The Board of Elections for Montgomery County, Maryland (hereinafter "The Board") satisfies various legal requirements related to public notice and return mail list maintenance by mailing an individually- addressed, non-forwardable Specimen Ballot Booklet with an extremely tight production schedule to all registered voters prior to each election. Elections occur in a four-year cycle; on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November in each leap year, a general election is held in which the highest office on the ballot is the President of the United States (hereinafter "Presidential General Election"). In non-leap even years, the highest office on the ballot is that of Governor of the State of Maryland (hereinafter "Gubernatorial General Election"). In the spring or summer of each even year, the Republican, Democratic, and any other qualifying political party may also hold a primary election in which candidates of that party are nominated to appear on the ballot in November (hereinafter
"Presidential/Gubernatorial Primary Election"). There may also from time to time be single district or countywide special elections declared to fill a vacancy in an office (hereinafter "Special Election").
The Contractor is responsible for furnishing all paper, production materials and services from receipt of the artwork for each ballot style and addressee data through preparation, printing, addressing and delivery to the U.S. Postal Service for mailing in accordance with the Scope of Services and the Anticipated Production Schedule detailed in this document and at the lowest possible cost for optimum efficiency of bulk mail delivery and in compliance with all printing and production requirements set forth in this solicitation.
The Board of Elections may request, at its discretion, from the Contractor to furnish timely a paper proof copy or an electronic proof of all ballot styles and obtain authorization to print prior to production. Specimen Ballot Booklets will be mailed by the Contractor, at either the bulk rate under Montgomery County's U.S. Postal Service permit, or the Contractor will pay postage to mail. The means by which Specimen Ballot Booklets are mailed will be directed by the County. The timeliness of delivery to registered voters is critically important. Prior to delivery, the Contractor must provide the Board of Elections with the opportunity to review and sign off on the printing and delivery schedule for each Ballot Style.
