mail / drop box and in-person during Early Voting and on Election Day.
The final phase of the 2024 Primary Election voter education campaign will encourage voting and raise awareness of early voting and May 14th Election Day. It also will feature messaging around voter registration for in-person voting during early voting and on Election Day, verifying and updating voter information, early voting and finding a polling location.
