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| Maryland prepares for unprecedented test of mail-in voting amid pandemic | Maryland prepares for unprecedented test of mail-in voting amid pandemic |
| (30 days later) | |
| The late Maryland congressman Elijah E. Cummings’s 92-year-old mother begged him, as she lay dying, to protect the fundamental right to vote above all else, he told a congressional committee last year. | The late Maryland congressman Elijah E. Cummings’s 92-year-old mother begged him, as she lay dying, to protect the fundamental right to vote above all else, he told a congressional committee last year. |
| A major test of government’s ability to do just that amid the coronavirus pandemic will play out Tuesday as officials carry out the state’s first mostly mail-in election. | A major test of government’s ability to do just that amid the coronavirus pandemic will play out Tuesday as officials carry out the state’s first mostly mail-in election. |
| There will be only one race on the ballot: the special election to decide who will complete the remaining eight months of Cummings’s term representing the 7th District, which includes parts of Baltimore City, Baltimore County and Howard County. | There will be only one race on the ballot: the special election to decide who will complete the remaining eight months of Cummings’s term representing the 7th District, which includes parts of Baltimore City, Baltimore County and Howard County. |
| The election will also help officials work out any kinks in the process before the large-scale primary on June 2, which will include the presidential race and crowded contests for Baltimore mayor, City Council seats and congressional offices. | The election will also help officials work out any kinks in the process before the large-scale primary on June 2, which will include the presidential race and crowded contests for Baltimore mayor, City Council seats and congressional offices. |
| In one of his first executive orders in response to the health crisis, Gov. Larry Hogan (R) postponed the April primary election until June, and later called for a mail-in primary with a handful of in-person polling centers. | In one of his first executive orders in response to the health crisis, Gov. Larry Hogan (R) postponed the April primary election until June, and later called for a mail-in primary with a handful of in-person polling centers. |
| The state is even considering a mail-in ballot for the November general election, Hogan said recently on ABC News’s “This Week.” | The state is even considering a mail-in ballot for the November general election, Hogan said recently on ABC News’s “This Week.” |
| “We’re going to see how this thing goes in June,” he said. “Hopefully it will work out well. We want to make sure every single vote is counted, and we want to make sure that our citizens are safe while they’re exercising that right to vote.” | “We’re going to see how this thing goes in June,” he said. “Hopefully it will work out well. We want to make sure every single vote is counted, and we want to make sure that our citizens are safe while they’re exercising that right to vote.” |
| On Tuesday, former congressman Kweisi Mfume, a Democrat who held the seat from 1987 to 1996, is favored over Republican nominee Kimberly Klacik in the heavily Democratic district. | On Tuesday, former congressman Kweisi Mfume, a Democrat who held the seat from 1987 to 1996, is favored over Republican nominee Kimberly Klacik in the heavily Democratic district. |
| The state arranged earlier this month to mail every eligible voter in the 7th District a ballot, which unlike a traditional absentee ballot does not require voters to add their own postage, said Nikki Charlson, deputy administrator at the Maryland State Board of Elections. | The state arranged earlier this month to mail every eligible voter in the 7th District a ballot, which unlike a traditional absentee ballot does not require voters to add their own postage, said Nikki Charlson, deputy administrator at the Maryland State Board of Elections. |
| The state mailed 483,191 ballots and as of Friday had received back 84,927, or about 18 percent of the ballots, data show. | The state mailed 483,191 ballots and as of Friday had received back 84,927, or about 18 percent of the ballots, data show. |
| The last large group of ballots was sent out April 20, but watchdogs say some voters have complained they did not receive ballots as they believe they should have. | The last large group of ballots was sent out April 20, but watchdogs say some voters have complained they did not receive ballots as they believe they should have. |
| “It is important to work out these glitches now, because if it were June 2, it would be catastrophic,” said Del. Nick J. Mosby (D-Baltimore City), who chairs the House subcommittee on election law. | “It is important to work out these glitches now, because if it were June 2, it would be catastrophic,” said Del. Nick J. Mosby (D-Baltimore City), who chairs the House subcommittee on election law. |
| Any voter who still needs a ballot can request an electronic ballot from the elections office. The ballot must be printed, put in an envelope and mailed with postage by Tuesday. Voters can also drop off their completed ballot at one of six locations: their county or city elections office or a voting center. | Any voter who still needs a ballot can request an electronic ballot from the elections office. The ballot must be printed, put in an envelope and mailed with postage by Tuesday. Voters can also drop off their completed ballot at one of six locations: their county or city elections office or a voting center. |
| Three voting centers — at Edmondson-Westside High School in Baltimore City, Martin’s West in Baltimore County and the fairgrounds in Howard County — will be open until 8 p.m. Tuesday. | Three voting centers — at Edmondson-Westside High School in Baltimore City, Martin’s West in Baltimore County and the fairgrounds in Howard County — will be open until 8 p.m. Tuesday. |
| The Maryland chapter of the watchdog group Common Cause will send scouts to the voting centers to make sure voters are following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines and Hogan’s orders to wear masks and remain at least six feet apart. | The Maryland chapter of the watchdog group Common Cause will send scouts to the voting centers to make sure voters are following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines and Hogan’s orders to wear masks and remain at least six feet apart. |
| Activists are allowed, as usual, to campaign as long as they remain at least 100 feet from the polling center. | Activists are allowed, as usual, to campaign as long as they remain at least 100 feet from the polling center. |
| Joanne Antoine, executive director of Common Cause in Maryland, said she worries people who didn’t receive ballots will crowd voting centers, defeating their purpose. | Joanne Antoine, executive director of Common Cause in Maryland, said she worries people who didn’t receive ballots will crowd voting centers, defeating their purpose. |
| “The concern is whether we will see people going to these in-person voting centers, which is what the board [of elections] was trying to avoid in the first place,” she said. | “The concern is whether we will see people going to these in-person voting centers, which is what the board [of elections] was trying to avoid in the first place,” she said. |
| Del. Courtney Watson (D-Howard) said she received her ballot this month, but her son and husband never got theirs. | Del. Courtney Watson (D-Howard) said she received her ballot this month, but her son and husband never got theirs. |
| Watson posted on her Facebook page to get a sense of how widespread the problem was. More than 30 others responded. | Watson posted on her Facebook page to get a sense of how widespread the problem was. More than 30 others responded. |
| “It appeared there were problems delivering them to households,” she said in an interview, noting that she never requested an absentee ballot. “This appeared to be a separate problem.” | “It appeared there were problems delivering them to households,” she said in an interview, noting that she never requested an absentee ballot. “This appeared to be a separate problem.” |
| Watson contacted the board of elections and advised others to do the same. The two ballots arrived Saturday. | Watson contacted the board of elections and advised others to do the same. The two ballots arrived Saturday. |
| “I’m really not concerned about Tuesday. I figured there would be some issues,” Watson said. “I just want to make sure they explore all these issues for when they do it again in June.” | “I’m really not concerned about Tuesday. I figured there would be some issues,” Watson said. “I just want to make sure they explore all these issues for when they do it again in June.” |
| Thirty-three states, including Maryland, allowed no-excuse absentee voting, essentially mail-in voting, before the pandemic, but the scale of the mail-in vote is unprecedented. | Thirty-three states, including Maryland, allowed no-excuse absentee voting, essentially mail-in voting, before the pandemic, but the scale of the mail-in vote is unprecedented. |
| Mileah Kromer, an associate professor of political science and director of the Sarah T. Hughes Field Politics Center at Goucher College, said turnout in Tuesday’s special election should not determine the effectiveness of conducting elections by mail. | Mileah Kromer, an associate professor of political science and director of the Sarah T. Hughes Field Politics Center at Goucher College, said turnout in Tuesday’s special election should not determine the effectiveness of conducting elections by mail. |
| “It’s really an imperfect test because it was done in a really short period of time and it had some confusion surrounding it,” she said, referring to the multiple elections to fill Cummings’s seat. | “It’s really an imperfect test because it was done in a really short period of time and it had some confusion surrounding it,” she said, referring to the multiple elections to fill Cummings’s seat. |
| Kromer said a better test will be the June primary. She said Maryland must invest in an educational campaign for June to drive voter participation. | Kromer said a better test will be the June primary. She said Maryland must invest in an educational campaign for June to drive voter participation. |
| “Everything is drowned out by the coronavirus,” she said. | “Everything is drowned out by the coronavirus,” she said. |
| Social distancing brings big changes to upcoming elections | Social distancing brings big changes to upcoming elections |
| Covid-19 is ravaging one of the country’s wealthiest black counties | Covid-19 is ravaging one of the country’s wealthiest black counties |
| Virginia and Maryland governors offer ‘blueprint’ for emerging from pandemic shutdown | Virginia and Maryland governors offer ‘blueprint’ for emerging from pandemic shutdown |
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