City Elections 2023

To vote in the City of Mount Rainier election, every person must meet all the following requirements:

1. Is at least sixteen years of age;
2. Is registered to vote in accordance with the provisions of the City Charter and applicable Charter Amendments; and
3. Has resided in the corporate limits of the City for at least thirty (30) days immediately preceding the next City election.

An individual is not eligible to be a registered voter of the City if the individual:

1. Has been convicted of a felony and is serving a court-ordered sentence of imprisonment for the conviction on Election Day;
2. Is under guardianship for mental disability and a court of competent jurisdiction has specifically found by clear and convincing evidence that the individual cannot communicate, with or without accommodations, a desire to participate in the voting process; or
3. Has been convicted of buying or selling votes.

MRBOE members are certified Voter Registration Volunteers (Registrars) in the State of Maryland and can register City residents to vote. Residents may email their voter registration requests to: elections@mountrainiermd.org. Other ways to complete voter registration include:

For U.S. Citizens to register to vote in Federal, State, County, and City Elections:

1. (Federal/State/County Registration): Online at www.elections.state.md.us
2. To complete a Voter Registration Form in person at the Prince George's County Board of Elections, please review the county's website for instructions: https://www.princegeorgescountymd.gov/559/Board-of-Elections. Registration by the Prince George's County Board of Elections shall be deemed registration for City elections. The Mount Rainier Board of Elections shall accept the list of registered voters provided by the Prince George's County Board of Elections as a valid registration list for the City.
3. Register by mail by returning a completed voter registration form to the Prince George's County Board of Elections, 1100 Mercantile Lane, Suite 115A, Largo, MD 20774, by Friday, April 2, 2021, by 4:30 pm. Voter registration forms may be acquired at City offices, or by calling Prince George's County Board of Elections to request a form by mail at 301-341-7300.

For any Mount Rainier resident to be eligible to vote in the City Elections only:

Any resident of the City of Mount Rainier who is not eligible to vote in the State and County elections but meets the voter qualifications set forth in Section 502 of the City Charter and applicable Charter Amendments, may register with the Mount Rainier Board of Elections to vote in City elections.

1. This includes those residents of the City who are U.S. citizens, legal permanent residents (also known as "Green Card Holders"), holders of temporary visas (including, but not limited to: work visas, student visas, refugees, those with Temporary Protected Status), and those who do not have formal U.S. immigration status.
2. Residents who are at least sixteen years of age.
3. Residents who register with the City to vote in City elections will not be eligible to vote in federal, state, or county elections.
4. City and County voter registration forms shall be made available to the public at City Hall.

Any registered voter qualified to vote in the City Elections may vote by Absentee Ballot. The request for an absentee ballot shall be made to the Board of Elections in writing.

• Said application must be received no later than the Monday preceding the election. The application must be signed by the applicant, or if he or she is unable to sign, must bear the mark of the applicant and the signature of two witnesses.
• To be counted, the completed Absentee Ballot must be returned to the Board of Elections, appropriately signed and sealed, by the close of the polls on Election Day at 8 pm, or, if mailed, postmarked on or before Election Day, and delivered no later than the close of business on the day following Election Day.

At the January 5, 2021 Legislative Meeting, Mayor and City Council for the City of Mount Rainier voted on Charter Amendment: CA-01-2020.

This Charter Amendment Amends Section 502, "Voter Qualifications" to permit residents of the City who are 16 years old or older to vote in City elections, to require that a person running for elective office be at least 18 years of age, to alter the composition and terms of the City's Board of Elections and to provide that there is a City supplemental voter registration list.

A copy of the Charter Amendment can be found on the City's website and at City Hall. Any questions, please contact the City Clerk, City of Mount Rainier 301-985-6585 or email cityclerk@mountrainiermd.org

Residents of Mount Rainier are represented by a Council-Manager form of government, consisting of a Mayor and four Councilmembers. A ward system is used within the City to elect the Councilmembers, two from each ward. The Mayor is elected at large. Residents from either ward can run for the mayoral seat.

The terms for all Councilmembers and Mayor are for four years, except for positions that become vacant mid-term, as to which the person assuming the seat serves for the remainder of the term of the vacated seat.

The regular term of the Mayor and Councilmembers begins at 8 pm on the second Monday in May following the General City Election and expires upon the seating of their successors.

The City's two Wards are assigned based on each voter's address in the agency voter registration records.

Your assigned Ward can be determined by using one of the following resources:

• Mount Rainier Ward Map (PDF)
• Email the Office of the City Clerk at cityclerk@mountrainiermd.org
• Call 301-985-6585 during the hours of 9 am and 5 pm