Election Day
It is Election Day in Maryland and today’s election is critically important for Baltimore, Maryland, and the entire country.
It is Election Day in Maryland and today’s election is critically important for Baltimore, Maryland, and the entire country. Our primary elections have moved almost entirely to vote by mail because of COVID-19.
Here is how you can vote today:
If you want or need to vote in person or register to vote, you can do so at a vote center in your city or county if you are in line by 8pm.
If you are voting from home, make sure to use black ink and sign the oath on the envelope.
- You can turn in your ballot at a drop box until 8pm.
- You can also mail in your ballot. It must be postmarked by 8pm. Check the pick up time on your mailbox, or go to a post-office and make sure that it will be postmarked before 8pm.
More information on the voting process:
- The Maryland League of Women Voters has put together county level non-partisan voter guides with information on the candidates.
- If you have issues voting, contact these election protection hotlines: ACLU of MD: (443)399-3229 and Common Cause Maryland/Lawyers Committee: 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683)
In times of crisis it is critical that we preserve our democracy and maintain faith in our government and institutions. Maryland was one of the first states in the country to move our elections to Vote By Mail as a public health precaution.
Thanks to the advocacy of good democracy and civil rights groups, the Governor and state Board of Election have stepped up to protect public health and our democracy. In addition to mailing all active voters ballots, they set up drop boxes throughout the state and ensured ballots could be mailed postage free. After some hesitation they responded to our call for limited in-person voting to ensure people who needed help voting, didn’t receive ballots, or needed to register to vote could still participate in the elections. And it’s a good thing they did. Various complications lead to voters in Baltimore City and Montgomery County not getting their ballots when they expected or not at all.
Because of the shift in the elections process, and the need to process ballots safely, it will take longer than usual to count the ballots, but early signs show promising results for voter participation. Leading up to Election Day, the state voter participation rate was already over 50% of what it was in 2016.
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Authors
Emily Scarr
Senior Advisor, Maryland PIRG
Emily is a senior advisor for Maryland PIRG. Recently, Emily helped win small donor public financing in Montgomery and Howard counties, and the Maryland Keep Antibiotics Effective Act to protect public health by restricting the use of antibiotics on Maryland farms. Emily also serves on the Executive Committees of the Maryland Fair Elections Coalition and the Maryland Campaign to Keep Antibiotics Working, and the Steering Committees for the Maryland Pesticide Action Network and Marylanders for Open Government. Emily lives in Baltimore with her husband and dog.