Early voting in Maryland's Primary Election: What you need to know

Staff Report
·3 min read

With early voting slated to begin Thursday in Maryland's Primary Election, officials say they're planning for a big turnout at the polls.

Historically, gubernatorial primary elections typically see more than 20% of registered voters going to the polls, according to Barry Jackson, deputy director of the Washington County election board. However, the election board has already received 8,000 requested mail-in ballots.

"That's, theoretically, 8,000 people that aren't going to show up at the polling place," Jackson told The Herald-Mail in a telephone interview. "That should relieve some pressure on Election Day at the polling places."

However, Jackson added the county election board is still planning for the unexpected.

Letter: Instead of protesting and rioting, organize a voter registration campaign.
Letter: Instead of protesting and rioting, organize a voter registration campaign.

"If we don't have (a big turnout), then we don't have it," he said. "At least, if we do, we're ready for it."

Where do I go for advanced voting on the Lower Shore?

On the Lower Shore, there are two advancing voting sites in Wicomico County, at the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center and at First Baptist Church's Family Life and Cultural Center, 528 Booth St. in Salisbury.

There are also one advancing site each in Somerset County, at Somerset County Technical High School, 7994 Tawes Campus Drive in Westover; and in Worcester County, at Worcester Preparatory School, 508 South Main St., Berlin.

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Early voting runs each day through through Thursday, July 14, including Saturday and Sunday, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Along with voting in local races in each county, voters will also have choices to make for their party's nominee for governor, comptroller state attorney general; state delegates and senators; U.S. senators and U.S. Rep. for Maryland's 1st District.

Election officials more in the spotlight amid voter fraud claims

Jackson said that elections and elections officials have been on people's minds recently, thanks in part to the 2020 Presidential Election. Then-President Donald Trump and his supporters have made unproven claims of widespread voter fraud after he lost to Democrat Joe Biden.

"In the old days, people didn't even know there was such a thing as an election official," Jackson said. "They just thought that the voting equipment just magically showed up at polling places. But now, election officials are in the news every day. It seems like ... not usually for a good reason."

In a previous report on May 22 — during the Pennsylvania primary election — a 66-year-old Democrat in Franklin County was given a Republican ballot instead of one for her party. Like Maryland, Pennsylvania is one of nine states that holds closed primaries.

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Election officials attributed the mistake to human error and added that a lot of poll workers were older.

More ways to vote in Maryland's Primary Election

Voters wishing to register to vote and vote in person on Primary Election Day, July 19, may do so at their polling place.

Those who wish to cast their ballots by mail or via one of Maryland’s 288 ballot drop boxes must request a mail-in ballot from the State Board of Elections or their local board of elections. Requests for a mail-in ballot for the Primary Election must be received by July 12, 2022. Each of Maryland’s 288 ballot boxes are available for use until July 19 at 8 p.m. Voters can return their mail-in ballots using any official ballot box in their county of residence. A complete list of ballot box locations is available online at https://elections.maryland.gov/voting/documents/Primary_Ballot_Drop_Box_List.pdf.

The local boards of elections continue to look for voters to serve as election judges. Interested voters can learn more and apply at https://elections.maryland.gov/get_involved/election_judges.html.

This article originally appeared on Salisbury Daily Times: Early voting in Maryland's Primary Election: What you need to know