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April 1, 2023

The Chestertown Spy

An Educational News Source for Chestertown Maryland

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Maryland In-Person Early Voting Begins Monday

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The Maryland State Board of Elections reminds voters seeking to cast their ballots in person that early voting begins Monday, Oct. 26, and runs for eight consecutive days, including Saturday and Sunday. Early voting in Maryland concludes on Monday, Nov. 2, the day prior to Election Day.

Eligible voters may cast their ballots at any authorized early voting center in their jurisdiction of residence. A complete list of early voting centers is available here. Voters may also search here for early voting centers, Election Day voting centers and ballot drop box locations in their area simply by including their zip code.

For voters who missed the advance voter registration deadline, same-day registration will be available at early voting and Election Day vote centers. To prove their place of residence, Marylanders registering in person during early voting or on Election Day will need to bring their Motor Vehicle Administration-issued driver’s license, identification card or change of address card, or a paycheck, bank statement, utility bill or other government document that includes the voter’s name and new address.

“We encourage Marylanders who would like to vote in person to take advantage of early voting,” said Maryland State Board of Elections Administrator Linda Lamone. “While many Marylanders have, and continue to, cast their votes using mail-in ballots, voting early is one way to reduce lines and limit wait times at vote centers. The best time to vote in person is on a weekday between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.”

Voters who have already requested a ballot should vote the ballot they receive in the mail. Voters simply complete the ballot, sign the oath on the postage-paid return envelope that accompanies the ballot, seal the envelope and submit it by mail or at an approved ballot drop box location.

Voters may not “trade in” their mail-in ballot during early voting or on Election Day, nor can they scan their mail-in ballot at an in-person vote center. If a voter has already requested or received a mail-in ballot and wants to vote early, the voter will have to cast a provisional ballot. This ballot will be held until election officials confirm the voter did not also return a mail-in ballot. This process ensures only one ballot per voter is counted.

Voters may drop off a mail-in ballot at an early voting center, but the ballot must be properly sealed in the return envelope that accompanied the mail-in ballot. Voters must sign the oath on the return envelope in order for the ballot to be counted.

As a reminder, early voting centers and Election Day vote centers will be following approved health guidelines. Voters must wear a mask and maintain a distance of at least six feet between other individuals.

Md. Elections Officials Say They’re Ready to ‘Rock and Roll’

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With less than a month until the Nov. 3 election, state election officials say they are ready to “rock and roll” as preparations wrap up.

The last of Maryland’s roughly 19 million ballots for in-person voting will arrive at local boards of elections across the state on Friday, Deputy Election Administrator Nikki Charlson told members of the State Board of Elections during a virtual meeting on Thursday. Mail-in ballots are being delivered to voters on a rolling basis, with more than 1.3 million requested as of Wednesday.

“We’re at the endgame,” State Board Chairman Michael R. Cogan (R) said.

Board members approved a last-minute regulatory change during the meeting, allowing voters with mail-in ballots to turn them in at early voting centers. Voters who get mail-in ballots can now submit ballots at in-person Election Day and early voting centers, return them by mail or drop them off at ballot boxes across the state.

Charlson said voters don’t have to use a ballot box in their home jurisdiction, and can submit their ballot at any of the roughly 280 boxes scattered across the state. She said local boards will make sure every ballot gets to the right place after they’re collected.

The State Board of Elections won’t meet again until after the election — and board members used their final meeting to laud state and local election staff for their work in setting up the election.

Many local boards of elections faced major obstacles in preparing for the election. In addition to dealing with thousands of vacant poll worker positions, local election officials had to scramble to find locations for the state’s more than 300 voting centers with little notice after state officials shifted away from regular polling locations.

“I’m about as confident as you can get that this train is loaded up, and will arrive at its destination on time,” Board Vice Chairman Patrick J. Hogan (D) said.

Cogan said the election is now in the hands of local election workers, and invoked a famous photograph of General Dwight D. Eisenhower speaking with paratroopers just before the invasion of Normandy in World War II before addressing election staff across the state.

“In any struggle, and this is a struggle between people and process, but in any struggle the side that prevails is the side that refuses to yield,” Cogan said, “That, when exhausted, keeps going.”

By Bennett Leckrone

Hogan Demands Answers, Action on Delayed Mailing to Voters

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Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan Jr. (R) slammed the Maryland State Board of Elections in a letter Monday, demanding to know why voters haven’t been mailed applications to request mail-in ballots yet.

In his letter, Hogan gave the State Board of Elections 48 hours to explain why those ballot applications have not been mailed to voters, and reiterated his call for election officials to open every available polling center for the Nov. 3 general election.

“Under existing law, and to save voters the extra step of having to request an application for an absentee ballot, I directed you to promptly mail applications to every single Maryland registered voter,“ Hogan wrote. “It has now been 26 days, and you have failed to take action.”

Hogan’s letter came as state election officials are looking for a new vendor to do printing for the November election. State Election Administrator Linda H. Lamone has blamed printing vendor SeaChange for late and incorrect ballot deliveries in the June 2 primary.

The State Board of Elections issued a request for proposals from printers last month. Officials hope to have a contract in place by Aug. 17 so the new vendor can prepare for the unprecedented tasks of mailing millions of registered voters both applications for ballots and actual ballots during a pandemic.

Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore city) responded to Hogan’s letter with a detailed timeline that Lamone sent to him and Sen. Paul Pinsky (D-Prince George’s). In that letter, dated July 30, Lamone wrote that the State Board plans to approve a revised mail-in ballot application by Aug. 5.

Maryland voters should start receiving mail-in ballot applications, with pre-paid return envelopes, after they are mailed on Aug. 28, according to Lamone’s letter. Mail-in ballots will be sent starting Sept. 24, according to her timeline.

Election officials across the state have scrambled to find election workers and polling centers since Hogan announced his intent to hold a more traditional election in November. Advocates have repeatedly asked Hogan to reverse course and hold another largely mail-in election, as Maryland did for the June 2 primary. But Hogan said state law requires in-person polling centers to be open.

“Let me be clear — this is not ‘my plan,’ it is what Maryland law requires you to do,” Hogan wrote.

The governor also slammed local officials who want to limit the number of in-person locations for voting in the general election. Hogan wrote that he’d received a letter from Prince George’s County officials requesting to close 229 precincts and only open 15. Hogan said such a move would suppress voters of color.

“Local leaders have suggested massive closures of polling places, particularly in some of our minority communities,” Hogan wrote. “This would likely result in voter suppression and disenfranchisement on a significant scale, disparately impacting Marylanders of color.”

Democratic lawmakers, local election officials and voting rights advocates have, in turn, accused Hogan of voter suppression due to his decision to require voters to apply for a mail-in ballot instead of automatically sending them one.

By Bennett Leckrone

Letter to Editor: Voter Registration and Changes to Party Affiliation Deadline May 27

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Governor Hogan has changed the date of the Primary Vote to June 2, 2020. Mail-In Ballots have been mailed to all registered voters. If you did not get one call Talbot County Board of Elections 410-770-8099. Fill out the ballot, sign the oath on the outside of the envelope and mail it back. No Postage Required.

Maryland is a closed primary state which means that if you are not registered to vote with a party affiliation, you may not cast a vote in the primary election. Independents, this means you!

If you are NOT registered to vote you can:
1) Register online up until May 27 at www.elections.maryland.gov (Maryland Driver’s License required)
2) Register at your County Board of Elections up until May 27, or
3) Register with “Same Day Registration” on June 2 at your county’s voting location.

However, this method is not encouraged in that the voting process will be more involved due to changes instituted to protect the public and volunteers from Covid-19. Additionally, NO changes to party affiliation nor address changes will be processed on June 2.
To change your party affiliation or address, use choice 1) or 2) above prior to deadline of May 27.

TO VOTE: Mail back your ballot postmarked no later than June 2, or in Talbot County, starting May 21st, drop it off at ballot “Drop Boxes” located at either Talbot County Board of Elections, 215 Bay Street, or Easton Fire Hall, 315 Aurora Park Dr, Easton. Final day to vote in the Primary is on June 2nd, 2020 at Easton Fire Hall.

For more info visit: https://elections.maryland.gov/voting/index.html

As American citizens we are so fortunate to live in a country where we have the right to vote. With this right comes the obligation and responsibility to register to vote, become informed of the candidates, and vote. To vote you must meet these qualifications: 1) a U.S. Citizen, 2) at least 16 years old, (to vote you must be 18, but you can register at 16), 3) Not be under guardianship for mental disability, 4) Not have been convicted of buying or selling votes, and 5) Not have been convicted of a felony, or if you have, have completed your court-ordered sentence, then you may register to vote.

If you don’t vote, you can’t complain!

Christopher A. Koch
Easton