Update on Voting in the November Election

Update on Voting in the November Election

Against the advice of local Boards of Elections, Governor Hogan instructed the State Board of Elections not to mail ballots automatically, as was done in the June 2 primary, and to have all polling places open for the November 3 general election. He said application forms to vote by absentee ballot are to be mailed to all registered voters.

Conducting two mass mailings (first absentee ballot applications, then ballots) and trying to open all 1,600 neighborhood polling places will cost the state an estimated $20.6 million. Further confusion will be caused by moving or combining neighborhood polling places because some usual voting locations (such as senior centers) won’t be available and retirees who usually staff polling places will stay at home because of COVID-19. And local election boards cannot guarantee that they will be able to process all absentee ballot applications and get the actual ballots to all voters in time for election day.

While some problems arose in the June 2 primary, voting by mail did accomplish significant successes:

• A huge number of people were able to vote without taking health risks.
• No fraud or allegations of fraud.
• No indication that problems affected the results of any race.
• Preliminary data indicate that voting by mail contributed to record high voter participation in Baltimore City and several counties.

Along with other organizations that want to make sure that everyone has an equal and fair opportunity to vote safely, the Maryland Sierra Club has urged Governor Hogan to reverse course and support a robust vote-by-mail general election this November. This is the best way to secure our safety and the safety of our democracy.

Whether or not Governor Hogan decides to allow ballots to be mailed to voters without requiring them to first fill out an absentee ballot application, voters who want to remain as safe as possible during the COVID-19 pandemic will be able vote by absentee ballot.

You can register to vote, update your registration, and apply for an absentee ballot online on the State Board of Elections website   Applying now online will avoid the risk of receiving your ballot late. It will also save staff time and expense for your local board of elections.

Rich Norling, Maryland Chapter Political Chair

https://www.sierraclub.org/maryland/maryland-sierra-club-political-program