Live Updates: Election Day In Maryland
Last updated at 5:18 p.m.
It's Election Day in Maryland. Follow along with our live updates:
MARYLAND — Election officials say they are anticipating an evening rush at voting centers around the state. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday.
Voting has been "steady throughout the day," according to Maryland State Board of Elections Deputy Administrator Nikki Charlson.
"We do expect there to be lines when the evening rush hits," Charlson said at a 4 p.m. news briefing. "We should start to see that in the next hour."
Lines were reported at voting centers in Baltimore City, she said, and several that formed in Montgomery and Prince George's counties Tuesday morning had cleared.
Since the coronavirus prompted the state to shift from neighborhood polling places to a voting center model with fewer in-person sites, Charlson said: "We do expect there to be some lines this evening."
People who are in line to vote in person or cast their ballots at drop boxes at 8 p.m. will be able to, she added. If voters are in line at a ballot drop box in a car or on foot, she said they should be allowed to vote as long as they are there by 8 p.m.
See a list of voting centers open on Election Day. Here are the drop box locations.
As of 3:30 p.m., Charlson said 311,355 voters had cast their ballots on Election Day in Maryland. They are making selections for the president, U.S. House and state constitutional amendments.
More than 150,000 Marylanders had cast their ballots by approximately 11:15 a.m., and authorities reported 1.3 million ballots had been received by mail at that time as well, but not all had been counted because the resources required to do so were also being used at the polls.
More than 12,000 people have taken advantage of same-day voter registration in Maryland during Election Day and early voting, Charlson reported.
After polls close, the Maryland State Board of Elections plans to release three sets of results, all of which are unofficial: early voting results, mail-in ballots that were already counted and ballots cast on Election Day.
Return to Patch for the latest vote tally. Subscribe to free News Alerts for election results.
While Election Day operations are on the whole running smoothly, authorities have noted a few hiccups.
Election Day Delay, Robocalls, Vandalism
One voting location opened a little late — Northwestern High School in Prince George's County — because the election judges had trouble connecting to the election poll books, or tablets that check-in voters. Because lines cleared at that site, Charlson said officials do not anticipate keeping it open later. However, anyone in line at 8 p.m. will be allowed to vote.
A few Marylanders were given instructions not to vote, which has authorities investigating.
"We, like many other states, have received a handful of reports of voters receiving the robocall that says, 'This is a test: Stay home. Stay safe. Stay home,'" Charlson said. The state is coordinating with federal partners on that, she added.
Outside some polling places, Charlson said electioneering has been reported. In these cases, she said, election judges have been instructed to "remind people to stay back." This was "normal election activity" and had not reached a level outside the typical range, she noted.
Vandalism was reported outside one polling place in Anne Arundel County and police activity around another in Prince George's County.
Those who arrived at Arundel High School in Odenton found campaign signs defaced with red and black spray-paint, targeting President Donald Trump (R) and Democratic challenger Joe Biden.
Around 9 a.m., Prince George's County police said officers were alerted about an armed man near Oxon Hill High School, which is a polling place, but "did not find anyone who posed a threat," according to authorities.
"The polling station remains open, and our officers will continue to ensure the community is safe," the Prince George's County Police Department said in a statement at 10:45 a.m.
The individual armed with a long gun was a "false report," Charlson said Tuesday afternoon.
Maryland State Police, the FBI and Homeland Security are partnering in protecting voters on Election Day.
“The right to vote is one of the most important rights exercised by Americans. We will not tolerate threatening conduct that seeks to intimidate, harass, or dissuade Americans from exercising their right to vote," U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur said in a statement. "I urge all Marylanders to report to law enforcement any efforts to infringe on their right or another person’s right to vote. If you see something, say something.”
In Montgomery County, authorities reported a security breach involving blue United States Postal Service mailboxes at these locations in Silver Spring:
East Indian Spring Drive/Evergreen Street
All boxes near Eastern Middle School (East Franklin Avenue/University Boulevard)
All boxes near the YMCA (Colesville Road)
Thieves had taken checks from these mailboxes and altered or fraudulently deposited them, according to police, who asked residents to take the drop box inside the post office, which was more secure, or to another location. Those concerned about thefts from blue USPS mailboxes should call the United States Postal Inspectors at 1-877-876-2455 or report it online.
Voters Turn Out Around The State
At Camden Yards, about 50 people were in line for in-person voting when polls opened at 7 a.m. Several security guards were posted around the premises, where two ballot drop boxes are also on site.
Franklin Chestnutt, 56, was the first citizen in line to vote at Camden Yards in Baltimore, after arriving at 6:15 a.m.
While he's registered as Independent, Chestnutt said he planned to vote for Democrat Joe Biden.
He was also voting for Democratic candidate Brandon Scott for mayor of Baltimore.
"He seems like he has ideas, and he’s from Baltimore," Chestnutt said of Scott. "He’s familiar with the streets."
About 2.17 million Democrats and 1 million Republicans were registered in Maryland, according to 2018 voter registration statistics from the state.
In Queen Anne's County, registered Republicans make up 50 percent of the county electorate, 29 percent are Democrats, and just under 19 percent are unaffiliated, according to the Maryland State Board of Elections website.
On Kent Island, exit polls revealed most voters who spoke with Capital News Service were motivated by taxes and an improved economy to vote for Trump.
“He helped the farmers stay alive,” said William Snyder, 69, a soybean and corn farmer. The lifelong Queen Anne’s County resident, pointing to last year’s grain subsidies and the $1,200 federal stimulus check that benefited him.In 2019 the U.S. Department of Agriculture gave farmers $16 billion in subsidies, a result of a relief program requested by Trump.
Return to Patch for the latest vote tally. Subscribe to free News Alerts for election results.
Eight congressional seats are up for grabs in Maryland, in Districts 1 through 7.
Congressman Kweisi Mfume, who was voted into the District 7 post earlier this year by special election after the death of U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings, will face off against challenger Kim Klacik, who is gunning for a Republican upset. District 7 — which includes parts of Baltimore City, Baltimore County and Howard County — has never been represented by a Republican, according to The Baltimore Sun.
Baltimore will also select a new mayor, after Mayor Bernard "Jack" Young lost the Democratic nomination to Council President Brandon Scott in the primary. Scott will take on Pastor Shannon Wright and entrepreneur Bob Wallace in the race to lead Charm City.
In Anne Arundel, Howard, Montgomery and Prince George's counties, voters will select school board members and other local officials.
Voters will also have the opportunity to weigh in on two statewide ballot questions in addition to any local issues brought to referendum.
One would give the Maryland General Assembly the authority to reallocate budget items after the governor approves it. The other would allow for an expansion of gaming.
Too Late For Mail: Use Ballot Box Or In-Person Voting
The Maryland Board of Elections warned voters Monday not to put their mail-in ballots in the mail if they were waiting to do so.
"It is too late to put your mail-in ballot in the mail," state election officials said Monday, encouraging voters to return their mail-in ballots to a ballot drop box. The best time to vote and avoid lines was between 11 a.m. and 2 or 3 p.m., Charlson said.
Voters should use ballot drop boxes or vote in person, according to the Maryland State Board of Elections, which advises the U.S. Postal Service may not process ballots by the deadline.
Statewide, 284 ballot boxes are accepting ballot submissions until 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 3. They are at 283 locations around the state, with two at Camden Yards in Baltimore. Here are the drop box locations.
Mailed ballots must be postmarked by Nov. 3 and will be received until Nov. 13, so it will be at least 10 days before the final results are tabulated in Maryland.
"Election officials across the state are prepared to keep vote centers open as long as it takes for voters who were in line by 8 p.m. to cast their ballots," Maryland State Board of Elections Administrator Linda Lamone said in a statement.
“Marylanders should be assured that, if a ballot was properly completed and submitted by the deadline, it will be counted in the election’s official results," Lamone said. "While media outlets may ‘call’ the election on election night, that determination is not based on an official count of ballots received. Due to the nature of this election, counting will continue for some time after Election Day."
Patch editors Jacob Baumgart and Alessia Grunberger contributed to this report. Capital News Service also contributed.
See Also:
MD Has 8 Congressional Seats Up For Grabs: Meet The Candidates
Maryland Ballot Drop Box Locations, Mail-In Voting Deadlines
This article originally appeared on the Baltimore Patch
