General Election Process

"Meet the Candidates" TV SHOW:
Do you want students from your school to be a part of the SMOB "Meet the Candidates" TV studio audience? Two high schools and one middle school is selected each year to send five students to be a part of the audience and ask questions of the candidates.

If your school HAS NOT participated in the last six years, then you are eligible to apply. ONLY ADVISORS may complete the application. Click here to apply (no password is needed - just click on "request") Application Deadline: February 3, 2010.

These schools ARE NOT ABLE TO APPLY as they have been a part of "Meet the Candidates" in the last six years:

2004 Wheaton HS and Montgomery Village MS
2005 Rockville High School and Julius West MS
2006 Kennedy High School and Loiederman MS
2007 Whitman High School and Baker MS
2008 Einstein HS, Rockville HS, and Wood MS
2009 Quince Orchard HS, B-CC HS, and Argyle MS

Archived Information:
2009 Election Information

Student Election Officials Training
Recipe for a Successful Election of the SMOB (logistics)
Election Notebook Documents
Electronic Pollbook Manual and Checklists
Voting Unit Manual and Checklists
Quick Reference Guides for election
Viewing Schedule for "Meet the Candidates" TV Show
Voter Guides and SMOB Poster (candidates' page)
Protocols (pdf document)

Read about the Candidates (click here)

Election Officials' Training 2009
Memo (pdf)
Student Transportation (pdf)
Advisor Professional Leave (pdf)
Schools are assigned to a training date and time alphabetically. There will be two trainings each day—the first training will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and the second training will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The training will take place at the Montgomery County Board of Elections, 751 Twinbrook Parkway in Rockville.

General Election Memo 2009
(Recipe for a Successful Election of the SMOB)
Memo (pdf)
Professional Leave Form (pdf)

Election Notebook Documents
All Documents (except for individual school equipment list)
Opening Certificate
Closing Certificate
Pollbook Integrity Report
Voting Unit Integrity Report (part 1, part 2, part 3)
Provisional Ballot Chart
Voter Assistance Record
Voter Receipts

back to top of page

Electronic Pollbook Manual and Checklists
Complete manual with checklists (pdf)
Both Checklists (Opening and Closing)

Individual Pages (all pdf files)
Cover
Introduction-page 2, page 3, page 4
Setting up and Unpacking
Checking the pollbooks before opening
Checking Synchronization and Voter Name Search
Issing a Voter Card
Closing the Pollbook
Hand Encoders for Provisional Ballots

Voting Unit Manual and Checklists
Complete manual with checklists
Opening Checklist
Closing Checklist for all exept Zero Unit
Closing Checklist for Zero Unit & Accumulator
All Checklists

Individual Pages (all pdf files)
Cover
Opening page 2, page 3, page 4
Panel Adjustment
VIBS Setup
Installing the Mobility Bracket
Printing the Zero Reports
During Voting Hours
Canceling a Ballot
Ending elction & PRinting the Totals Reports
Accumulating and Transmitting
Closing the Voting Unit
Packing and Securing the Voting Units

Quick Reference Guide
Full Reference Guide (pdf)
Information for All Judges
Election Judges Individual Responsibilities
Before Eletion Day
Problem Solving
Returning Election Materials
Phone Numbers & Maps
Glossary

back to top of page

"Meet the Candidates" TV airing times 2009

Prior to the election, the Board of Education has authorized students to view the television program “Meet the Candidates” during social studies classes.

Provisions to view the program are to be made for students who are not enrolled in social studies classes. Your school may choose to show the program at some other time, but all students must be given the opportunity during class time to view it before the election. "Meet the Candidates" is approximately a half-hour in length. Ms. Quratul-Ann Malik, the current student member of the Board of Education will host the program. The program features the two final candidates.

Beginning April 13, 2009, the program will be aired regularly on MCPS Cable Television Channel 34 (Comcast), Channel 36 (Verizon FiOS), and Channel 89 (RCN). It may be necessary for you to arrange with your media specialist to tape the program for later viewing. Schools that do not have a cable hookup may send MCPS Form 365-28, Video Duplication Request to Mr. Jay Henley, Video Services, to secure a copy of the tape. You will need to work with your administrator to arrange a schedule for students to view the program during class. All airing times will have “open caption” for the deaf. The cable-airing schedule is as follows:

back to top of page

Protocols 2008-2009 (pdf) As stated in Maryland Educational Law, the written agreement between the Board of Education and the Montgmery County Region of the Maryland Association of Student Councils-MCR on the total election process. Individuals, candidates, or organizations filing a grievance should use this form as a guide (pdf).

General Election Process:
The following is the usual sequence of events for the election of the student member of the Board of Education:

June - September
The MCR president designates the election administrator who chairs the special elections committee.

October-November
Membership for the special election committee is solicited. All MCPS students in middle school through grade 12 are eligible to be members of the committee. Each high school should have at least one student serving on the committee.

December
An informational meeting is conducted for students interested in learning more about the position of SMOB. Advertising and application materials are sent to secondary schools.

January
The filing period is scheduled during January. Students who are residents of Montgomery County, are regularly enrolled in a Montgomery County public school, and are either sophomores or juniors are eligible. Filing forms are available through local student government organizations, the Student Affairs Office, or on the Web. Candidates may nominate themselves or be nominated by others. An administrator's signature is required. Only complete applications submitted by the deadline will be considered. There is a mandatory candidates' meeting held at the end of January.

February - March
There is a selection/election of nominating convention delegates by local schools. (If more than two SMOB candidates file, a convention is convened. Otherwise, half day town meetings are held. Either way, delegate selection/elections may be necessary.)

Nominating Convention or Town Meetings. During the nominating convention, there are two sets of balloting. The primary ballot narrows the field to half of the candidates. The second, preferential ballot, selects the final two candidates.

April
• Training sessions for local school election officials are conducted at the Board of Elections.
• General Election (the last Wednesday of the month)- every secondary student (grades middle school - 12) in MCPS is eligible to vote (using the Montgomery County Board of Elections equipment and following all proper election protocols)

Local student government support, assistance, and cooperation is needed to assure the success of the election each year. Attention to the following is required:

• Assuring that students are aware of the filing period, who is eligible to file for office, and who may nominate candidates.
• Scheduling and administering the timely election of nominating convention/town meeting delegates.
• Educating the voting population - showing the video "Meet the Candidates" to all students; distributing the voters guide (in addition to English, available in 5 languages )
• Conducting the election following all protocols on election day.

back to top of page

2009 Election Data from Schools

Voter Turnout – election day voter turn-out (includes absentee ballots) The Montgomery County Board of Elections has provided MCPS with an individual report from every voting precinct (school).

System-Wide Results 2009

back to top of page

2008 Data...to be updated as soon as possible
- Individual School Voter Participation Chart (PDF 2008)
- County-Wide History of Voter Participation Chart (PDF 2008)

Updated October 18, 2009 | Maintained by Karen Crawford